Parents of a New Zealand citizen or resident can live in the country permanently. The sponsor must earn enough money and agree to support their family. The requirements have changed, with the minimum amount required for sponsors now being 1.5 times the median wage, and joint sponsorship now requiring double that.
1. Your child must be a New Zealand citizen or resident
The Parent visa NZ allows your child and their dependents to live in New Zealand permanently or for a short stay. This is a very popular visa for parents, grandparents and other family members who want to join their loved ones in New Zealand.
However, there are a few criteria that must be met before you can apply for this visa. First of all, your sponsor must be a citizen or resident of New Zealand and their income must meet certain minimum requirements. This is a standard requirement for all visas to New Zealand.
Applicants must also have basic health and character requirements. They must not have any criminal record, and they must be able to demonstrate that they can take care of themselves financially in New Zealand. They must also provide a police certificate and chest x-ray to show that they are of good character. Finally, they must meet the age and relationship requirements of New Zealand.
2. You must meet the basic health and character requirements
Bringing your family to New Zealand is a major life event. It requires careful planning and strict adherence to immigration regulations. This is especially important for parents of New Zealand citizens or residents.
New Zealand has a variety of options to help bring your loved ones to the country. However, many of them require that you have a sponsor that is either a citizen or resident of the country. Some also have income thresholds that must be met.
The good news is that the Parent Category visa has finally reopened after 6 years! The bad news is that INZ has changed the requirements, specifically around sponsor income. It will now be possible to sponsor your parents for residence if they can meet the requirements, including sponsorship, English language, and health and character.
3. You must have a high income
New Zealand requires a high income in order to sponsor parents for residence. The New Zealand parent visa (formally called the visitor visa for parents) allows NZ residents and citizens to bring their children and partners to live in the country for a maximum of 18 months in any three-year period.
In order to meet this requirement, your child/s must have a New Zealand citizen or resident sponsor and have been earning the required level of income for two out of the last three years. This is because immigration officials want to ensure that your parents are able to support themselves once they arrive in the country.
If your family meets these parent category visa NZ requirements, you will need to submit an Expression of Interest for the visa. At Visa Matters, we can assess your sponsorship and income levels to determine if you can meet the requirements of the New Zealand parent visa. We can also represent your sponsor/s if they are invited to apply by Immigration New Zealand.
4. You must have a valid visa
The Parent Category visa enables parents of adult children who are New Zealand citizens or residents to live in New Zealand. These adults must be able to meet all policy criteria including health and character requirements. They must also agree to sponsor their parent(s). The parents may not work on this visa, unless they apply for a variation of conditions.
Parents can also sponsor their siblings to reside with them in New Zealand under the same conditions as the Parent Category. However, the sponsorship income requirements are higher. In order to qualify, the sponsor must have a valid visa. This visa allows them to travel in and out of New Zealand, but it is not permanent residency. It is also possible for grandparents and guardians to enter New Zealand on a visitor visa. They must have a child in the country who is sponsoring them and have enough income to cover their living costs.