Immigration New Zealand is easing border restrictions to allow more categories of foreign nationals to travel to New Zealand.
This change is meant to help temporary migrants who have a connection with New Zealand to fly back here. These changes are expected to be implemented early October 2020.
Temporary visa holders normally resident in New Zealand
If you hold a valid temporary work visa (Essential Skills or Talent: Work to Residence) and have a strong ongoing connection with New Zealand, you may request a border exception from early October 2020.
In order to qualify you must:
- have been living in New Zealand for at least two years (or one year in some specific cases), and
- returning to the same job you held before departing New Zealand, or continue to operate a business in New Zealand as part of entrepreneur work visa, and
- have departed New Zealand on or after 1 December 2019, and
- have held either:
- a Work to Residence visa, or
- an Essential Skills visa (assessed as mid-skilled or higher-skilled) at the time you left departed New Zealand and this visa does not expire before the end of 2020 or, if it is expiring before end of 2020, you must have applied for a further visa on the basis of the same job when you left that allows you to remain in New Zealand for 12 months or more before 10 August 2020.
If you qualify, you will be subject to a 14 days isolation/quarantine (MIQ). You will also be liable for associated costs, unless you left before 19 March 2020.
If you have lost your job, you will not be able to apply based on a new job offer.
What if I don't meet these criteria?
You may wait until the next changes, or seek an exception on humanitarian grounds.
Offshore resident visa holders
If you were granted residence while offshore and have not been able to activate your visa upon entry within 12 months, or if your travel conditions have expired/are about to expire, this change is for you.
- Individuals with travel conditions about to expire will receive a 12 month extension to travel to New Zealand.
- Individuals whose travel conditions expired on or after 2 February 2020 will be issued a new visa valid for 12 months.
Note that if you have not yet travelled to New Zealand, you will still need a border exception to request entry and activate your resident visa.
Partners of New Zealand citizens and residents
If you qualify, you may be granted a border exception if you can provide relationship evidence as part of your border exception request. If granted, you may travel to New Zealand, and either be granted residence on arrival (Australian citizens) or apply for a temporary visa that is relevant to your circumstances (anyone else).
Who qualifies? You must be:
- the partner of a NZ citizen or resident, and
- an Australian passport holder, or
- hold a passport from a visa-waiver country
Will there be a cost for these applications?
Australians will have to pay NZD $45 for the exception requests. Anyone else will have to pay NZD $45 and in addition the visa application fee that is relevant to their circumstances.
What about quarantine?
All applicants will have to spend 14 days in isolation and quarantine, and liable for associated costs.
