Retire in New Zealand
If you are considering retirement in New Zealand, there are a number of options you can choose from.
What are the visa options to retire in new Zealand
New Zealand is a fantastic country, and often praised as a retirement destination. For information about how pension schemes work in New Zealand, click here. Otherwise read on!
Immigration New Zealand allows for several options to retire in New Zealand, whether you intend to come temporarily or permanently, and whether or not you have children who reside in country.
.brxe-mrcdab{
background-color: #F1F5F9;
}If you have a child who is a NZ citizen or resident
The Parent Resident Visa
New Zealand residents are able to sponsor their parent(s) to become residents themselves. This category is capped at 2,500 applicants/year and the key requirements are guaranteed minimum income from the New Zealand child(ren) sponsors.
You can be sponsored for the Parent Resident Visa by:
your adult New Zealand citizen or resident child jointly by your adult child and their partner, or jointly by your adult child and another adult child of a parent included in the application.The sponsors need to be New Zealand citizens or residents who have been resident here for at least 3 years. If you are being sponsored by a child and their partner, they must have been living together for at least 12 months, which demonstrates a genuine and stable relationship.
The minimum income they need varies depending on if you have single or joint sponsors and the sponsors must have earned the income threshold for at least 2 years in the 3-year period before you are invited to apply for residence.
Minimum income for 1 sponsor
Number of Parents
Effective date
Median income
1
2
3
4
5
6
28 February 2025 onwards
$69,804.80
$104,707.20
$139,609.60
$174,512.00
$209,414.40
$244,316.80
$279,219.20
28 February 2024 to 27 February 2025
$65,748.80
$98,623.20
$131,497.60
$164,372
$197,246.40
$230,120.80
$262,995.20
1 May 2023 to 27 February 2024
$61,692.80
$92,539.20
$123,385.60
$154,232
$185,078.40
$215,924.80
$246,771.20
1 January 2022 to 30 April 2023
$57,740.80
$86,611.20
$115,481.60
$144,352
$173,222.40
$ 202,092.80
$230,963.20
1 January to 31 December 2021
$56,160.00
$ 84,240
$ 112,320
$ 140,400
$ 168,480
$ 196,560
$224,640
1 January to 31 December 2020
$53,040.00
$ 79,560
$ 106,080
$ 132,600
$ 159,120
$ 185,640
$ 212,160
Minimum income for 2 sponsors
Number of parents
Effective date
Median income
1
2
3
4
5
6
28 February 2025 onwards
$69,804.80
$139,609.60
$174,512.00
$209,414.40
$244,316.80
$279,219.20
$314,121.60
28 February 2024 to 27 February 2025
$65,748.80
$131,497.60
$164,372
$197,246.40
$230,120.80
$262,995.20
$295,869.60
1 May 2023 to 27 February 2024
$61,692.80
$123,385.60
$154,232
$185,078.40
$215,924.80
$246,771.20
$277,617.60
1 January 2022 to 30 April 2023
$57,740.80
$115,481.60
$144,352
$173,222.40
$202,092.80
$230,963.20
$259,833.60
1 January to 31 December 2021
$56,160.00
$ 112,320
$ 140,400
$ 168,480
$ 196,560
$ 224,640
$252,720
1 January to 31 December 2020
$53,040.00
$106,080
$132,600
$159,120
$185,640
$212,160
$238,680
Calculating the 3-year period
The 3-year period used to assess the sponsor’s income is the 36 months up immediately prior to receiving the invitation to apply. The sponsor can choose which of 2 years in that 3-year timeframe can be used as evidence of income.
The income threshold for each year is based on the New Zealand median wage in place on the last day of each 12-month period.
The Parent Retirement Resident Visa
This option allows you to live, work and study in New Zealand permanently, and you also need a New Zealand citizen or resident adult child willing to sponsor you. To be eligible, you will need a yearly income of NZ$60,000, NZ$1 million to invest over 4 years, and another NZ$500,000 to live on. You may then apply for permanent residence after 4 years. You may include your partner in this application.
The Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa (3-year visa)
This temporary visa allows multiple entry into New Zealand for up to 6 months at a time, for a total maximum stay of 18 months over 3 years, to visit your child or grandchild. You must also be sponsored by them. You may include your partner in this application but if you want to bring dependent children with you they will have to apply for their own visas. This visa can also only be applied for while offshore.
Le Parent Boost visa (visa visiteur de 5 ans)
The Parent Boost visa aims to offer a five-year multiple-entry option for parents to visit their children in New Zealand, with the possibility of extending it for an additional five years, allowing for up to 10 years of stay in the country.
If you do not have a child who is a NZ citizen or resident
The Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa (temporary visa)
This option would allow a temporary stay in New Zealand on a visitor visa for up to 2 years, so considerably longer than on a ‘regular’ visitor visa. You must be 66 or above, have NZ $750,000 to invest in New Zealand for 2 years, another NZ $500,000 to live on, and an annual income of NZ $60,000. You may include your partner in this application but no dependent children.
:es visas 'business'
As possible alternatives, you may want to consider business migration options, which include investor visa and business Investor visa. The Business Investor visa may require you to run a business for a number of years before you are able to retire. The Active Investor visa application requires funds of NZ$5 millions to be invested for at least 3 years before you get granted residence.
