How to Sponsor Someone to NZ? There are different kinds of visas that you can apply for to bring your family or partner to New Zealand. You will need to meet the sponsor criteria for each one.
These include the minimum income threshold. We update these each year. You can check the current levels on our Minimum Income Tables page.
Family visas
There are a number of visa options that allow parents, children and wider family members to join residents and citizens in New Zealand. These vary by whether the sponsor is a single person or a couple and also depending on their income and other criteria.
Generally, sponsors need to earn a minimum of NZ$65,000 per year or (for joint sponsorship) two times the current New Zealand median wage. Other requirements such as health and character also need to be met.
There are several different scenarios covered by the family stream visas, so it’s important to see which one best fits your situation and the purpose of your stay in NZ. The Sponsor visa application process is complex, and INZ requires detailed information about your circumstances. There are also a number of medical examinations required, which need to be completed and passed. These can be expensive, but are necessary to prove your health and good character. This is especially important in the case of children who will need to complete a school health assessment.
Partner visas
Those in de facto, registered or marriage bound relationships with Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens are able to apply for a partnership visa. This is a residence visa that provides the opportunity to stay in New Zealand permanently.
This visa category can be used by those who are in a genuine and stable relationship with a New Zealand citizen or resident, and who share responsibilities such as household chores, cooking and childcare. It is important to have solid evidence to support your application as a high number of applications are refused.
An immigration adviser can help you gather the right documents, check that they are relevant to your case and put together a compelling and complete submission. This will significantly increase your chances of success. Moreover, an immigration advisor will have your best interests at heart. They are licensed and bound by a Code of Ethics, so you can trust them.
Student visas
If you’re an international student looking to study in New Zealand, it is important to have the right visa. A Student visa allows you to stay in the country for up to 4 years and also permits you to work while studying. You must have a qualification from a New Zealand registered education provider to be eligible for this type of visa.
Applicants need to provide proof of their identity and clean character, along with documents that show they have enough money to live in New Zealand while they’re studying. This includes a summary of deposit from their education provider, proof that they have sufficient funds to buy a return ticket, and evidence of health insurance.
A sponsor can be a family member, friend, or non-New Zealand organisation. However, they must genuinely intend to meet their sponsorship obligations and hold the necessary funds for each student they support. You can find out more about who can be a sponsor on the Immigration New Zealand website.
Work visas
When you’re hiring someone from overseas, you need to make sure they have a visa that lets them work here. You can use VisaView to check someone’s visa status before you hire them.
Some work visas lead to residence, which means the migrant can stay in New Zealand indefinitely. This type of visa is reserved for people with skills that are in high demand in the local labour market (like IT professionals, especially cyber security consultants, ERP and CRM applications, and registered nurses).
Sponsors can be New Zealand citizens or residents or organisations like registered companies, incorporated societies, charitable trusts, or government agencies. There are also sponsorship criteria that needs to be met, such as demonstrating the effort made to recruit New Zealand workers for a particular role and that the employer will offer the migrant worker the median wage or above.
Employers can become accredited to sponsor their employees for work visas by partnering with an immigration specialist, like Malcolm Pacific Immigration. Our team of qualified and experienced migration experts can help you navigate the process of accreditation.