Country

Pathways to New Zealand Residency and Citizenship

New Zealand

New Zealand offers skilled work, study, and family routes in an English-speaking setting, most leading to residence and then citizenship. It permits dual nationality.

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Ways to qualify

Career & business

For people with a job offer, in-demand skills, or a business to build. Most of these routes lead to settlement, and in time to citizenship.

New Zealand Straight to Residence Visa This is a skilled-work residence pathway for people whose occupation is on a priority or shortage list in New Zealand. It generally requires a… residency New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa New Zealand's Accredited Employer Work Visa is for people with a job offer from an accredited New Zealand employer. It generally requires the… residency New Zealand Work to Residence Visa This is a skilled-work residence pathway for people whose occupation is on a priority or shortage list in New Zealand. It generally requires a… residency New Zealand Care Worker Residence Visa New Zealand's Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa is for people aged 55 or younger who have completed qualifying New Zealand care-sector work and… residency New Zealand Transport Work to Residence Visa New Zealand's Transport Work to Residence Visa is for people aged 55 or younger who have completed qualifying New Zealand transport work and have a… residency New Zealand Skilled Migrant Resident Visa New Zealand's Skilled Migrant Category is a points-based residence route for people aged 55 or younger with a qualifying skilled New Zealand job or… residency New Zealand Entrepreneur Resident Visa New Zealand's Entrepreneur Resident Visa is for people who have built a profitable, compliant business in New Zealand, usually after holding an… residency New Zealand Religious Worker Resident Visa New Zealand's Religious Worker Resident Visa is for people already in New Zealand religious work who have held a Religious Worker Work Visa for at… residency New Zealand Specific Purpose Work Visa New Zealand's Specific Purpose Work Visa is for people coming to New Zealand for a specific project, event, assignment, or time-limited work purpose. residency New Zealand Business Investor Work Visa This residence pathway is for investors who can commit substantial funds to approved investments in New Zealand. It generally requires a qualifying… residency

Investment & premium residence

For people who can qualify through an investment, real estate, business funds, or a premium residence fee rather than a job or family tie.

New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa This residence pathway is for investors who can commit substantial funds to approved investments in New Zealand. It generally requires a qualifying… residency

Family

For joining a partner, parent, or child who already lives there — or claiming citizenship through marriage.

New Zealand Partner Resident Visa New Zealand partner residence is for the married, civil-union, or de facto partner of a New Zealand citizen or resident. It generally requires living… residency New Zealand Dependent Child Resident Visa New Zealand's Dependent Child Resident Visa is for dependent children of New Zealand citizens or residents who meet age, single-status, dependency,… residency New Zealand Parent Boost Visitor Visa New Zealand's Parent Boost Visitor Visa is a long-stay visitor route for parents of New Zealand citizens or residents. It allows extended family… other New Zealand Parent Resident Visa New Zealand's Parent Resident Visa is for parents, grandparents, or legal guardians sponsored by an adult New Zealand citizen or resident child. It… residency New Zealand Parent Retirement Resident Visa New Zealand's Parent Retirement Resident Visa is for parents of New Zealand citizens or residents who can qualify through investment and retirement… residency

Ancestry & heritage

A parent, grandparent, or birth in the country can make you a citizen already — or let you claim it, often without relocating.

New Zealand Citizenship by Birth This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in New Zealand or in another qualifying birth situation… citizenship New Zealand Citizenship by Descent New Zealand citizenship by descent is for people born outside the Realm of New Zealand to a parent who was a New Zealand citizen by birth or grant. It… citizenship New Zealand Citizenship for Samoan Families New Zealand's 2024 Western Samoa citizenship restoration law can restore New Zealand citizenship to certain people connected to Western Samoa in the… citizenship New Zealand Permanent Resident Visa New Zealand's Permanent Resident Visa is the follow-on status for many people who have held a New Zealand resident visa for at least 2 years and met… residency New Zealand Repeat Resident Visa New Zealand's Second or Subsequent Resident Visa can help certain former residents return to resident status after the travel conditions on a resident… residency

Study

Routes to study there, and often to stay on and work after you graduate.

New Zealand Fee Paying Student Visa New Zealand's Fee Paying Student Visa is for international students accepted by an approved New Zealand education provider who can show tuition,… residency New Zealand Post Study Work Visa New Zealand's Post Study Work Visa is for people who recently completed an eligible New Zealand qualification and want temporary work rights that can… residency

Citizenship by residence

Once you've lived there long enough and settled, you can often apply to become a citizen.

New Zealand Citizenship by Grant This citizenship pathway is for long-term residents of New Zealand. It generally requires enough lawful residence, good character, and any language,… citizenship

Other routes

Nationality-specific schemes and special cases.

New Zealand Australian Resident Visa Australian citizens can generally visit, live, work, and study in New Zealand and receive a New Zealand resident visa when they arrive, if they meet… other New Zealand U.S. Working Holiday Visa New Zealand's USA Working Holiday Visa lets eligible U.S. citizens aged 18 to 30 holiday, work, and study in New Zealand for up to 12 months. It… residency New Zealand Pacific Access Resident Visa New Zealand's Pacific Access Category Resident Visa is a ballot-based residence route for eligible citizens of Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, and Tuvalu aged… residency New Zealand Samoan Quota Resident Visa New Zealand's Samoan Quota Resident Visa is a ballot-based residence route for Samoan citizens aged 18 to 45 who are selected and can meet job-offer,… residency New Zealand Refugee Family Resident Visa New Zealand's Refugee Family Support Resident Visa can help some family members join a New Zealand citizen or resident who was granted residence as a… residency New Zealand Family Violence Resident Visa New Zealand's Victims of Family Violence Resident Visa is a protected route for people whose partnership with a New Zealand citizen or resident ended… residency