Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visas: A Complete Guide

The Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa is designed to facilitate opportunities for parents or grandparents (and their partners) to visit their New Zealand citizen or residence class visa holder children or grandchildren, through the grant of multiple-entry visitor visas.

While it doesn’t provide a pathway to New Zealand residence, the Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa provides an excellent way to maintain family connections. It’s also a useful option for parents to visit New Zealand while waiting for their residence visa application to be processed or for their expression of interest to be selected from the Parent Category pool.

What is a Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa?

The Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa is a multiple-entry visa that allows the holder to stay in New Zealand for up to 6 months at a time, with a maximum total stay of 18 months in 3 years.

The holder can also apply for a further Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa after 3 years.

The key difference between this visa and other visitor visas is its 3 year duration.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for this visa, you must:

• have children or grandchildren who are New Zealand citizens or residents

• be sponsored by your child or grandchild, or the parent of your child or grandchild

• be living outside New Zealand

• be in good health

• be of good character

• have genuine reasons for coming to New Zealand

• if bringing your partner, have evidence of your relationship, and of their good health and character

• pay for any health care or medical assistance you receive while in New Zealand. 

You must be sponsored by your child or grandchild, or, if they are younger than 18, by their parent.

Your sponsor must:

• be a New Zealand citizen or a resident visa holder

• be your child or grandchild, or their parent, if your child or grandchild is aged 17 or younger

• meet Immigration New Zealand’s requirements for acceptable sponsors

• not be sponsoring anyone else.

If your sponsor is the parent of your child or grandchild, and not your child, you must provide evidence of the sponsor’s relationship to your child or grandchild.

You or your sponsor will need to pay for any health care or medical assistance you may need in New Zealand. If you are pregnant, there are additional requirements.

To be included in your application, your partner must meet Immigration New Zealand’s “partnership” definition (including that you must be “living together in a genuine and stable relationship” with your partner) as well as Immigration New Zealand’s good character and good health requirements.

Application Process

There is a range of documents you’ll need to provide for your application, including the following (note this is not intended as an exhaustive list):

• a copy of your passport or certificate of identity (which must be valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave New Zealand).

• 1 acceptable photo if you apply online, or 2 photos if you apply using paper forms

• evidence of a chest X-ray, if required

• evidence of a medical examination, if required

• proof of your relationship to your sponsor

• a copy of the completed Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry

• police certificates, if required

• translated versions of all your documents if they are not in English.

If you are bringing your partner with you, you will also need to provide evidence of your relationship, and your partner's identity, health and character.

Citizens of certain countries (e.g. China, Hong Kong, Macao) must provide an additional completed and signed form.

Although it is possible to apply in paper format, most applicants will lodge their application online through the Immigration New Zealand website.

Processing Times and Costs

At the time of writing (June 2025), Immigration New Zealand has indicated that 80% of applications are decided within 4 months.

The application fee will depend on your nationality, but for most applicants it is currently (June 2025) NZD $441 for a single applicant and an additional $100 per additional applicant. However, as the fee changes from time to time, and is less for citizens of certain countries (e.g. the US, Japan and certain Pacific nations) and therefore the Immigration New Zealand website should always be checked for the latest fee information. 

Getting help with your application

Given the importance of these applications to keeping families connected, investing in an Immigration Lawyer to assist can be money well spent. Your lawyer will be well placed to guide you on the forms, evidence and other documents and information required for your application, helping to ensure they are correct and comprehensive, and increasing your chances of success.