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Parent Resident Visa Information
Here we share some general information about Parent Residence policies. This material is for information purposes only. Contact one of our Licensed Immigration Advisers for personal immigration advice.
Parent Category
If your adult child is a New Zealand Citizen or Resident and living in New Zealand, they may be able to sponsor you.
To qualify as a sponsor, your child will need to meet the minimum income threshold and be prepared to look after you financially for the first ten years post-approval.
Applicant Checklist
The government allows a limited number of parents each year to join their adult children who are already settled in New Zealand.
Applicants must:
- Be sponsored by an adult child who undertakes to provide accommodation and financial support for their parent(s) in the first 10 years of living in New Zealand.
- Prove the sponsoring child (and their partner in some cases) has a high annual income to support their parent(s) in at least two out of the three years just before applying.
- Have no dependent children.
- Be of good health and character.
A maximum of 2,500 parents are approved each year. The process of applying is complex, and delays are normal. This category has a long queue, and it may take several years to get to the front. There is also a "lottery" for parents each year to try their luck to jump the queue but ongoing demand for these limited spaces is high. Take advice to avoid disappointment.
Useful Information
The Malcolm Pacific Immigration team of advisers and experts take away the stress and worry of navigating the complex world of New Zealand Parent Resident visas and immigration.
Helpful Links
Parent Retirement Category
This is a fast-track category for parents to join adult children who are living in New Zealand. Parents need to commit to making investments in New Zealand over a four year period and provide evidence of assets and income.
- The parent(s) should have at least one child living permanently in New Zealand. There is no minimum residency period.
- The parent(s) should have no dependent children.
- The parent(s) should be able to invest NZD 1 million for a minimum period of four years.
- The parent(s) should be able to demonstrate that, in addition, they have at least $500,000 in available assets to assist in their immediate settlement costs and at least $60,000 per annum regularly available income with which to support themselves.
The Route To Parent Residence
Requirements for Parent and Parent Retirement visas are different. Parent is limited by an annual quota of approvals, whereas Parent Retirement is unlimited. These regulatory processes can be frustrating to follow, and the bureaucracy can be overwhelming.
The queues are long. If parents want to join children in New Zealand sooner talk to us about a special parent temporary visa.
If you need assistance in navigating these complicated conditions, don't hesitate to contact us. The Parent categories in New Zealand can seem overly complicated, but you can rely on the experts at Malcolm Pacific Immigration to help guide you through this maze.
General Comments
Sometimes, families expect that rules can be bent to accommodate respected parents, but immigration procedures always apply.
Applicants from some regions face additional delays because of special "security checks".
Even elderly parents are expected to meet very high health standards. Malcolm Pacific Immigration can argue exceptions on a case-by-case basis, but once again, this can cause delays.
Families should not delay planning for a reunion with their parents. Contact Malcolm Pacific Immigration and identify the issues early on, so we can help your family to have a happy outcome.
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We are New Zealand’s largest and most experienced team of licensed immigration advisers. Our experts take away the stress and worry of navigating the complicated world of immigration. All you need to do is get in touch. Our team is on standby, ready to help.
