In an effort to bring families together, New Zealand has raised the quota for the Parent Resident Visa category through June 2025. This single increase will allow applications tentatively approved to be processed within this financial year.
Main Information
- Annually, 2,500 visas may be granted within this category.
- A total of 2,000 visas are designated for ‘queue’ applications (Expressions of Interest or EOIs), and 500 visas are set aside for ‘ballot’ applications.
- The Immigration Minister has authorized 331 more visas for ‘queue’ applications, raising the total to 2,331 for the current financial year.
Criteria and Application Procedure
To qualify for a Parent Resident Visa, applicants need to have a child who is a citizen or resident of New Zealand. The child is required to sponsor the parent’s application and fulfill certain income criteria. The sponsor’s earnings must be no less than 1.5 times the median wage in New Zealand, which is presently NZD $69,804.80.
Candidates must initially provide an Expression of Interest (EOI), which will be randomly chosen every three months via a ballot process. If an EOI is chosen, the applicant will be sent an invitation to submit a residence application.
In 2022, the government of New Zealand implemented alterations to the sponsorship criteria for the Parent Resident Visa category. These modifications involved lowering the income criteria for sponsors and permitting two adult children to pool their income to support their parents.
The rise in the quota for the Parent Resident Visa category is anticipated to provide relief to families who have been waiting for years to reunite. Nevertheless, opponents contend that the voting system is inequitable and that the financial criteria for sponsors are excessively high.
While the New Zealand government works through the complexities of immigration policy, families hold onto hope that these updates will facilitate their reunion with their loved ones.
