Family Migration Visas

If you already have a member of your family who is a New Zealand citizen or resident, you may want to investigate being sponsored by them.if you are in one of the groups below:

  • Partner – you want to join your New Zealand partner. Or you are already in New Zealand and want to sponsor your partner
  • Dependent Child - you want to join your New Zealand parent. Or you are already in New Zealand and want your child to join you
  • Parent – you want to come join your New Zealand child. Or you are already in New Zealand and would like to sponsor your parent
  • Brother, sister or adult child - you want to join your New Zealand brother, sister or adult child. Or you are already in New Zealand and want to sponsor your brother, sister or adult child.

To Sponsor a Partner

To sponsor a partner you must be a New Zealand citizen or resident who meets the following criteria:

  1. you must not have supported or sponsored more than one successful applicant previously under the Partner Sponsorship
  2. has not sponsored another successful applicant under the Partner Sponsorship within the last five years of this application

To Sponsor a Child

To sponsor a dependent child under the Family Category you must be a lawful and permanent resident of New Zealand.

The child must be

  • 16 years or younger or
  • 17-24 years, must be single with no dependent children themselves

and

  • the child must have been born or adopted before the parents applied for residence to New Zealand and declared on parent residence application, or
  • be born after the parents residence application, or
  • were adopted as recognized by New Zealand law

and

  • the child needs to be of good health and good character
  • be dependent or substantially dependent on an adult for financial support

To Sponsor a Parent or Guardian

To sponsor a parent you must be

  • be at least 17 years old
  • live in New Zealand as a New Zealand or Australian citizen, or
  • live in New Zealand and be the holder of a Residence Visa, or a returning Residents Visa, for at least three years before the application (at least 184 days within each 12 months of the three year period must have been spent living in New Zealand)
  • demonstrate that you will be able to provide financial support and accommodation for at least the first 24 months of your parents being resident in New Zealand

To Sponsor a Brother or Sister

To be a sponsor for a Brother or Sister, they must have no other siblings or parents who are living lawfully and permanently in the same country as them

To be eligible to as a sponsor you must adhere to the same rules as explained above in the section about sponsoring a Parent or Guardian.

Family Quota

If you would like to sponsor someone who is not eligible for immigration to New Zealand under any other circumstances, the New Zealand Immigration Services do offer a very limited number of opportunities for each year for families to be reunited. The number of places available under the Family Quota Category is announced by the Minister of Immigration each year. Under the Family Quota in 2007, there were no places available.