New Zealand Expands Parent Resident Visa Quota for 2025: Key Updates

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has announced a one-time increase in Parent Category Resident Visas for the financial year ending June 30, 2025.

While the annual visa cap remains at 2,500, the government has approved an additional 331 visas for queue-based applications, bringing the total allocation for this category to 2,331. The ballot quota remains unchanged at 500 visas.

This temporary adjustment applies only to applicants who have already received approval in principle. INZ will directly contact eligible applicants or their representatives regarding their status under the new guidelines. The total cap of 2,500 visas will continue for the 2025-26 financial year.

Who Can Apply for the Parent Resident Visa?

New Zealand’s Parent Resident Visa allows foreign nationals to reunite with their children who are New Zealand citizens or residents. To qualify, applicants must:

• Have a sponsoring child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident.
• Meet specific sponsorship and financial criteria.
• Follow the application and selection process outlined by INZ.

Application and Selection Process

The Parent Resident Visa program operates through two pathways: the queue system and the ballot system.

• Queue System: Normally, INZ allocates 2,000 visas to applicants in this system, but with the new increase, it will grant 2,331 visas in the 2024-25 financial year.
• Ballot System: This remains unchanged at 500 visas per year.

Application Process

• The process starts with an Expression of Interest (EOI).
• EOIs are selected randomly through a ballot system every three months.
• Selection rounds occur in February, May, August, and November, typically on the second Tuesday of the month.
• EOIs must be submitted by the last day of the preceding month to be included.

Important Note: EOIs submitted since October 12, 2022, are included in the ballot.

Changes in Sponsorship Requirements

New Zealand resumed the Parent Resident Visa program on October 12, 2022, with significant changes to sponsorship requirements:

• Up to two adult children can now combine their incomes to sponsor their parents, rather than just a single child and their partner.
• The income requirement for sponsors has been reduced from twice the median wage to 1.5 times the median wage.

From February 28, 2025, New Zealand’s median wage will be NZD 69,804.80, impacting the sponsorship income requirements:

To be eligible, sponsors must be New Zealand citizens or residents who have lived in the country for at least three years. If sponsorship is shared between a child and their partner, they must have lived together for at least 12 months. Additionally, sponsors must meet the required income level for at least two of the last three years before EOI selection.

Future Outlook

The ballot system will continue under its existing rules, and EOIs will expire if not selected within two years. While the government has not announced further changes beyond this financial year, the increased queue-based visas create more opportunities for families to reunite in New Zealand.