immigrationadviser.co.nz

NZ visa processing times

How long Immigration New Zealand is currently taking for every visa product: the time within which 50% and 80% of recent applications were completed, from INZ's published figures, captured daily. As at 22 July 2026. Open a visa for its trend over time.

Visitor visas

Visa50% within80% within
Academic Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Adoption Pre-citizenship Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Adoption Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Antarctic Traveller Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Arts and Music Festival Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Business Visitor Visa3 days4 days
Child of a New Zealander Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Child of a Student Visitor Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Child of a Worker Visitor Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Child of Military Visitor Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Crew joining a Ship or Plane Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa10 days6 weeks
Dismissed Worker Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Escort of Medical Patients Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
German Law Student Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Group Visitor Visa7 days9 days
Guardian Visitor Visa3 weeks8 weeks
Medical Treatment Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Occupational Registration Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa7 weeks3 months
Partner of a New Zealander Visitor Visa11 days6 weeks
Partner of a Student Visitor Visa2 weeks7 weeks
Partner of a Worker Visitor Visa2 weeks7 weeks
Partner of Military Visitor Visa2 weeks7 weeks
Pitcairn Islander Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Private Yacht or Plane Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Refugee Claimant Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Short-term Entertainment Act Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Sports Events Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Super Yachts Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Tour Escort Visitor Visa3 days8 days
Transit Visa2 days4 days
Visiting Media Visitor Visa9 days2 weeks
Visitor Visa4 days9 days

Work visas

Visa50% within80% within
Accredited Employer Work Visa4 weeks6 weeks
Argentina Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Austria Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Belgium Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Brazil Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Canada Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Chile Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
China Special Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
China Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Croatia Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Czech Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Denmark Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Domestic Staff of a Diplomat Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Entertainers Work Visa4 days8 days
Entrepreneur Work Visa12 months17 months
Estonia Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Finland Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Fishing Crew Work Visa7 weeks7 weeks
France Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Germany Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Hong Kong SAR Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Hungary Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Indonesia Special Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Ireland Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Israel Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Italy Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Japan Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Japanese Interpreters Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Korea Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Latvia Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Lithuania Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa4 weeks4 weeks
Luxembourg Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Malaysia Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Malta Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Mexico Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Netherlands Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Norway Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa11 days5 weeks
Partner of a Student Work Visa2 weeks6 weeks
Partner of a Worker Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa2 weeks6 weeks
Partner of Military Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Peru Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Philippines Special Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Philippines Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Poland Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Portugal Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Post Study Work Visa8 days3 weeks
Primary Sector Trainees Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Religious Worker Work Visa2 weeks4 weeks
Republic of Korea Special Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Singapore Work Exchange Programme Visa4 days3 weeks
Slovakia Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Slovenia Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
South Island Contribution Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Spain Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Specific Purpose Work Visa10 days2 weeks
Student and Trainee Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Sweden Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Taiwan Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa2 weeks2 weeks
Thai Chefs Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Thailand Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Turkey Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
United Kingdom Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Uruguay Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
USA Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Victims of Family Violence Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Vietnam Special Work Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Vietnam Working Holiday Visa4 days3 weeks
Work Exchange Scheme Work Visa11 days2 weeks

Study visas

Visa50% within80% within
Dependent Child Student Visa3 weeks7 weeks
English Language Student Visa3 weeks8 weeks
Exchange Student Visa8 days2 weeks
Fee Paying Student Visa3 weeks8 weeks
Foreign Government Supported Student Visa3 weeks3 weeks
NZ Government Scholarship Student Visa3 weeks3 weeks
Pathway Student Visa3 weeks8 weeks
Vocational Trainee Student Visa3 weeks3 weeks

Residence visas

Visa50% within80% within
Dependent Child Resident Visa5 months6 months
Global Impact Permanent Residence Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Pacific Access Category Resident Visa16 months18 months
Parent Resident Visa7 months10 months
Parent Retirement Resident Visa15 months31 months
Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa5 months7 months
Permanent Resident Visa3 days9 days
Religious Worker Resident Visa3 months9 months
Samoan Quota Resident Visa14 months15 months
Second or Subsequent Resident Visa2 weeks8 weeks
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa3 months4 months
Straight to Residence Visa9 weeks4 months
Talent (Accredited Employer) Resident Visa4 weeks4 weeks
Victims of Family Violence Resident Visa3 months5 months
Work to Residence Visa8 weeks3 months

Other visas

Visa50% within80% within
Active Investor Plus Visa6 weeks2 months
China Skilled Workers Visa6 weeks8 weeks
Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa2 days4 days

Frequently asked questions

How long does a New Zealand visa take to process?
It depends on the visa product. Immigration New Zealand publishes, for each visa, how quickly 50% and 80% of recent applications were completed. This page tracks those figures daily for all 133 visa products; open any visa for its current figures and trend.
What do the 50% and 80% figures mean?
They are completion percentiles for recently decided applications. If 50% is 4 days and 80% is 2 weeks, half of recent applications were completed within 4 days and four out of five within 2 weeks. Your own application can take longer, especially if INZ asks for more information.
Where does this data come from?
From Immigration New Zealand's published processing-time figures, captured daily so trends over time are visible. INZ updates its figures regularly; the date shown on each page is the latest capture.

Figures are Immigration New Zealand's own published percentiles for recently decided applications; individual applications can take longer. General information, not immigration advice.