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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 5 September 2026. Open a visa for its trend over time.

Visitor visas

Visa50% within80% within
Academic Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Adoption Pre-citizenship Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Adoption Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Antarctic Traveller Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Arts and Music Festival Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Business Visitor Visa3 days4 days
Child of a New Zealander Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Child of a Student Visitor Visa5 weeks2 months
Child of a Worker Visitor Visa5 weeks2 months
Child of Military Visitor Visa5 weeks2 months
Crew joining a Ship or Plane Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa2 weeks4 weeks
Dismissed Worker Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Escort of Medical Patients Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
German Law Student Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Group Visitor Visa8 days11 days
Guardian Visitor Visa5 weeks7 weeks
Medical Treatment Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Occupational Registration Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa8 weeks3 months
Partner of a New Zealander Visitor Visa5 weeks2 months
Partner of a Student Visitor Visa5 weeks2 months
Partner of a Worker Visitor Visa5 weeks2 months
Partner of Military Visitor Visa5 weeks2 months
Pitcairn Islander Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Private Yacht or Plane Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Refugee Claimant Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Short-term Entertainment Act Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Sports Events Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Super Yachts Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Tour Escort Visitor Visa4 days9 days
Transit Visa3 days7 days
Visiting Media Visitor Visa8 days3 weeks
Visitor Visa7 days11 days

Work visas

Visa50% within80% within
Accredited Employer Work Visa3 weeks8 weeks
Argentina Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Austria Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Belgium Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Brazil Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Canada Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Chile Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
China Special Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
China Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Croatia Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Czech Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Denmark Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Domestic Staff of a Diplomat Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Entertainers Work Visa9 days11 days
Entrepreneur Work Visa13 months14 months
Estonia Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Finland Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Fishing Crew Work Visa7 weeks4 months
France Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Germany Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Hong Kong SAR Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Hungary Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Indonesia Special Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Ireland Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Israel Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Italy Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Japan Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Japanese Interpreters Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Korea Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Latvia Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Lithuania Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa4 weeks4 weeks
Luxembourg Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Malaysia Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Malta Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Mexico Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Netherlands Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Norway Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa6 weeks7 weeks
Partner of a Student Work Visa2 weeks5 weeks
Partner of a Worker Work Visa4 weeks5 weeks
Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa2 weeks5 weeks
Partner of Military Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Peru Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Philippines Special Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Philippines Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Poland Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Portugal Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Primary Sector Trainees Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Religious Worker Work Visa11 days3 weeks
Republic of Korea Special Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Singapore Work Exchange Programme Visa4 days2 weeks
Slovakia Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Slovenia Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
South Island Contribution Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Spain Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Specific Purpose Work Visa11 days3 weeks
Student and Trainee Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Sweden Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Taiwan Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa2 weeks2 weeks
Thai Chefs Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Thailand Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Turkey Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
United Kingdom Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Uruguay Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
USA Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Victims of Family Violence Work Visa9 days2 weeks
Vietnam Special Work Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Vietnam Working Holiday Visa4 days2 weeks
Work Exchange Scheme Work Visa11 days2 weeks

Study visas

Visa50% within80% within
Dependent Child Student Visa5 weeks9 weeks
English Language Student Visa3 weeks8 weeks
Exchange Student Visa8 days9 days
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 Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Pacific Access Category Resident Visa15 months16 months
Parent Resident Visa7 months10 months
Parent Retirement Resident Visa14 months27 months
Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa6 months7 months
Permanent Resident Visa9 days2 weeks
Religious Worker Resident Visa4 months6 months
Samoan Quota Resident Visa16 months17 months
Second or Subsequent Resident Visa2 weeks4 weeks
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa9 weeks3 months
Straight to Residence Visa7 weeks3 months
Talent (Accredited Employer) Resident Visa4 weeks4 weeks
Victims of Family Violence Resident Visa3 months6 months
Work to Residence Visa7 weeks3 months

Other visas

Visa50% within80% within
Active Investor Plus Visa6 weeks3 months
China Skilled Workers Visa3 weeks7 weeks
Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa2 days2 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 132 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.