To qualify, applicants must have held a resident visa continuously for at least two years. They must either hold a current resident visa or one that expired no more than 90 days before applying. Applicants must also show they have met all conditions attached to their resident visa, if any.
A key requirement is demonstrating commitment to New Zealand. This can be shown in one of five approved ways, including spending at least 184 days in New Zealand in each of the previous two years. Immigration authorities use official travel records to assess this requirement.
Applicants and any family members included must also meet good character requirements. Immigration New Zealand may ask for police certificates and can decline applications where there are criminal convictions or security concerns.
What the Permanent Resident Visa allows
Holders of a Permanent Resident Visa can stay in New Zealand for life and travel in and out of the country without limits, as long as the visa remains linked to a valid passport. There are no employment, study or location conditions attached to the visa. Partners and dependent children aged 24 or younger can be included in the application, provided each family member independently meets the eligibility rules.
The application fee starts from NZ $315, and Immigration New Zealand says 80 per cent of applications are processed within two weeks.
Applying with family members
Each family member included in a Permanent Resident Visa application is assessed separately. Every person must have held a resident visa for at least 24 months and meet all standard requirements. Including family members does not automatically guarantee that they will be granted permanent residence.
Non-principal applicants, such as partners or dependent children included in an earlier resident visa, usually cannot receive a Permanent Resident Visa before the principal applicant, except in limited circumstances such as separation or divorce.
How to apply and what documents are needed
Applications are submitted online. Applicants must provide passport copies, photographs, and certified English translations of documents that are not in English. Immigration authorities may later request medical examinations, chest X-rays, police certificates or proof that dependent children are financially reliant on the applicant.
Once a decision is made, successful applicants receive an electronic visa. There are no visa conditions after approval, but travellers must continue to hold a valid passport and transfer the visa if they renew their passport.
While a Permanent Resident Visa allows indefinite stay, it is not a requirement for citizenship. In most cases, people may be eligible to apply for New Zealand citizenship after living in the country for five years as a resident, subject to separate criteria set by the government.