In addition to the visa application, you must submit the following documents:
- Proof of enrollment at a New Zealand university ” Confirmation of Enrollment ” or a previous confirmation from the university ” Offer of Place ” that a place is available for you there.
- Proof of sufficient financial means : For a stay of less than nine months, students must provide evidence of NZ $ 1,250 per month if they are fully self-financed. Longer stays require NZ $ 15,000 per year.
- For the visa application, either a return ticket or proof that you can afford one is required.
- Passport : The passport must be valid for at least one month beyond the period of stay in New Zealand.
- Processing fee paid online with a credit card.
- A transcript from your home university
- Two passport photos that are not older than six months.
Immigration New Zealand provides a list of the documents required in each case on the official website. Citizens of other nations can also find information on different visa conditions there.
After the basic approval of the visa application ( approved in principal ), students may have to submit proof of the paid tuition fees. This proof states that the visa applicant has accepted the study place offered by the university.
When and where to apply for a New Zealand visa
You can apply for a student visa for New Zealand online via the official website of Immigration New Zealand . It is also possible to submit the application in paper form by post or in person to the Visa Application Center (VAC) in Hamburg. If you want to extend your student visa and your New Zealand university is a member of Students Online , you can do this on site at the International Office .
After applying for a visa, the authorities will make a decision within four to six weeks .
New Zealand Visa Costs
The cost of a visa must be paid by credit card. The New Zealand student visa costs NZD $ 270 online . That corresponds to about 163 €. Submitting the printed application to the VAC costs € 188. This incurs additional service costs of € 23. The tourist visa costs ND $ 165 online, around € 100, and in paper form € 105 plus € 23 service costs. The online student visa through the universities in New Zealand costs NZ $ 250, approximately € 151, and NZ $ 277, approximately € 167, printed out.
Period of validity of a New Zealand visa
In general, New Zealand visas are valid as soon as they are approved and allow immediate entry. The tourist visa allows a stay of up to nine months during an 18-month period. The period of validity of a student visa corresponds to the duration of the study .
Entry and exit are not possible with all visas . Usually, a visa that is tied to a course of study requires you to remain in New Zealand for the entire approved period of stay. With the Fee Paying Student Visa, for example, students can usually only enter and leave the country if they have submitted the application in New Zealand.
A new visa application is possible before the student visa expires if the relevant criteria are met. To apply for another semester at a New Zealand college, students must pass 75% of the courses they have taken.
Entry into New Zealand with partner and children
Certain visas allow the applicant’s partner and children to enter New Zealand. For example, with the Fee Paying Student Visa , German Law Student Visitor Visa and Visitor Visa , partners and children can refer to this visa. The exact terms should bring families before departure in experience , because the applicable fees and financing evidence vary. In addition, some family members are not allowed to stay in New Zealand without the visa holder.
For the visa application from several people, Immigration New Zealand prefers the paper form at the Visa Application Center in Hamburg.
Working on a student visa in New Zealand
International students can apply for a ” variation of conditions ” to work alongside their studies with their student visa. With the Fee Paying Student Visa , Foreign Government Supported Student Visa and Pathway Visa , students are allowed to work up to 20 hours a week during the lecture period . Full-time work is permitted during the university holidays. For Exchange Student Visa holders , this only applies if they have been in New Zealand for at least one year. Master’s students ( by research) and PhD students can work full-time throughout the semester. If you want to start your work life in New Zealand directly after graduating, you can apply for the Post-Study Work Visa without major hurdles and can thus extend your stay in the country by up to three years.
Special customs regulations in New Zealand
New Zealand has very strict import and export regulations to protect the island’s flora and fauna . Food and other plant or animal products must be clearly declared upon entry and, if necessary, disposed of immediately. In addition to travel provisions, this also applies, for example, to used sports and camping equipment or hiking and sports shoes on which soil, seeds or water can hang. Entrants must expect at least heavy fines if they fail to declare the items in question. The same applies to taking New Zealand plants or animals with you, collecting or capturing them is a punishable offense.
