A Brazilian passport holder can immigrate to New Zealand from Brazil following the applicable immigration rules available here. The immigration procedures Brazilians have to follow will vary based on the duration of stay.
Here, one has 2 main situations: 1) short-stay arrivals, of maximum 90 days, and 2) long-term arrivals, of minimum 90 days. Where the latter applies, procedures for residency in New Zealand must be conducted.
Therefore, if you need in-depth information concerning the immigration rules you must follow as a Brazilian citizen, our immigration lawyer in New Zealand remains at your service.
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How can Brazilians migrate to New Zealand for short stays?
If a Brazilian citizen will arrive here for short-term stays, visa formalities will not apply. This is given by the fact that Brazil is one of the countries included in the visa waiver system, which exempts certain nationalities from applying for visas for short-term stays.
However, Brazilians have the obligations to apply for New Zealand electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), a requirement imposed to visa waiver nationalities starting with 1 October 2019.
The NZeTA is a simplified version of a visa, which can be obtained very fast, by applying online. Therefore, when moving from Brazil to New Zealand for short-term stays that have as a main purpose visiting the country, friends or family, this will be the only procedure required.
Do Brazilians benefit from the New Zealand work holiday program?
Yes, Brazilians can immigrate to New Zealand as part of the work holiday program, a program created for young persons who can work and travel in this country for a limited period of time.
According to the New Zealand Foreign Affairs and Trade Department, the work holiday program for Brazilians has the following characteristics:
- the program grants the right to residency in New Zealand for a period of 12 months;
- one can immigrate to New Zealand from Brazil as long as the applicant has an age of minimum 18 years old and maximum 30;
- there are only 300 visas awarded per year for Brazilian nationals;
- in general, the visa can be processed in a period of 57 days;
- the applicant is also required to pay a processing fee, which starts from minimum NZD $420.
You must know that the law on immigration in New Zealand states that the person can stay here for 12 months, out of which 6 can be used for study or training classes, while in respect to working contracts, one can’t spend more than 3 months working for the same employer.
Since this is a visa that grants residency to New Zealand on a temporary basis, it doesn’t provide more rights, as it can be the case of other visas.
For instance, this visa program can’t be used as a way to relocate to New Zealand with close family members, such as children, or partners.
Provided that a Brazilian is in this situation and wants to participate in this program, the family members will have to apply separately for adequate visas. Our immigration lawyer in New Zealand can provide assistance on the most suitable visa options for your family members.
You must also know that the online applications for this program for 2023 were open on 10 October 2023 (persons interested in the working holiday program can participate in this visa program only by applying online). For the current year (2024) applicants are invited to apply, as the visa program has been open and will close when the annual quota is met.
Besides the conditions mentioned above, successful applications will take into consideration other matters, such as:
- have sufficient financial funds to live in this country;
- have a valid medical insurance;
- have a return ticket or providing evidence on the available financial resources to purchase one.
There are many other requirements to abide by if you are interested in moving from Brazil to New Zealand under this visa. You are invited to contact our immigration lawyer in New Zealand for details about other visa programs open for Brazilians.
