In order to immigrate to New Zealand from India it is necessary to meet the visa formalities applicable for Indian nationals. Regardless if the applicant will stay in New Zealand for a short-term period of time or on a long-term basis, a visa will be required.
Thus, Indian passport holders should verify all the conditions they should meet for the visa designed for the purpose of stay; advice on this subject can be offered by our immigration lawyer in New Zealand.
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What are the visa options for short-term stays in New Zealand?
The legislation regulating immigration in New Zealand requires that Indian citizens apply for a short-term stay visa, as per the purpose of their stay. This refers to any type of visa that allows its holder to stay in New Zealand for a period of maximum 90 days.
There are many visa options for short-term visits, but in most cases foreigners opting to immigrate to New Zealand from India for less than 90 days will arrive here under a tourism or a business visa.
Currently, foreigners have 2 options when it comes to tourism visas: 1) the visitor visa, which is obtained following the standard procedures for immigration in New Zealand, and 2) the New Zealand electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA).
The 2nd visa is a type of document that can be obtained online by following very simple rules and which is available only for visa waiver countries. At the moment, India is not on this list, which means that the holders of Indian passports will have to apply for a visitor visa.
The NZeTA is a travel document that is available for certain nationalities, as part of visa waiver program signed between certain countries. For instance, those who immigrate from USA to New Zealand for a visit of maximum 90 days are entitled to apply for NZeTA. This is similar to a visa, but it is much simpler to obtain compared to the basic procedure applicable for the visitor visa. With this visa, one can visit the country or visit family and friends living here.
Concerning the visitor visa, some of the basic conditions to fulfill by those who move to New Zealand from India are presented in the list below:
- the applicant has to show evidence of having at least NZ$1,000 available per 1 month of stay;
- the financial requirements are reduced to only NZ$ 400 per 1 month if the accommodation in New Zealand has already been paid;
- 1 photo that meets the local standards (for online applications), or 2 photos for paper form applications;
- the visa has a validity of 9 months and one is also allowed to spend 3 months participating in study classes;
- however, one can stay only 90 days in New Zealand without completing additional immigration formalities (applying for a residence permit);
- it is allowed to bring close family members (spouse/partner) and dependent children with an age of maximum 19 years old.
What are the main work visas available for Indians in New Zealand?
Indians can also migrate to New Zealand for work related activities. In fact, most of the foreigners arrive here for employment. A foreigner can relocate to New Zealand for employment purposes by applying for one of the many work visas.
The options to move to New Zealand for work are influenced by 3 main factors: 1) the country where the person arrives from, 2) the duration of stay and 3) the age of the applicant. With regards to the duration of stay, the New Zealand Immigration Office distinguishes between the following: 1) less than 3 months, 2) 3 to 6 months, 3) 6 months to 1 year, 4) 1-2 years and 5) more than 2 years.
Depending on the duration of stay, the foreigner, regardless of the nationality, will need to complete certain formalities for residency in New Zealand. For stays below 90 days, the law does not regulate any procedures, as residency is defined as a stay of a minimum of 90 days on the territory of a foreign country. Thus, when this is the case, the foreigner will have to apply for a residence permit.
Our immigration lawyer in New Zealand can provide in-depth advice on each of the available work visas, such as the Entrepreneur visa, the Skilled migrant visa, the Religion worker visa and many others.
How can one immigrate to New Zealand from India for investment purposes?
High-net worth individuals have the right to start a business in New Zealand or make an investment in the local economy, by investing capital in an active business, an investment fund, etc. This right is available for all foreign nationals, as long as they meet the basic legal requirements imposed in this sense.
The visa investment program has been recently modified, through the enactment of the Active Investor Plus visa (replacing the previous programs, Investor 1 and Investor 2 pillars). Parties accepted in the new program receive the right to live, work and study here on an indefinite basis, therefore the visa can be used as a way of acquiring permanent residency in New Zealand.
The new law on immigration to New Zealand for investment purposes stipulates that foreign businessmen need to subscribe a capital of at least NZD 5 million or NZD 10 million (depending on the investment pathway selected – there are 2 main programs).
The 1st investment threshold is necessary for the Growth Category pathway, while the 2nd is imposed when opting for the Balanced Category. The difference between the 2 is given by the type of accepted investments. While the 1st option allows foreign businessmen to invest solely into managed funds or to make direct investments, the other one allows a larger variety of investments.
Besides the access to permanent residency in New Zealand (which can be obtained after minimum 3 years of living here), investors are allowed to relocate with their close family members (partner and children). Individuals who will relocate to New Zealand from India should know that they can include on their application adult children up 24 years old.
Once the visa has been approved, when the foreigners actually immigrate to New Zealand, they must complete a Travel Declaration upon arrival in the country or prior to entering the New Zealand territory (digital and paper copies are available for all foreigners).
We remind you that although in some cases, depending on the nationality, immigration rules concerning the issuance of a visa may vary. However, for investment purposes, the same rules apply to all foreign nationals, therefore persons moving from USA to New Zealand, from the UK, the EU, etc., need to abide by the same rules we have presented here.
Please know that the investment visa is a document that must be attached to the visa holder’s passport and it is mandatory to have this document whenever one leaves/returns to New Zealand. If the passport expires during the validity of the visa, the latter must be transferred onto the new travel document.
If you need further information on how to move to New Zealand as an Indian passport holder, we invite you to contact our immigration lawyer for legal counselling.
