There are many ways through which a person can immigrate to New Zealand from Indonesia, but regardless of the purpose, there are 2 main legal options – arriving here for short-term stays or for long-term/permanent stays.
As such, Indonesian passport holders should observe the rules and regulations imposed for these 2 main categories. Regardless of the immigration path a person is interested in, visa requirements do apply to Indonesian passport holders, which can be detailed by our immigration lawyer in New Zealand.
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What are the visa obligations for short-term stays in New Zealand?
Indonesian passport holders are required to obtain a visa if they will migrate to New Zealand on a short-term basis (which is defined as any stay with a duration of maximum 90 days).
Provided that the person will want to stay for a longer period of time, other visas must be explored (in accordance with the purpose of stay), but one must also complete all the formalities required for residency in New Zealand.
For a short-term stay visit, most foreigners will need to apply for a tourist visa or an equivalent to that. The law on immigration to New Zealand provides 2 types of tourist visa, namely:
- the Visitor visa;
- the Electronic Travel Authority.
The 1st is a regular visa, which must be obtained following the standard steps for immigration to New Zealand, while the 2nd is simply an electronic document that can be issued in a matter of days, via e-mail.
However, the 2nd option is not available for a person who will immigrate to New Zealand from Indonesia. Rather, the foreigner should comply with the formalities for the Visitor visa, which can be issued in approximately 7 days.
The applicant must submit a recent photo, with a size of 4×6 cm, and offer evidence on having sufficient financial funds (established at NZ $1,000 per 1 month of stay, per 1 adult visitor, according to the data offered by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs &Trade).
However, foreigners can immigrate to New Zealand from Indonesia for other purposes, such as:
- work;
- study;
- business;
- investment;
- family reunification, etc.
In most of the scenarios presented above, the visas will also grant the right to residency in New Zealand.
How can Indonesians arrive to New Zealand for work purposes?
Many foreigners, including Indonesians, migrate to New Zealand for work opportunities. This is generally the case for all foreign nationals, including those who migrate from USA to New Zealand, from European countries, Asian countries and other places.
Indonesians can apply for any of the work visas prescribed under the national law, as long as they qualify for it. However, please know that there is a visa especially designed for Indonesian nationals.
This is the Indonesia Special Work Visa, which can be obtained solely by persons who are Indonesian citizens. Some of the characteristics of the visa are:
- it grants the right to migrate to New Zealand for up to 3 years;
- the applicants are required to pay a processing fee of minimum NZ $700;
- the processing of the visa takes around 62 days for most of the applications (more exactly, 90% of them);
- in certain situations, the visa can be extended to up to 4 years;
- the visa also grants the right to study in New Zealand, for a period of maximum 3 months in a 12 months period.
This visa can be issued only for certain categories of workers, such as chefs or persons who can work as teachers’ aides. You can find out more information on the main conditions imposed to applicants from our immigration lawyer in New Zealand.
You are invited to contact our lawyer if you want to know what other work visa options can be available for you when you immigrate to New Zealand from Indonesia.
