The procedure to immigrate to New Zealand from Russia currently follows the basic immigration steps that are imposed under the New Zealand law (our team can provide in-depth legal advice). However, Russian passport holders should expect delays in their visa processing procedures.
You can request in-depth legal assistance from our immigration lawyer in New Zealand, who can help you choose an immigration pathway suitable to your situation. Our team can help you relocate to New Zealand for short or long-term stays.
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Do Russians need a visa for New Zealand?
Yes, Russian nationals need to apply for a visa in order to have the right to lawfully migrate to New Zealand. The immigration procedure must be started at the New Zealand Visa Application Center, which currently operates in Moscow. In order to move to New Zealand, Russian nationals can opt for 2 main types of visa application procedures:
- in person;
- by courier.
It is also required to respect the program of the institution, which is open to clients from 9 AM to 4 PM, Monday to Friday. Russian passport holders are required to apply for visas regardless of the purpose of stay. This also includes the transit of New Zealand, which implies that the Russian needs to get to another destination, and New Zealand is only a connecting spot between 2 transportation means.
How can a Russian national apply for a visitor visa?
A common way to immigrate to New Zealand is to apply for a visitor visa. The visitor visa grants a foreigner the right to stay on the New Zealand territory for a limited period of time, by visiting the country or family and friends. The visa application procedure for this visa type implies the following:
- complete the application form associated with this visa type – the Form INZ 1017;
- provide 2 passport-size photos that were taken recently, but not more than 6 months before the application;
- present a valid passport that has a validity period of minimum 12 months;
- provide evidence on having sufficient financial funds to migrate to New Zealand – here, one can provide the last 3 months bank statements, or, depending on the case, the Form INZ 1025, through which it is stated that a New Zealand national/resident will sponsor the foreigner;
- if required, the person who will move to New Zealand should submit the Forms INZ 1007 and INZ 1096 – regarding the current health situation of the applicant.
Please mind that the application for this visa can be processed in a period of approximately 15 days. It is also not recommended to book any flight to New Zealand before obtaining a positive answer on the visa application.
This is given by the fact that the New Zealand institutions can require additional documents or they can refuse the visa application due to various reasons and of course, this can delay the procedure to immigrate to New Zealand from Russia.
Immigration requirements when traveling with children
Russian citizens who travel with minor children are required to submit relevant paperwork, as established by the provisions of the law on immigration to New Zealand. For minor children, the law does not impose separate visa application, as they can be included in the parent’s/legal guardian’s visa documentation. The basic documentation is:
- the birth certificate of the minor;
- the valid passport of the child;
- documentation that attests the family relationship between the adult and the child;
- provided that the child travels only with one parent, the visa application must contain a written permission granted by the other parent.
We highly recommend Russian nationals to address our immigration lawyer in New Zealand for tailored legal advice before commencing the immigration procedures. Russians can also apply for the partner visa in New Zealand, if they meet the basic requirement, such as having a partner who already lives in New Zealand.
For this, the applicant must comply with similar conditions as the ones presented above, but many other requirements must be met, such as proving that the applicant has a stable, long-term relationship with the person living in New Zealand.
Can Russians obtain a visa on arrival in New Zealand?
No, immigration in New Zealand for Russian nationals must be done in accordance with the standard rules applicable to third party foreigners, which means that they need to complete immigration obligations prior to the arrival in this country.
In other words, it is not possible to arrive on the New Zealand territory without a prior approval, issued in the form of a visa, granted by the New Zealand immigration authorities. At the moment, there aren’t any circumstances under which one can immigrate to New Zealand from Russia and obtain a visa from the local clearance authorities.
Considering the current situation between Russia and Ukraine, many Russian nationals have decided to flee their country, but many nations have imposed various travel bans for Russian nationals, as a part of the sanctions imposed to Russia.
At the moment, New Zealand allows Russians to immigrate to New Zealand from Russia, travel bans being imposed only for certain nationals who are deemed to be undesirable on the New Zealand territory.
Statistics on Russian visitors in New Zealand
Generally speaking, New Zealand does not receive a large number of Russian visitors. For instance, the data registered starting with 1997 show that, at that time, New Zealand was visited by less than 2,000 Russians (on a yearly basis). Over the years, the number of visitors fluctuated, and some of the data in this sense is:
- in 2000, the country received 1,336 Russian visitors;
- during this decade, the number of visitors gradually increased, reaching 4,135 in 2010;
- the highest number was observed in 2017, when there were 6,640 Russian travelers;
- the lowest number of visitors arriving from Russia to New Zealand was observed in 2021, when there were only 809 individuals;
- since then, the situation recovered, and by 2024, there were 3,529 visitors per year.
Some Russians immigrate to New Zealand from Russia on a long-term basis and it must be noted that this country has a small community of Russian natives who have first arrived here since the 19th century. According to the 2018 Census, around 7,700 ethnic Russians have their residency in New Zealand.
We invite you to contact our immigration lawyer in New Zealand for additional information on how you can relocate here. Our team can present how to relocate to New Zealand under family reunification programs. Our team of lawyers is ready to assist foreigners from other countries as well. Based on the nationality of the applicant, different immigration policies can apply.
Thus, persons who will be moving from USA to New Zealand may need to comply with different regulations than persons arriving from Russia. Therefore, it is best to receive tailored legal advice for your particular visa needs, this is why we recommend you to contact us.
