If you want to immigrate to New Zealand from US, our immigration lawyer in New Zealand can assist you with professional advice.
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What immigration procedures can apply to me, as an American arriving to New Zealand?
The immigration procedures applicable to Americans are the ones regulated by law. Our immigration lawyer in New Zealand presents the main legal pathways that can appear:
- arriving in New Zealand for short stays (which are defined as stays of up to 90 days in a period of 180 days);
- arriving in New Zealand for long stays (stays of at least 90 days).
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Visas for short-term immigration to New Zealand from US | Americans can immigrate to New Zealand from US for short-term stays related to work, medical treatment, business partnerships, etc. In some cases, they will not need to apply for a visa. |
| Visas for long-term immigration to New Zealand from US
| Long-term visas can be issued for business or investments, work contracts, enrollment in long-term courses, family reunification, etc. |
| Visa exemptions
| One can immigrate to New Zealand from US without a visa in the case of short-term stays (of maximum 90 days) as long as the purpose of stay is related to tourism, visiting family, short-term study. |
| Electronic visas available | Yes, the NZeTA (New Zealand electronic Travel Authority). |
| Main reasons to immigrate to New Zealand from US | As stated by the Immigration Act 2009 – such reasons can refer to tourism, study, work, reunite with family members, etc. |
| Institution in charge with the issuance of the visa | New Zealand Immigration Office |
| Fee system available for the processing of the visa (yes/no) | Yes – the visa fees are charged based on the type of visa the foreigner needs, the type of application (paper/online), etc. |
| Fees charged for the issuance of short-term/long-term visas | The fee for the issuance of NZeTA is of $44 paid through the mobile app and $47 paid online. For the USA Working Holiday visa, the fee is of $35. |
| Special rules for citizens of US (yes/no) | Yes – USA is on the visa waiver countries and this grants the right to exemptions of visa requirements. |
| The procedure for permanent residency in New Zealand | A foreigner can obtain permanent residency after minimum 2 years of stay in New Zealand, by applying for one of the visas that grants the right to permanent residency (family reunification, work, business, investment). |
| Documents required for permanent residency application | The applicant must provide evidence on the following: his or her identity, good character, the current residency visa, proof of complying with the conditions imposed by the visa, showing commitment to staying in New Zealand. |
| Reasons for which permanent residency can be granted in New Zealand | The Skilled Migrant category, the 2021 Resident Visa, the Partner of a New Zealand Resident Visa, Parent Retirement Resident Visa, Investor 2 Resident Visa, Australian Resident Visa etc. |
| Right to permanent residency for refugees/asylum seekers (yes/no) | Yes |
| Immigration pathways for highly skilled persons | Skilled Migrant category, Pitcairn Islander Resident Visa, Talent Work Visa, Talent Resident Visa, etc. |
| Legal pathways to citizenship | 3 main legal pathways- citizenship by birth, by descent and by grant. |
Do I need to apply for a short-term stay visa?
No, American nationals who arrive here on a short-term basis are not required to apply for a visa issued for short-term stays. However, they need to apply for the New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), a travel document which can be obtained online only by the nationals of the countries which are included on the list of visa waiver states.
What do I need to do if I want to immigrate to New Zealand on a long-term basis?
If you arrive here as an American passport holder, on a long-term basis (at least 90 days), you will need to apply for a visa suitable for the purpose of the relocation and to obtain a residence permit (issued on a temporary basis at first and on a permanent basis later on, provided that you want to relocate here permanently).
How can I immigrate to New Zealand from US on a permanent basis?
In the case of an American citizen who will immigrate to New Zealand from US with the purpose of becoming a permanent resident, one must comply with the below-mentioned aspects:
• provide identity documents and documents that attest the fact that the applicant has a good character;
• be the holder of a valid residence permit in New Zealand;
• when applying for a permanent residence visa, the applicant must have lived in New Zealand for at least 24 months under a New Zealand residence permit and Residence Visa;
• please note that if the visa expired for more than three months at the moment when the application for permanent residency was made, the applicant may no longer be entitled to a permanent residency visa, as per the regulations of the Immigration Office;
• the applicant must also make proof of the fact that he or she is committed to relocate to New Zealand on a permanent basis (evidence can refer to work arrangements, the intention of obtaining the New Zealand citizenship and other relevant matters).
How can investors immigrate to New Zealand from US?
The most important investment program created for foreign investors is the Active Investor Plus Visa, which is addressed to high net-worth businessmen from around the world, Americans included. In the following list, we invite you to discover some of the characteristics of this program:
- businessmen must invest at least NZD $5 million/NZD $10 million (depending on the investment program selected);
- American investors will receive the right to work, live and study indefinitely, which means that they can obtain permanent residency in New Zealand, as long as they meet and maintain the requirements of the program;
- the investor can relocate with close family members (spouse, partner, children under the age of 24);
- permanent residency can be obtained after 3 or 5 years, depending on the investment program selected (Growth category/Balanced category).
Are there any other permanent visas designed for investment purposes?
Yes, as a businessman investing in New Zealand, one has the opportunity of obtaining permanent residency through the Entrepreneur Residence Category pathway. American citizens who want to immigrate to New Zealand from US may also want to see the visa conditions applicable for the Global Impact Visa.
Businessmen who want to immigrate to New Zealand from US also have the possibility of applying for an Entrepreneur Work Visa, which is a type of immigration document that provides the right of staying in this country for a period of up to three years. Some of the requirements are:
- invest at least NZ $100,000;
- the applicant must provide a clear business plan;
- he or she has to obtain at least 120 points on the visa application.
We invite you to read our infographic on how Americans can relocate to New Zealand:
How can Americans work in New Zealand?
Americans who are at least 18 years old and who have an American passport can apply for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa, this being one of the main legal pathways to employment in this country.
How can I relocate to New Zealand as an American talent?
American passport holders who have gained extraordinary talent in fields such as culture, art or sport can apply for the Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa.
How can young Americans migrate to New Zealand?
The Working Holiday Visa Scheme was created with the purpose of allowing American citizens the right to travel, work in this country for up to one year, as well as study here or participate in a training for a period of up to six months. The eligibility criteria are:
- be a citizen of the United States of America;
- have an age of maximum 30 years old at the moment when the application is made and not less than 18 years old;
- have sufficient financial means to live here throughout the validity of the visa;
- have at least NZ $4,200 at the moment when they will participate in this visa program.
What are the visa options for American students?
American students can arrive in this country for study purposes. They can apply for visas such as:
- Fee Paying Student Visa;
- Vocational Trainee Student Visa.
What are the visa options for American retirees?
American citizens have the possibility to immigrate to New Zealand from US under visas created especially for retirees. One of these visas is the Parent Retirement Resident Visa.
You can watch in the video below a short presentation on the ways of moving from US to New Zealand:
How long does it take to process applications?
The applications for visas and residency submitted by American applicants are processed in accordance with the legal requirements of the law on immigration in New Zealand, as follows:
- the NZeTA can be processed in 24 to 72 hours;
- work visas, depending on their nature, can be processed in 4 to 6 weeks;
- the application for a work holiday visa can be reviewed in a period of around 1 week;
- it takes around 3 months to obtain an answer on the application for the Active Investor Plus visa.
Are there any age requirements when applying for visas in New Zealand?
Yes, age requirements apply and they vary greatly from one visa type to another. While for some visas, such as visa for travel purposes there aren’t any minimum/maximum age requirements, for others, such as those for employment, investment, work holiday, etc., specific conditions apply and we recommend you address our lawyer to see if you qualify based on this criterion.
For more details on how to immigrate here as an American citizen, we invite you to contact our immigration lawyer in New Zealand.
