Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has published its 2026 estimate of individuals residing in the country beyond their permitted visa duration, placing the total at approximately 19,153 people as of July 1, 2026. This annual estimate, based on roughly 30 years of immigration and border movement data since electronic records began, reveals that citizens from China, Tonga, and the United States constitute the largest groups of overstayers.
Top 10 Nationalities Among Visa Overstayers in New Zealand
According to the INZ official statistics page, the top 10 nationalities estimated to have overstayed their visas in New Zealand are:
- China: 2,694
- Tonga: 2,541
- United States of America: 1,981
- India: 1,522
- Samoa: 1,462
- Great Britain: 1,117
- Philippines: 898
- Malaysia: 574
- Vietnam: 538
- Fiji: 512
All other nationalities combined account for an additional 5,314 people, bringing the total to 19,153.
Drop in Overstayer Numbers Explained by Methodology Change
The 2026 figure represents an 8.7 per cent decrease from the 2025 estimate of 20,979. INZ attributed this reduction to refinements in the calculation methodology rather than a change in the underlying approach. Specifically, the agency removed two groups from its count: Exemption NZeTA holders and Air Crew NZeTA holders. INZ explained that these groups already fall under visa categories excluded from the methodology, so their inclusion in previous estimates was inconsistent. Removing them aligns the estimate with existing exclusion rules and reduces the chance of individuals being incorrectly counted as overstayers.
INZ stated that these refinements aim to improve accuracy, consistency, and completeness, and do not signal a policy shift or suggest that fewer people are actually overstaying their visas compared to prior years.
Context and Related Immigration Updates
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that New Zealand had named categories of people facing travel disruptions. Additionally, New Zealand published the cost of a special visa allowing foreigners to work indefinitely: the Pacific Access Category Resident Visa, administered by INZ, is open to citizens of Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, and Tuvalu. Successful registrants are invited to apply after their name is drawn from the ballot, making the pathway to residency competitive and selective.
