New Zealand's immigration authority has published the full list of conditions that must be met before a resident visa holder can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa. The government laid out five clear requirements for those hoping to settle in the country long-term.
Who Qualifies for New Zealand Permanent Residency
According to Immigration New Zealand, applicants must satisfy five requirements for permanent residency. These include:
- Residency timeline
- Visa status
- Compliance with visa conditions
- Demonstrated commitment to New Zealand
- Good character
Residency Timeline for New Zealand Permanent Residency
Applicants must hold a current resident visa, or one that expired no more than 90 days before the date of application. That resident visa must also have been held for a minimum of two continuous years. The two years are counted either from the date the applicant first arrived in New Zealand from abroad, or from the date the visa was issued, for those who were already in the country at the time.
Visa Status and Compliance
The visa must be valid at the time of application, or have expired within the last 90 days. If the resident visa carried any specific conditions, the applicant must provide evidence that those conditions were fully met before moving forward with the permanent residency application.
Commitment Requirement for New Zealand Permanent Residency
On the commitment requirement, Immigration New Zealand specifies that applicants must show a genuine intention to live in the country permanently. There are five recognised ways to demonstrate this, and evidence of at least one must be provided. One of the most straightforward ways to meet this requirement is through a time commitment: the applicant must have been physically present in New Zealand for at least 184 days in each of the two years preceding the application. Travel records are used as evidence for this.
Good Character Requirement
The character requirement applies to the applicant as well as anyone else included in the same application. Immigration New Zealand states that those with criminal convictions or those identified as a security risk to the country may not be granted the visa. Police certificates may be requested during processing to verify good character. The authority notes that applicants will be informed during processing whether they need to submit a police certificate and how to obtain one.
Related Immigration News
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs has outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship. Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship. The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
