9 February 2026
Sam Malik
[FYI request #33312 email]
DOIA-REQ-0025661
Tēnā koe Sam,
Thank you for your email of 18 December 2025 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following information:
I am writing to request information under the Official Information Act 1982 relating to the
processing and policy settings of Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visas.
Question 1
Please provide the fol owing information for the last 24 months (or the most recent period
available):
a) The average and median processing times for:
Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visas
General Visitor Visas
b) Any internal guidelines, risk frameworks, or operational instructions that explain why Parent
and Grandparent Visitor Visas have significantly longer processing times (approximately three
months) compared to General Visitor Visas (approximately three to four weeks), despite
parent/grandparent applicants having a defined and limited purpose of travel.
c) Any analysis, reports, or advice prepared for the Minister or senior INZ leadership that
discuss delays or prioritisation differences between these visa categories.
Question 2
Please provide information explaining:
a) The policy rationale for subjecting Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa applicants to
additional scrutiny compared to General Visitor Visa applicants.
b) Any evidence or data held by INZ that supports the assumption that parents or grandparents
present a higher immigration risk than general visitor visa holders.
Question 3
Please provide documents or policy advice that explain:
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a) The rationale for limiting Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visas to:
A maximum stay of six months per visit, and
A maximum of stay of 18 months within a three-year period.
b) Why these restrictions apply even when applicants:
Fully fund their own stay,
Hold comprehensive private medical insurance, and
Do not access public services or benefits.
c) Any reviews, impact assessments, or consultations undertaken regarding these limits.
Question 4
Please advise:
a) Whether INZ has considered or is currently considering policy changes to processing times
or stay limits for Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visas.
b) If so, please provide copies of any relevant briefings, discussion papers, or
recommendations.
C)
We are aware of the Parent Boost Visa as it has been reported that is too expensive for most
people including the insurance part of it who are wil ing to apply. This request is specifically
for Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa.
What's the Minister's take on that.
Our Response
Please note we have numbered the questions in your request to support a clear and structured
response.
Question 1a
Table 1: The average and median processing time for Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visas and Visitor
Visas General from 5 January 2024 to 5 January 2026, as at 5 January 2026.
Visa type
Average processing time Median processing time
Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa
47
35
Visitor Visa General
10
7
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Question 1b and 1c
Please refer to the Parent and Grandparent multiple entry Visitor Visa instructions, which are publicly
available at the link below. Please note that there are no additional internal guidelines, risk
frameworks, reports or advice applicable to this policy.
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/#34627.htm
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) uses visa application groups to help manage and prioritise the
processing of applications. Temporary entry class visas, such as the Parent and Grandparent Visitor
Visas, are grouped into one of the five visa application groups; visitor, work, student, limited and
interim. INZ general y process applications in the order they are received, from the oldest to the
newest, unless they meet specific priority exceptions.
These priority exceptions are set out in the general instructions for the order of processing visa
applications or within the relevant section of the Operational Manual.
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/#44854.htm
INZ is committed to providing the fastest possible service for visa applicants and endeavours to
process all applications as quickly as possible. Currently, 80 per cent of the Parent and Grandparent
Visitor Visa applications are finalised within three months. The actual time it takes to process an
application can vary and will depend on a number of factors, including the complexity of the
application, whether third-party checks are required and whether all necessary information needed
to make a decision has been provided when it is lodged.
Question 2 and 3
The eligibility criteria for visas are designed to balance facilitation of visitors, particularly where it
benefits New Zealanders, while managing immigration risk.
Generally, more restrictive eligibility criteria apply for longer-term visas than shorter-term visas as
risks (e.g. requiring healthcare) may be more likely to occur if visa holders are in New Zealand for
longer. However, additional criteria can also apply to individual visas where specific risks might be
present. In the case of parents and grandparents, the risks may be greater than standard visitor visa
applicants due to the potential age of the average applicant (and subsequently potential health needs)
and their ties to New Zealand (greater de-facto settlement risks compared to someone visiting New
Zealand for a holiday).
The limit of six-month stays at a time is designed to ensure it is not treated as a de-facto long-term
settlement visa. For parents looking to stay longer than six months at a time, the Parent Boost Visitor
Visa and Parent Resident Visa provide alternative visa options, noting that these visas have higher
upfront eligibility requirements given greater risks posed as noted above. More information on the
Parent Boost Visitor Visa can be found here:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/parent-boost-
visitor-visa/
Please refer to appendix A for a copy of the Cabinet Policy Committee document relating to the Parent
and Grandparent Visitor Visa settings. Please note that some information has been withheld under
the fol owing sections of the Act:
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• 6(c) as making this information available would be likely to prejudice the maintenance of
the law, including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences, and the right to
a fair trial; and
• 9(2)(a) to protect the privacy of natural persons.
Where the information is withheld under section 9 of the Act, I do not consider that the withholding
of this information is outweighed by public interest considerations in making the information
available.
Question 4a, 4b
A review of the Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa is not on the immigration policy work programme
at this time.
Question 4c
Cabinet carefully considered the design of the Parent Boost Visitor Visa to strike the balance between
supporting family reunification and minimising potential additional strain on our public services. As
with all visa categories, INZ will monitor volumes and outcomes closely. The Parent Boost Visitor Visa’s
settings wil be reviewed in 2027 to ensure the visa is working as intended.
The health insurance requirement Cabinet agreed on is not for comprehensive health insurance, as
that cost would not be financially possible for many. The insurance coverage instead is just limited to
cover emergencies, repatriation, return of remains and cancer coverage, which will result in lower
premiums and reduce the risk that parents or their sponsors are left with unmanageable health debts.
Cabinet considered the need to protect our health system, and parents are more likely to be older
individuals who are more likely to require care. The visa is designed to minimise the risk of impacting
the capacity of the health system to provide for New Zealanders. Officials are closely monitoring
insurance products that meet the Parent Boost Visitor Visa requirements as they come to market.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800
802 602.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, please contact
[email address]
Nāku noa, nā
Pol y Vowles
Manager Immigration (Skil s and Residency) Manager
Labour, Science and Enterprise, MBIE
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