Clarification on Visitor Visa Staying Conditions

William made this Official Information request to Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Response to this request is delayed. By law, Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment should normally have responded promptly and by (details and exceptions)

From: William

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

I am seeking clarification on the staying conditions for the following visa types:
Visitor Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/vi...
Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/pa...

Background:
My mother is currently in New Zealand. She initially held a Visitor Visa for 6 months and then transitioned to a Partner of a Student Visitor Visa (valid from April 3rd to October 31st), which will extend her stay beyond 12 months in total.

I note that the Multiple Entry Visitor Visa states:
"If you have a multiple entry visa, you can visit New Zealand as a tourist as many times as you want and stay for a total of up to 6 months in a 12-month period."

Questions:
1. Eligibility for Multiple Entry Visitor Visa After Current Visa Expires
a. Can my mother apply for a Multiple Entry Visitor Visa IMMEDIATELY after her Partner of a Student Visitor Visa expires in October, given she will have already stayed in NZ for 12+ months (6 months on a Visitor Visa + 6+ months on a Partner of a Student Visa)?
b. Does applying inside vs. outside NZ affect eligibility or conditions?

2. Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa Conditions
This visa allows stays of up to 6 months per visit and a maximum of 18 months within 3 years.
If she applies for this visa in October (before her current visa expires), will her prior 6-month stay on a Visitor Visa count toward the 18-month limit, but not her time on the Partner of a Student Visa?

Thank you for your time and assistance. I appreciate your guidance on these matters.

Yours sincerely,
William

Link to this

From: William

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

I hope this message finds you well.

I’m writing to follow up on my above question, for which a response was expected by September 19, 2025, as stated at the top of this page. As today is that date and I have not yet received a reply, I wanted to kindly check if my query could be reviewed.

I’d greatly appreciate any updates when convenient.

Yours faithfully,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Good morning,

 

To assist us with our query please reply to this email with the following
client details:

* full name
* date of birth
* passport number
* client number or any previous application numbers

We may be better placed to assist with your enquiry when we have access to
your client file.

 

Kind regards,

 

Raghu M

CLIENT SERVICES ADVISOR

 

MBIE Customer Service Centre, Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hīkina Whakatutuki

 

+64 (9) 914 4100
PO Box 1473, Wellington, New Zealand

 

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

If you wish to provide service feedback, here is the link:
[1]https://feedback.immigration.govt.nz/

Make sure you check out our [2]Immigration ONLINE system when applying for
your next visa.

 

From: [email address]

Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2025 10:23 AM

To: [email address]

Subject: FW: Re: Official Information request - Clarification on Visitor
Visa Staying Conditions CRM:0264673

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kia ora team, 

 

Please see the below follow up email.

 

Note that the original request was forwarded to you on 25/08/2025. I have
attached our email to you for reference. 

 

Also note, this request has been received via FYI.org.nz and any response
to the email address will be automatically published on the FYI.org.nz
website.

Guidance on these requests can be found here
> [3]https://mako.wd.govt.nz/otcs/llisapi.dll....

Do not request or provide any personal information via this address.

 

Thanks 

 

Tipene 
 

 

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: William

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Sorry, do you mean I need to submit all this personal information here in this channel, where everyone else can browse?

Yours sincerely,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora, 

Thank you for your email. 

Our Immigration Contact Centre is open from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to
Friday (NZT), excluding public holidays. For faster response to your
enquiry, we recommend that you contact us during these hours.
Alternatively, we aim to respond to queries to this email address within 3
working days.  

For New Zealand visa information, please refer to our website at
www.immigration.govt.nz

If your email is regarding the status of your online application, please
log in to your Immigration account. 

Nga mihi, 

MBIE Customer Service Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation &
Employment (MBIE)

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia Ora,

Thank you for contacting us.

 

My colleague requested that you reply to this email conversation with the
following information:

* full name
* date of birth
* passport number
* client number or any previous application numbers

 

Your original submission was forwarded to the INZ Customer Service Centre,
as we are better place to respond to your request. Any information that
you provide in response to this email will be received by the Customer
Service Centre which is not in a public forum, nor can be browsed by
anyone, and is protected by our privacy policies, governed by the New
Zealand Privacy Act 2020.

 

If you would prefer you may call the INZ Customer Service Centre and speak
to a Client Services Advisor. You can phone us on +64 9 9144100 or 0508 55
88 55 (if you are in New Zealand but outside Auckland area). This service
is available from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to Friday (NZT) excluding New
Zealand public holidays.

Nga Mihi,

Pip

SENIOR CLIENT SERVICES ADVISOR

 

MBIE Customer Service Centre, Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hīkina Whakatutuki

 

+64 (9) 914 4100
PO Box 1473, Wellington, New Zealand

 

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

If you wish to provide service feedback, here is the link:
[1]https://feedback.immigration.govt.nz/

Make sure you check out our [2]Immigration ONLINE system when applying for
your next visa.

 

From: [FOI #32107 email]

Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 12:12 PM

To: [email address]

Subject: Re: FW: Re: Official Information request - Clarification on
Visitor Visa Staying Conditions CRM:0264673

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Sorry, do you mean I need to submit all this personal information here in
this channel, where everyone else can browse?

Yours sincerely,

William

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: William

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

I received an email from "help at fyi.org.nz" containing the following message:

"
You have a new response to the Freedom of Information request
'Clarification on Visitor Visa Staying Conditions' that you made to
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment.

To view the response, click on the link below.

https://fyi.org.nz/request/32107-clarifi...

When you get there, please update the status to say if the response contains any useful information.

Although all responses are automatically published, we depend on you, the original requester, to evaluate them.
"

This email arrived shortly every time after you responded to my enquiry on this forum. Could you please confirm if I should respond to that email with the personal details?

I would appreciate your clarification.

Yours sincerely,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora, 

Thank you for your email. 

Our Immigration Contact Centre is open from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to
Friday (NZT), excluding public holidays. For faster response to your
enquiry, we recommend that you contact us during these hours.
Alternatively, we aim to respond to queries to this email address within 3
working days.  

For New Zealand visa information, please refer to our website at
www.immigration.govt.nz

If your email is regarding the status of your online application, please
log in to your Immigration account. 

Nga mihi, 

MBIE Customer Service Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation &
Employment (MBIE)

Link to this

From: William

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

Could you please take a moment to read my previous message carefully, rather than repeating the same response?

To clarify, I am not asking how to call you, as calling is not convenient for me.

I am asking how I can send my personal details via email. Is "help at fyi.org.nz" the correct address to use for this?

Yours faithfully,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora William,

 

Thank you for contacting us.

 

We are not in a position to tell you what to do if you have received an
email from "help at fyi.org.nz" as it does not appear to be a part of
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) or the Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment (MBIE).

 

If you have an immigration related query, you can email us from the email
address that was listed as the communication email address on the most
recent application form submitted to Immigration New Zealand and ensure
you include your full name, date of birth and passport number.

 

Alternatively, you can phone us on +64 9 9144100 or 0508 55 88 55 (if you
are in New Zealand but outside Auckland area). This service is available
from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to Friday (NZT) excluding New Zealand public
holidays. A Client Services Advisor will verify your identity and, if
satisfied, will be able to release specific information to you.

 

Ngā mihi,

 

Prashant

CLIENT SERVICES ADVISOR

 

MBIE Customer Service Centre, Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hīkina Whakatutuki

 

+64 (9) 914 4100
PO Box 1473, Wellington, New Zealand

 

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

If you wish to provide service feedback, here is the link:
[1]https://feedback.immigration.govt.nz/

Make sure you check out our [2]Immigration ONLINE system when applying for
your next visa.

 

From: [FOI #32107 email]

Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2025 11:09 AM

To: [email address]

Subject: Re: FW: Re: Official Information request - Clarification on
Visitor Visa Staying Conditions CRM:0264673

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

I received an email from "help at fyi.org.nz" containing the following
message:

"
You have a new response to the Freedom of Information request
'Clarification on Visitor Visa Staying Conditions' that you made to
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment.

To view the response, click on the link below.

https://fyi.org.nz/request/32107-clarifi...

When you get there, please update the status to say if the response
contains any useful information.

Although all responses are automatically published, we depend on you, the
original requester, to evaluate them.
"

This email arrived shortly every time after you responded to my enquiry on
this forum. Could you please confirm if I should respond to that email
with the personal details?

I would appreciate your clarification.

Yours sincerely,

William

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: William

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

I am not lodging any new applications at this stage. I’m asking the questions above to confirm whether I am eligible to lodge the application.

Additionally, I have not been able to find an appropriate email address for contact based on previous visa applications.

Your team instructed me to send through personal details via email, but did not provide the actual email address to use. The original message from your office stated:

"
To assist us with our query please reply to this email with the following client details:

full name

date of birth

passport number

client number or any previous application numbers

We may be better placed to assist with your enquiry when we have access to your client file.
"

Could you please simply provide the correct email address for sending this information? This would help avoid unnecessary back-and-forth communication.

Thank you for your assistance.

Yours sincerely,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora, 

Thank you for your email. 

Our Immigration Contact Centre is open from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to
Friday (NZT), excluding public holidays. For faster response to your
enquiry, we recommend that you contact us during these hours.
Alternatively, we aim to respond to queries to this email address within 3
working days.  

For New Zealand visa information, please refer to our website at
www.immigration.govt.nz

If your email is regarding the status of your online application, please
log in to your Immigration account. 

Nga mihi, 

MBIE Customer Service Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation &
Employment (MBIE)

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora,

Thank you for contacting us.

 

Immigration related queries may be communicated via this channel. 

Ngā mihi,

 

Jess

CLIENT SERVICES ADVISOR

 

MBIE Customer Service Centre, Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hīkina Whakatutuki

 

+64 (9) 914 4100
PO Box 1473, Wellington, New Zealand

 

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

If you wish to provide service feedback, here is the link:
[1]https://feedback.immigration.govt.nz/

Make sure you check out our [2]Immigration ONLINE system when applying for
your next visa.

 

From: [FOI #32107 email]

Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2025 2:20 PM

To: [email address]

Subject: Re: Official Information request - Clarification on Visitor Visa
Staying Conditions CRM:0264673

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

I am not lodging any new applications at this stage. I’m asking the
questions above to confirm whether I am eligible to lodge the application.

Additionally, I have not been able to find an appropriate email address
for contact based on previous visa applications.

Your team instructed me to send through personal details via email, but
did not provide the actual email address to use. The original message from
your office stated:

"
To assist us with our query please reply to this email with the following
client details:

full name

date of birth

passport number

client number or any previous application numbers

We may be better placed to assist with your enquiry when we have access to
your client file.
"

Could you please simply provide the correct email address for sending this
information? This would help avoid unnecessary back-and-forth
communication.

Thank you for your assistance.

Yours sincerely,

William

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: William

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

This is a public channel. Why am I being asked to share personal details here where everyone can see them? Don’t you have a secure email address for sensitive information? If not, why did someone from INZ direct me above to contact you via email?

Yours sincerely,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora, 

Thank you for your email. 

Our Immigration Contact Centre is open from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to
Friday (NZT), excluding public holidays. For faster response to your
enquiry, we recommend that you contact us during these hours.
Alternatively, we aim to respond to queries to this email address within 3
working days.  

For New Zealand visa information, please refer to our website at
www.immigration.govt.nz

If your email is regarding the status of your online application, please
log in to your Immigration account. 

Nga mihi, 

MBIE Customer Service Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation &
Employment (MBIE)

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Good morning William,

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Please refer to the following links, and subsections, which outline the
amount of time someone can stay in New Zealand on a Visitor Visa:

 

·       [1]Visitor Visa -> How long can you stay

o   Multiple-entry Visitor Visa

o   Single-entry Visitor Visa

·       [2]V2.5 Length of permitted stay

 

You can also phone us on +64 9 914 4100 (0508 558 855 within New Zealand)
if you wish to follow up on your query. This service is available from
06:00 to 22:00 Monday to Friday (NZT) excluding New Zealand public
holidays.

 

Kind regards,

 

Anthony

CLIENT SERVICES ADVISOR

 

MBIE Customer Service Centre, Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hīkina Whakatutuki

 

+64 (9) 914 4100
PO Box 1473, Wellington, New Zealand

 

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

If you wish to provide service feedback, here is the link:
[3]https://feedback.immigration.govt.nz/

Make sure you check out our [4]Immigration ONLINE system when applying for
your next visa.

 

From: [FOI #32107 email]

Sent: Friday, September 26, 2025 1:44 PM

To: [email address]

Subject: Re: Official Information request - Clarification on Visitor Visa
Staying Conditions CRM:0264673

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

This is a public channel. Why am I being asked to share personal details
here where everyone can see them? Don’t you have a secure email address
for sensitive information? If not, why did someone from INZ direct me
above to contact you via email?

Yours sincerely,

William

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: William

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Thank you, but there were no links in your comments. Based on the text, I believe I’ve already come across this information in the INZ Operational Manual many times. However, the content wasn't clear to me, which is why I’ve continued asking this question here in the forum. Unfortunately, despite going back and forth several times, I still haven’t received a clear answer. Most of the responses have either repeated the same points or haven’t been particularly helpful.

Yours sincerely,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora, 

Thank you for your email. 

Our Immigration Contact Centre is open from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to
Friday (NZT), excluding public holidays. For faster response to your
enquiry, we recommend that you contact us during these hours.
Alternatively, we aim to respond to queries to this email address within 3
working days.  

For New Zealand visa information, please refer to our website at
www.immigration.govt.nz

If your email is regarding the status of your online application, please
log in to your Immigration account. 

Nga mihi, 

MBIE Customer Service Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation &
Employment (MBIE)

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia Ora,

Thank you for contacting us.

 

Your original request was directed to the Customer Service Centre to be
addressed. If you reply to this email it will not be sent to the public
forum you originally contacted. 

 

Unfortunately, I can no longer see your original request, if you have
contacted us several times it appears the email thread has been cut.

 

If you have a visa and you want information regarding its currency and
conditions please reply to this email, stating your full name, date of
birth, and passport number. 

 

If you want general information regarding currency and conditions of a
visitor visa, as you wish to apply for a visa please reply to this email
stating your question. 

Nga Mihi,

Pip

SENIOR CLIENT SERVICES ADVISOR

 

MBIE Customer Service Centre, Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hīkina Whakatutuki

 

+64 (9) 914 4100
PO Box 1473, Wellington, New Zealand

 

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

If you wish to provide service feedback, here is the link:
[1]https://feedback.immigration.govt.nz/

Make sure you check out our [2]Immigration ONLINE system when applying for
your next visa.

 

From: [FOI #32107 email]

Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2025 1:32 AM

To: [email address]

Subject: Re: Official Information request - Clarification on Visitor Visa
Staying Conditions CRM:0264673

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Thank you, but there were no links in your comments. Based on the text, I
believe I’ve already come across this information in the INZ Operational
Manual many times. However, the content wasn't clear to me, which is why
I’ve continued asking this question here in the forum. Unfortunately,
despite going back and forth several times, I still haven’t received a
clear answer. Most of the responses have either repeated the same points
or haven’t been particularly helpful.

Yours sincerely,

William

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: William

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

I'm feeling quite frustrated with the ongoing communication around this matter, as it seems there is a disconnect between me and the staff responding to my queries.

To clarify:
I have not received any DIRECT email from INZ. All of my correspondence has taken place on the public forum FYI (https://fyi.org.nz/). This is a public platform where anyone can view both my messages and INZ's responses on the current post. That's why I have consistently avoided sharing any personal information there.

Whenever INZ replies to me (either via FYI or using INZ internal platform, I don't know how you did), I receive a notification from the FYI platform, prompting me to return to the forum and post a response. Therefore, when INZ asks me to reply to “the email”, I genuinely struggle to do so - because no email has ever been sent directly to me. I only have the option of commenting on the public forum.

Could you please clarify if I've misunderstood something?
Alternatively, can you provide a secure email address that I can use to send my personal information privately?

Thank you for your help.

Yours sincerely,
William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora, 

Thank you for your email. 

Our Immigration Contact Centre is open from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to
Friday (NZT), excluding public holidays. For faster response to your
enquiry, we recommend that you contact us during these hours.
Alternatively, we aim to respond to queries to this email address within 3
working days.  

For New Zealand visa information, please refer to our website at
www.immigration.govt.nz

If your email is regarding the status of your online application, please
log in to your Immigration account. 

Nga mihi, 

MBIE Customer Service Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation &
Employment (MBIE)

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia Ora, 

Thank you for contacting us.

If you have a visa and you want information regarding its currency and
conditions please contact the Customer Service Centre by phoning 0508 558
855 for NZ landlines, or for mobile phones:+64 9 914 4100. This way we
will be able to keep your personal information private.
 

If you want general information regarding currency and conditions of a
visitor visa, because you wish to apply for a visa please reply to this
email thread restating your question, as your original query no longer
appears on this thread.

Nga Mihi,

Pip

SENIOR CLIENT SERVICES ADVISOR

MBIE Customer Service Centre, Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hīkina Whakatutuki

+64 (9) 914 4100
PO Box 1473, Wellington, New Zealand

NZBN 9429000106078

If you wish to provide service feedback, here is the link:
https://feedback.immigration.govt.nz/

Make sure you check out our Immigration ONLINE system when applying for
your next visa.

From: [FOI #32107 email]

Sent: Monday, September 29, 2025 10:59 PM

To: [email address]

Subject: Re: Official Information request - Clarification on Visitor Visa
Staying Conditions CRM:0264673

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

I'm feeling quite frustrated with the ongoing communication around this
matter, as it seems there is a disconnect between me and the staff
responding to my queries.

To clarify:
I have not received any DIRECT email from INZ. All of my correspondence
has taken place on the public forum FYI (https://fyi.org.nz/). This is a
public platform where anyone can view both my messages and INZ's responses
on the current post. That's why I have consistently avoided sharing any
personal information there.

Whenever INZ replies to me (either via FYI or using INZ internal platform,
I don't know how you did), I receive a notification from the FYI platform,
prompting me to return to the forum and post a response. Therefore, when
INZ asks me to reply to “the email”, I genuinely struggle to do so -
because no email has ever been sent directly to me. I only have the option
of commenting on the public forum.

Could you please clarify if I've misunderstood something?
Alternatively, can you provide a secure email address that I can use to
send my personal information privately?

Thank you for your help.

Yours sincerely,
William

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: William

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Thanks for your reply. Let me restate my general question:

Background:
My mother is currently in New Zealand. She initially held a Visitor Visa for 6 months and then transitioned to a Partner of a Student Visitor Visa (valid from April 3rd to October 31st 2025), which will extend her stay beyond 12 months in total.

I note that the Multiple Entry Visitor Visa states:
"If you have a multiple entry visa, you can visit New Zealand as a tourist as many times as you want and stay for a total of up to 6 months in a 12-month period."

Questions:
1. Eligibility for Multiple Entry Visitor Visa After Current Visa Expires
a. Can my mother apply for a Multiple Entry Visitor Visa IMMEDIATELY after her Partner of a Student Visitor Visa expires in October, given she will have already stayed in NZ for 12+ months (6 months on a Visitor Visa + 7 months on a Partner of a Student Visa)?
b. Does applying inside vs. outside NZ affect eligibility or conditions?

2. Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa Conditions
This visa allows stays of up to 6 months per visit and a maximum of 18 months within 3 years.
If she applies for this visa in October (before her current visa expires), will her prior 6-month stay on a Visitor Visa count toward the 18-month limit, but not her time on the Partner of a Student Visa?

Thank you for your time and assistance. I appreciate your guidance on these matters.

Yours sincerely,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora, 

Thank you for your email. 

Our Immigration Contact Centre is open from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to
Friday (NZT), excluding public holidays. For faster response to your
enquiry, we recommend that you contact us during these hours.
Alternatively, we aim to respond to queries to this email address within 3
working days.  

For New Zealand visa information, please refer to our website at
www.immigration.govt.nz

If your email is regarding the status of your online application, please
log in to your Immigration account. 

Nga mihi, 

MBIE Customer Service Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation &
Employment (MBIE)

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Good morning.

 

Thank you for contacting us.

 

Q: Can my mother apply for a Multiple Entry Visitor Visa IMMEDIATELY after
her Partner of a Student Visitor Visa expires in October, given she will
have already stayed in NZ for 12+ months (6 months on a Visitor Visa + 7
months on a Partner of a Student Visa)? b. Does applying inside vs.
outside NZ affect eligibility or conditions?

 

A: Please be aware, if you mother is wanting to apply for a Visitor Visa
while she is still in New Zealand, she will need to submit the application
before her current visa expires or leave NZ before the current visa
expires and apply offshore.

The 6 in 12 month rule only applies to a General Visitor visa. The time
spent in New Zealand on the partnership visa is not included in this rule
as this is a different type of visa with different Immigration
Instructions.

 

Q: Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa Conditions This visa allows stays
of up to 6 months per visit and a maximum of 18 months within 3 years. If
she applies for this visa in October (before her current visa expires),
will her prior 6-month stay on a Visitor Visa count toward the 18-month
limit, but not her time on the Partner of a Student Visa?

 

A: The 6 in 12 month rule only applies to a General Visitor visa. The time
spent in New Zealand on a General Visitor Visa is not included when
applying for a Parent/Grandparent visitor visa as this visa is a different
type and has different Immigration Instructions.

Please be aware to be eligible for a Parent/Grandparent visitor visa the
applicant must be offshore when they apply.

 

Please use the following link for the visa fact sheet, criteria and how to
apply for a general visitor visa.

 

[1]Visitor Visa » Immigration New Zealand

 

Please use the following link for the visa fact sheet, criteria and how to
apply for a Parent/Grandparent visitor visa.

 

[2]Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa » Immigration New Zealand

 

 

Kind Regards

 

Linda

 

Senior Client Services Advisor

 

Customer Service Centre| Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
(MBIE)

Telephone: +64 (09) 914 4100 or 0508 55 88 55

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

 

 

If you wish to provide service feedback, here is the link:
[3]https://feedback.immigration.govt.nz/

Make sure you check out our [4]Immigration ONLINE system when applying for
your next visa.

 

From: [FYI request #32107 email]

Sent: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 12:36 AM

To: [email address]

Subject: Re: Official Information request - Clarification on Visitor Visa
Staying Conditions CRM:0264673

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Thanks for your reply. Let me restate my general question:

Background:
My mother is currently in New Zealand. She initially held a Visitor Visa
for 6 months and then transitioned to a Partner of a Student Visitor Visa
(valid from April 3rd to October 31st 2025), which will extend her stay
beyond 12 months in total.

I note that the Multiple Entry Visitor Visa states:
"If you have a multiple entry visa, you can visit New Zealand as a tourist
as many times as you want and stay for a total of up to 6 months in a
12-month period."

Questions:
1. Eligibility for Multiple Entry Visitor Visa After Current Visa Expires
a. Can my mother apply for a Multiple Entry Visitor Visa IMMEDIATELY after
her Partner of a Student Visitor Visa expires in October, given she will
have already stayed in NZ for 12+ months (6 months on a Visitor Visa + 7
months on a Partner of a Student Visa)?
b. Does applying inside vs. outside NZ affect eligibility or conditions?

2. Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa Conditions
This visa allows stays of up to 6 months per visit and a maximum of 18
months within 3 years.
If she applies for this visa in October (before her current visa expires),
will her prior 6-month stay on a Visitor Visa count toward the 18-month
limit, but not her time on the Partner of a Student Visa?

Thank you for your time and assistance. I appreciate your guidance on
these matters.

Yours sincerely,

William

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: William

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Thanks for your clarification.

Based on your previous reply, I have a few follow-up questions:

1. My mother currently holds a "Partner of a Student Visitor Visa", as the visa is based on my father's Student Visa. However, I noticed that her visa label still says "Visitor Visa". Does this mean the 6/12 month rule still does NOT apply to her, even though the visa is named "Visitor Visa"? I understand you mentioned this 6/12 rule only applies to the "General Visitor Visa", but the wording on the visa label is a bit confusing.

2. Regarding the "Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa", INZ's website says: "With this visa you can stay in New Zealand for up to 6 months at a time, with a maximum total stay of 18 months in 3 years. You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires."

Does this mean the applicant can stay for 6 months, then leave NZ (for example, to Australia) for a short time, then return and stay another 6 months, and repeat this process once more to reach the full 18 months?

After that, can the applicant apply for a "General Visitor Visa" as you mentioned earlier that the 6/12 rule only applies to "General Visitor Visa", whereas "Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa" is not a kind of "General Visitor Visa".

3. On the page for the "Visitor Visa", in the "Multiple-entry Visitor Visa" section, it says: "To be eligible, you must have been out of New Zealand for at least 9 months in the 18-month period before you apply."

Based on what you said earlier, I believe this 9/18-month rule only applies to the "General Visitor Visa". If someone previously held other visas (such as "Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa", "Partner of a Student Visitor Visa", or "Student Visa"), the time spent in NZ on those visas wouldn't be counted toward the 9/18 requirement for the "Visitor Visa" to be applied for - is that correct?

4. My father's situation is similar to my mother’s. He initially held a Visitor Visa for more than 6 months, then changed to a Student Visa, which is valid for 7+ months, from March 3 to October 31, 2025. This means his total stay in NZ will exceed 12 months.

If he returns to his home country before his Student Visa expires, can he apply for a new Visitor Visa (either a "Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa" or a "General Visitor Visa") immediately after leaving NZ? I'm a bit concerned, as someone told me that INZ may decline a Visitor Visa application if it's submitted right after finishing a Student Visa, especially when the person has already stayed in NZ for over a year.

Thanks again for your help!

Yours sincerely,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora, 

Thank you for your email. 

Our Immigration Contact Centre is open from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to
Friday (NZT), excluding public holidays. For faster response to your
enquiry, we recommend that you contact us during these hours.
Alternatively, we aim to respond to queries to this email address within 3
working days.  

For New Zealand visa information, please refer to our website at
www.immigration.govt.nz

If your email is regarding the status of your online application, please
log in to your Immigration account. 

Nga mihi, 

MBIE Customer Service Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation &
Employment (MBIE)

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia Ora,

Thank you for contacting us.

 

Please see my answers to your queries which I have copied below in red,
and the replies in black.

 

Due to our how the immigration instructions are written it is more
appropriate to refer to the 9/18 rule, rather than the 6/12 rule.

 

My reply may differ slightly from some of the information that was
previously provided, due to the slightly more nuanced questions you have
provided with this email. 

 
1. My mother currently holds a "Partner of a Student Visitor Visa", as the
visa is based on my father's Student Visa. However, I noticed that her
visa label still says "Visitor Visa". Does this mean the 6/12 month rule
still does NOT apply to her, even though the visa is named "Visitor Visa"?
I understand you mentioned this 6/12 rule only applies to the "General
Visitor Visa", but the wording on the visa label is a bit confusing.

 

When a person changes category from a General Visitor Visa (VVG) to a
special visitor visa, the 9/18 rule will likely not apply. The applicant
will instead be subject to the specific rules of that visa type.

 

As you stated your mother held a VVG and applied for a for a Partnership
based Visitor Visa (PVV). The 9/18 rule does not apply when an application
for a  special category of visitor visa such as a PVV is made following a
VVG. 

 

If your mother wants to apply for a further VVG after holding a VVG and a
PVV for a total of more than 12 months it is likely that the 9/18  rule
will apply. If she is applying onshore the assessing Immigration officer
will look at the 18 month period before the proposed expiry of the visa,
to ensure that she has not spent more than 9 months in New Zealand,
(including the proposed stay in the application).

 

Based on the information you have provided your mother is unlikely to meet
the relevant instruction. [1]V2.5.1(b) and (c)

 

[2]General requirements for visitors

 

2. Regarding the "Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa", INZ's website
says: "With this visa you can stay in New Zealand for up to 6 months at a
time, with a maximum total stay of 18 months in 3 years. You must leave
New Zealand before your visa expires."

Does this mean the applicant can stay for 6 months, then leave NZ (for
example, to Australia) for a short time, then return and stay another 6
months, and repeat this process once more to reach the full 18 months?

After that, can the applicant apply for a "General Visitor Visa" as you
mentioned earlier that the 6/12 rule only applies to "General Visitor
Visa", whereas "Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa" is not a kind of
"General Visitor Visa".

 

To address the first part of your question, yes the holder of a Parent and
Grandparent Visitor Visa (PGVV) can visit for 6 months, leave for a short
amount of time, thus using their 18 months up within just over 18 months.

 

However when assessing eligibility for a further visitor visa general or
PGVV, Immigration will take the 3 year currency of the PGVV into account,
the holder of the PGVV are limited to a maximum stay in New Zealand of 18
months in total during the currency of the visa. [3]V3.110.5(b)

 

So the answer to the second part of your question is it is unlikely a
further VVG will be granted within the 3 year currency of the PGVV.

 

3. On the page for the "Visitor Visa", in the "Multiple-entry Visitor
Visa" section, it says: "To be eligible, you must have been out of New
Zealand for at least 9 months in the 18-month period before you apply."

Based on what you said earlier, I believe this 9/18-month rule only
applies to the "General Visitor Visa". If someone previously held other
visas (such as "Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa", "Partner of a
Student Visitor Visa", or "Student Visa"), the time spent in NZ on those
visas wouldn't be counted toward the 9/18 requirement for the "Visitor
Visa" to be applied for - is that correct?

 

No that is not correct. When applying for a special category of Visitor
Visa the 9/18 rule does not apply [4]V2.5.1(a)(ii), but when applying for
a VVG the 9/18 rule applies [5]V2.5.1(b) and (c), and the time spent in
New Zealand is taken into account even when the applicant held a special
category of Visitor Visa.

 

Where as suggested above the applicant held a Student Visa, please see
[6]V2.5.10 Definition of 'genuine tourist'.

 

4. My father's situation is similar to my mother’s. He initially held a
Visitor Visa for more than 6 months, then changed to a Student Visa, which
is valid for 7+ months, from March 3 to October 31, 2025. This means his
total stay in NZ will exceed 12 months.

If he returns to his home country before his Student Visa expires, can he
apply for a new Visitor Visa (either a "Parent and Grandparent Visitor
Visa" or a "General Visitor Visa") immediately after leaving NZ? I'm a bit
concerned, as someone told me that INZ may decline a Visitor Visa
application if it's submitted right after finishing a Student Visa,
especially when the person has already stayed in NZ for over a year.

 

In reply to the first part of this question, as the PGVV is a special
category of visitor visa the 9/18 month rule would not apply, see link for
[7]V2.5.1(a)(ii). For a VVG the 9/18 month rule would still apply. You
father could include your mother in his PGVV application as a secondary
applicant, or your mother could apply and include your father, as long as
they still meet the requirements for a genuine partnership. Because the
PGVV is a special category of Visitor Visa [8]V2.5.1(a)(ii) prevails over
[9]V2.5.10.

 

Nga Mihi, 

Pip

SENIOR CLIENT SERVICES ADVISOR

 

MBIE Customer Service Centre, Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hīkina Whakatutuki

 

+64 (9) 914 4100
PO Box 1473, Wellington, New Zealand

 

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

If you wish to provide service feedback, here is the link:
[10]https://feedback.immigration.govt.nz/

Make sure you check out our [11]Immigration ONLINE system when applying
for your next visa.

 

From: [FYI request #32107 email]

Sent: Thursday, October 2, 2025 9:07 AM

To: [email address]

Subject: Re: Official Information request - Clarification on Visitor Visa
Staying Conditions CRM:0264673

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Thanks for your clarification.

Based on your previous reply, I have a few follow-up questions:

1. My mother currently holds a "Partner of a Student Visitor Visa", as the
visa is based on my father's Student Visa. However, I noticed that her
visa label still says "Visitor Visa". Does this mean the 6/12 month rule
still does NOT apply to her, even though the visa is named "Visitor Visa"?
I understand you mentioned this 6/12 rule only applies to the "General
Visitor Visa", but the wording on the visa label is a bit confusing.

2. Regarding the "Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa", INZ's website
says: "With this visa you can stay in New Zealand for up to 6 months at a
time, with a maximum total stay of 18 months in 3 years. You must leave
New Zealand before your visa expires."

Does this mean the applicant can stay for 6 months, then leave NZ (for
example, to Australia) for a short time, then return and stay another 6
months, and repeat this process once more to reach the full 18 months?

After that, can the applicant apply for a "General Visitor Visa" as you
mentioned earlier that the 6/12 rule only applies to "General Visitor
Visa", whereas "Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa" is not a kind of
"General Visitor Visa".

3. On the page for the "Visitor Visa", in the "Multiple-entry Visitor
Visa" section, it says: "To be eligible, you must have been out of New
Zealand for at least 9 months in the 18-month period before you apply."

Based on what you said earlier, I believe this 9/18-month rule only
applies to the "General Visitor Visa". If someone previously held other
visas (such as "Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa", "Partner of a
Student Visitor Visa", or "Student Visa"), the time spent in NZ on those
visas wouldn't be counted toward the 9/18 requirement for the "Visitor
Visa" to be applied for - is that correct?

4. My father's situation is similar to my mother’s. He initially held a
Visitor Visa for more than 6 months, then changed to a Student Visa, which
is valid for 7+ months, from March 3 to October 31, 2025. This means his
total stay in NZ will exceed 12 months.

If he returns to his home country before his Student Visa expires, can he
apply for a new Visitor Visa (either a "Parent and Grandparent Visitor
Visa" or a "General Visitor Visa") immediately after leaving NZ? I'm a bit
concerned, as someone told me that INZ may decline a Visitor Visa
application if it's submitted right after finishing a Student Visa,
especially when the person has already stayed in NZ for over a year.

Thanks again for your help!

Yours sincerely,

William

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: William

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Thanks for your clarification - it’s very clear to me.

I just have a few more questions:

Q1. I assume both the Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa and the Partner of a Student Work Visa fall under special categories of visitor visas. Am I correct?

Q2. In your last comment, you mentioned "Because the PGVV is a special category of Visitor Visa, [8]V2.5.1(a)(ii) prevails over [9]V2.5.10."

Could you please clarify what you mean by this? V2.5.10 defines the term "genuine tourist", whereas V2.5.1(a)(ii) states that the 9/18 rule does not apply to special categories of visitor visas. These two clauses don’t seem directly related.

Also, where in the Operational Manual does it state that V2.5.1(a)(ii) prevails over V2.5.10?

Q3. Regarding the V2.5.1 “General visitors” in the Operational Manual:

Could you please explain the purpose of clause V2.5.1(c), considering the following two scenarios:

A person held a special category of visitor visa (such as a Partner of a Student Work Visa), and stayed in New Zealand for 11 months. If they now want to apply for a general visitor visa (multiple-entry), they must follow the 9/18 rule and remain outside New Zealand long enough (I assume it should be 9 months) to meet this requirement at the time of application.

A person held the same special category of visitor visa and stayed in New Zealand for 12 months. They would then be subject to both the 9/18 rule and V2.5.1(c), meaning they must stay outside New Zealand for 12 months.

Does this mean that V2.5.1(c) imposes an additional requirement on those who apply for a general visitor visa after staying 12 months under a special category?

Furthermore, does the restriction V2.5.1(c) only apply to general visitor visas, or to all types of visitor visas, including both general and special categories?

Yours sincerely,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora, 

Thank you for your email. 

Our Immigration Contact Centre is open from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to
Friday (NZT), excluding public holidays. For faster response to your
enquiry, we recommend that you contact us during these hours.
Alternatively, we aim to respond to queries to this email address within 3
working days.  

For New Zealand visa information, please refer to our website at
www.immigration.govt.nz

If your email is regarding the status of your online application, please
log in to your Immigration account. 

Nga mihi, 

MBIE Customer Service Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation &
Employment (MBIE)

Link to this

From: William

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

I apologize for not including this in my previous message.

My mother is currently holding a “Partner of a Student Visitor Visa”. I'm wondering if this visa falls under the category defined in “V3.10: Partners and dependent children of student or work visa holders”. If so, I couldn't find any reference in V3.10 that specifies the “length of permitted stay”. Could you please clarify where this information is located?

I also noticed that V2.5.5 states: "Where a length of stay is not specified in V3, the provision at V2.5.1 applies."
Does this mean the “length of permitted stay” for a “Partner of a Student Visitor Visa” is governed by V2.5.1? If so, V2.5.1 still doesn’t seem to provide a clear or fixed duration. Could you please clarify?

Yours faithfully,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Good morning,

 

Thank you for contacting us.

 

Maybe to get more clarification on your questions, phone us on +64 9
9144100 or 0508 55 88 55 (if you are in New Zealand, but outside Auckland
area). This service is available from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to Friday
(NZT) excluding New Zealand public holidays.

 

You can send us some feedback about the policy you are enquiring about or
look at the Immigration Act 2009 from the links below.

[1]Make a complaint or provide feedback :: Immigration New Zealand

[2]Immigration Act 2009 No 51 (as at 05 April 2025), Public Act Contents –
New Zealand Legislation

 

Regards

Tracy

CLIENT SERVICES ADVISOR

MBIE Customer Service Centre, Central

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Level 1, 65 Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North

Hours of work: Monday to Friday 6.00am – 2pm
NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

If you wish to provide service feedback, here is the link:
[3]https://feedback.immigration.govt.nz/

Make sure you check out our [4]Immigration ONLINE system when applying for
your next visa.

 

From: [FOI #32107 email]

Sent: Monday, October 6, 2025 1:01 AM

To: [email address]

Subject: Re: Official Information request - Clarification on Visitor Visa
Staying Conditions CRM:0264673

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Thanks for your clarification - it’s very clear to me.

I just have a few more questions:

Q1. I assume both the Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa and the Partner
of a Student Work Visa fall under special categories of visitor visas. Am
I correct?

Q2. In your last comment, you mentioned "Because the PGVV is a special
category of Visitor Visa, [8]V2.5.1(a)(ii) prevails over [9]V2.5.10."

Could you please clarify what you mean by this? V2.5.10 defines the term
"genuine tourist", whereas V2.5.1(a)(ii) states that the 9/18 rule does
not apply to special categories of visitor visas. These two clauses don’t
seem directly related.

Also, where in the Operational Manual does it state that V2.5.1(a)(ii)
prevails over V2.5.10?

Q3. Regarding the V2.5.1 “General visitors” in the Operational Manual:

Could you please explain the purpose of clause V2.5.1(c), considering the
following two scenarios:

A person held a special category of visitor visa (such as a Partner of a
Student Work Visa), and stayed in New Zealand for 11 months. If they now
want to apply for a general visitor visa (multiple-entry), they must
follow the 9/18 rule and remain outside New Zealand long enough (I assume
it should be 9 months) to meet this requirement at the time of
application.

A person held the same special category of visitor visa and stayed in New
Zealand for 12 months. They would then be subject to both the 9/18 rule
and V2.5.1(c), meaning they must stay outside New Zealand for 12 months.

Does this mean that V2.5.1(c) imposes an additional requirement on those
who apply for a general visitor visa after staying 12 months under a
special category?

Furthermore, does the restriction V2.5.1(c) only apply to general visitor
visas, or to all types of visitor visas, including both general and
special categories?

Yours sincerely,

William

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: William

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

Thanks for your reply.

I’m not in a convenient position to make a call at the moment. Since these are general questions regarding the operation manual, I’d prefer to have them answered here. This way, I’ll have a written record to refer back to if needed, and others with similar questions can benefit as well.

For your reference, I’ve copied the questions below so you don’t need to search through my previous posts:

Q1. I assume both the Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa and the Partner of a Student Work Visa fall under special categories of visitor visas. Am I correct?

Q2. In your last comment, you mentioned "Because the PGVV is a special category of Visitor Visa, [8]V2.5.1(a)(ii) prevails over [9]V2.5.10."

Could you please clarify what you mean by this? V2.5.10 defines the term "genuine tourist", whereas V2.5.1(a)(ii) states that the 9/18 rule does not apply to special categories of visitor visas. These two clauses don’t seem directly related.

Also, where in the Operational Manual does it state that V2.5.1(a)(ii) prevails over V2.5.10?

Q3. Regarding the V2.5.1 “General visitors” in the Operational Manual:

Could you please explain the purpose of clause V2.5.1(c), considering the following two scenarios:

A person held a special category of visitor visa (such as a Partner of a Student Work Visa), and stayed in New Zealand for 11 months. If they now want to apply for a general visitor visa (multiple-entry), they must follow the 9/18 rule and remain outside New Zealand long enough (I assume it should be 9 months) to meet this requirement at the time of application.

A person held the same special category of visitor visa and stayed in New Zealand for 12 months. They would then be subject to both the 9/18 rule and V2.5.1(c), meaning they must stay outside New Zealand for 12 months.

Does this mean that V2.5.1(c) imposes an additional requirement on those who apply for a general visitor visa after staying 12 months under a special category?

Furthermore, does the restriction V2.5.1(c) only apply to general visitor visas, or to all types of visitor visas, including both general and special categories?

Q4:
My mother is currently holding a “Partner of a Student Visitor Visa”. I'm wondering if this visa falls under the category defined in “V3.10: Partners and dependent children of student or work visa holders”. If so, I couldn't find any reference in V3.10 that specifies the “length of permitted stay”. Could you please clarify where this information is located?

I also noticed that V2.5.5 states: "Where a length of stay is not specified in V3, the provision at V2.5.1 applies."
Does this mean the “length of permitted stay” for a “Partner of a Student Visitor Visa” is governed by V2.5.1? If so, V2.5.1 still doesn’t seem to provide a clear or fixed duration. Could you please clarify?

Yours faithfully,

William

Link to this

From: William

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Could anyone please respond to my previous questions? Much appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora, 

Thank you for your email. 

Our Immigration Contact Centre is open from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to
Friday (NZT), excluding public holidays. For faster response to your
enquiry, we recommend that you contact us during these hours.
Alternatively, we aim to respond to queries to this email address within 3
working days.  

For New Zealand visa information, please refer to our website at
www.immigration.govt.nz

If your email is regarding the status of your online application, please
log in to your Immigration account. 

Nga mihi, 

MBIE Customer Service Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation &
Employment (MBIE)

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Good morning,

 

Thank you for contacting us. 

 

A1. Yes, the Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa and the Partner of a
Student Visitor Visa fall under the special visitor visa category in
instructions V3.

A2. The Operational Manual does not state that V2.5.1(a)(ii) prevails over
V2.5.10. I apologise for any misunderstanding. The two instructions are
not directly related. As you have advised, V2.5.1(a)(ii) states that the
9/18 rule does not apply to special category visitor visas and V2.5.10
provides a definition of the term "genuine tourist" 

 

A3. An applicant who has been in New Zealand for 12 months on a Special
Visitor Visa must remain outside New Zealand for 12 months before a
further application for a visitor visa may be approved.

V2.5.1(c) applies to applicants who hold a visitor visa listed at
V2.5.1(a). This includes:  

 1. genuine tourists who require no more than an additional three months
to complete their itinerary; or
 2. applicants who are applying for a visitor visa under a special
category of visitor visa instructions which allows a longer stay in
New Zealand; or
 3. cannot leave New Zealand because of circumstances beyond their
control; or
 4. have lodged a first-time application for residence that has been
accepted for consideration, and a decision is unlikely during the
currency of their existing visa.

 

Kind regards,

 

Faimata A

CLIENT SERVICES ADVISOR

 

MBIE Customer Service Centre, Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hīkina Whakatutuki

 

+64 (9) 914 4100
PO Box 1473, Wellington, New Zealand

 

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

If you wish to provide service feedback, here is the link:
[1]https://feedback.immigration.govt.nz/

Make sure you check out our [2]Immigration ONLINE system when applying for
your next visa.

 

From: [FOI #32107 email]

Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2025 11:24 PM

To: [email address]

Subject: Re: Official Information request - Clarification on Visitor Visa
Staying Conditions CRM:0264673

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Could anyone please respond to my previous questions? Much appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

William

show quoted sections

Link to this

From: William

Dear INZ General Enquiries,

Thank you for your response. However, I would appreciate further clarification on a few points, as my previous questions were not fully addressed.

Q1:
Regarding instruction V2.5.1(c), which states:

"Despite (b) above, an applicant who has been in New Zealand for 12 months on the basis of one of the exemptions at V2.5.1(a) above, must remain outside New Zealand for 12 months before a further application for a visitor visa may be approved."

Could you please clarify what kind of "visitor visa" in the "for a visitor visa may be approved" refers to?
Does it apply only to the general visitor visa, or does it also include visas granted under "Special Visitor Visa Categories", including all of those outlined in Instruction V3?

Q2:
In your previous response, you mentioned that V2.5.1(c) applies to applicants who hold a visitor visa listed under V2.5.1(a).

Given that V2.5.1(a)(ii) refers to:

"Applicants who are applying for a visitor visa under a special category of visitor visa instructions which allows a longer stay in New Zealand..."

I assume that both "Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa" and “Partner of a Student Visitor Visa” need to follow this rule, as they both fall under the "special category of visitor visa", am I correct?

If an applicant holding a "Partner of a Student Visitor Visa" has already stayed in New Zealand for over 12 months and has since returned to their home country, do they need to remain outside New Zealand for 12 months before they can apply again for either:

a general visitor visa,

a Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa, or

another Partner of a Student Visitor Visa?

Q3:
My mother currently holds a Partner of a Student Visitor Visa.
Does this fall under the "Special Visitor Visa Categories" defined in "V3.10: Partners and dependent children of student or work visa holders"?

If so, I was unable to find any reference in V3.10 specifying the maximum length of permitted stay. Could you please confirm where this information can be found?

I also noticed that V2.5.5 states:

"Where a length of stay is not specified in V3, the provision at V2.5.1 applies."

Does this mean that the duration of stay for a Partner of a Student Visitor Visa is governed by V2.5.1?
If so, could you please clarify what the permitted length of stay is, given that V2.5.1 does not appear to specify a clear or fixed duration?

Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to your clarification on these matters.

Yours sincerely,
William

Link to this

From: INZ General Enquiries

Kia ora, 

Thank you for your email. 

Our Immigration Contact Centre is open from 06:00 to 22:00 Monday to
Friday (NZT), excluding public holidays. For faster response to your
enquiry, we recommend that you contact us during these hours.
Alternatively, we aim to respond to queries to this email address within 3
working days.  

For New Zealand visa information, please refer to our website at
www.immigration.govt.nz

If your email is regarding the status of your online application, please
log in to your Immigration account. 

Nga mihi, 

MBIE Customer Service Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation &
Employment (MBIE)

Link to this

Things to do with this request

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Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment only: