New Zealand opens Parent Boost Visitor Visa applications on September 29, 2025

New Zealand will open applications for the Parent Boost Visitor Visa on September 29, 2025, giving parents and grandparents of New Zealand citizens and residents a long‑stay option without a path to residence. The visa permits stays of up to 5 years per grant, with the possibility of a second 5 years—for a total of 10 years. It is a multiple‑entry permission, allowing travel in and out of the country during validity, and officials say the goal is extended family time without adding pressure on public services.

Announced on June 8, 2025, the policy is now in final rollout ahead of the application start date. As of August 20, 2025, Immigration New Zealand guidance confirms the core settings: long duration, strong sponsor duties, strict financial and health safeguards, and a mid‑term check between years three and four. Authorities stress this is a temporary stay route only; parents who want residence must consider the Parent Resident Visa instead.

Policy overview and intent

• Purpose: enable longer family visits while protecting public resources through private insurance and applicant-held funds.
• Duration: 5 years initially, with a possible second 5‑year grant (total 10 years).
• Entry type: multiple‑entry — visa holders may travel in and out while the visa is valid.
• Pathway: Temporary stay only — not a route to residence.

Officials emphasise that the visa is designed to help families share extended time together while limiting pressure on public services.

Who can apply

The visa is open to parents and grandparents of New Zealand citizens and residents, including:
– Biological, adoptive, step‑parents, and parents‑in‑law.

Key constraints:
– Applicants must apply from offshore and remain outside New Zealand until a decision is made.
– A New Zealand‑based adult child (18+) must sponsor each application. Joint sponsorship (e.g., two siblings or a child with their partner) is allowed.
– No dependent children can be included on this visa.

Core applicant requirements

Applicants must meet the following:

• Be a parent or grandparent of a New Zealand citizen or resident.
• Apply from outside New Zealand and remain offshore until grant.
• Have an adult sponsor (New Zealand citizen or resident).
• Have no dependent children included.
• Meet character rules (police certificates for any country lived in 5+ years since age 17).
• Meet health rules (recent medicals may be reused if they meet standards).
• Show sufficient funds: NZD $160,000 (single) or NZD $250,000 (couple).
• Hold adequate health insurance for the entire stay.
• Demonstrate genuine intent to comply with visa conditions and leave before expiry.

Sponsor responsibilities

Sponsors must:

• Be 18+ and a New Zealand citizen or resident.
• Accept responsibility for the parent’s support, including:
  • Accommodation
  • Living costs
  • Repatriation if needed

Sponsors should understand this is a serious, ongoing commitment.

Visa conditions and compliance

• The visa allows multiple entries but remains a temporary stay only.
• Visa holders must maintain private health insurance at all times.
• Holders are not eligible for government‑funded healthcare or accident compensation.
• No dependent children allowed on this visa.
• Failure to keep insurance or meet other conditions can lead to cancellation or deportation.
• A mid‑visa compliance check occurs between years three and four to confirm ongoing eligibility.

Application steps and costs

From September 29, 2025, applications must be lodged online through the Immigration New Zealand portal. Officials advise parents and sponsors to prepare documents early to avoid delays and ensure financial and insurance proofs are ready.

Step‑by‑step process:
1. Prepare documents:
– Proof of relationship (birth or adoption records, marriage records for in‑laws).
– Evidence of the sponsor’s citizenship or residence status.
– Financial statements showing the required funds.
– Health and character certificates as required.
– Proof of private health insurance meeting New Zealand standards.
2. Submit the online application once the system opens on September 29, 2025.
3. Pay fees:
– Visa fee: NZD $3,000 (standard) or NZD $2,450 (Pacific fee band).
– International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy: NZD $100.
– Additional insurance costs vary by provider and policy scope.
4. Processing time:
– Most cases are expected to be decided within about 4 months, with longer timelines possible for complex health or character cases.
5. Mid‑visa compliance check:
– Between year three and four, visa holders must complete a check confirming they still meet health, insurance, and financial conditions.
6. Renewal after 5 years:
– A second 5 years may be granted if the applicant continues to meet all requirements. The total maximum stay under this route is 10 years.

Only official channels should be used. Immigration New Zealand has posted policy details and will update guidance as needed on its website: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/news-centre/new-parent-boost-visitor-visa-opening-on-29-september-2025/

Practical implications and examples

Families are already planning around school calendars and life events to take advantage of the visa’s length and multiple‑entry flexibility.

Example scenario:
– A grandmother could spend the first two years in Auckland helping with a newborn, travel home for several months, then return for milestone family events—all under the same visa—provided insurance, funds, and other conditions remain in place.

The mid‑term check encourages steady compliance rather than leaving issues to the end of the first 5‑year period.

Policy position and trade‑offs

Officials have stressed:
– This route is not a bridge to residence. It is designed to avoid overlap with the Parent Resident Visa, which has strict quotas and wait times.
– The government’s framing: enable long visits for parents while protecting public resources through private insurance and personal funds.

Benefits highlighted:
– Longer periods of family support (childcare, elder care, family stability).
– Ability to come and go with multiple‑entry freedom.

Trade‑offs to consider:
– High financial thresholds and mandatory insurance—likely to favour households with strong savings and planning.
– Sponsor duties are significant: ability to house and support a parent matters in practice, even if funds are held by the applicant.
– Ongoing costs such as insurance premiums, which may rise over time.

Expert commentary and practical tips

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the policy’s settings will likely favour families with solid finances and careful planning. Advisers urge families to organise documents early.

Practical tips from case planners:
– Line up insurance well before filing.
– Check whether recent medicals meet Immigration New Zealand’s standards.
– Collect police certificates for every country where the applicant lived 5 years or more since age 17.
– Budget for currency exchange and possible increases in insurance premiums during the stay.
– Remember: while the visa fee and levy are fixed at application, insurance premiums may rise and must remain active to stay compliant.

Monitoring and future prospects

Government monitoring will continue after launch. Officials may adjust settings if uptake, processing times, or compliance trends change.

• As of August 20, 2025, there is no indication the visa will become a residence pathway.
• Families seeking permanent solutions should pursue resident options separately and plan for differing processing times and quotas.

The opening date—September 29, 2025—now anchors many family timelines. With a maximum of 5 years on the first visa and a possible second 5 years, parents get an extended runway to share daily life milestones in New Zealand. The trade‑off is clear: strict financial proof, full private insurance, and ongoing checks. For many families, that will be a price worth paying to keep grandparents close for longer stretches while retaining the ability to come and go as life requires.