Your Elders Deserve the Best: Bring Your Parents and Grandparents to NZ
Your parents and grandparents can migrate to New Zealand to live with you, whether for a long-term visit or a permanent move. With the introduction of new visa categories in 2025, there are now more flexible options than ever. We help you choose the right pathway to bring your family together.
Do you want your parents and grandparents to experience the clean, safe, and family-oriented environment of New Zealand? Immigration New Zealand (INZ) provides several options for both short-term stays and moving to the country permanently.
You can choose from:
- Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa: For shorter visits of up to 6 months.
- Parent Boost Visitor Visa: A new 5-year visa for extended family time.
- Parent Resident Visa: For permanent residency via a ballot system.
Parent Retirement Resident Visa: For those who can meet specific investment and income criteria.
This is a multiple-entry visitor visa that allows your loved ones to visit for up to six months at a time, with a maximum total stay of 18 months within a three-year span. It is a great option for parents who want to visit for the holidays or help out with new grandchildren without committing to a long-term stay.
The visa must be sponsored by a child or grandchild who is a New Zealand citizen or resident. Sponsors must prove they can cover the costs of the visit and ensure the visitor has access to health support. Note that this visa can only be applied for from outside New Zealand.
Introduced in late 2025, the Parent Boost Visitor Visa is designed for families who want to be together longer without the complexity of a residency application. This visa allows parents to stay for up to five years at a time, with the option to renew for another 5 years (10 years total).
- Multiple entry: Parents can leave and re-enter New Zealand as often as they wish.
- Insurance requirement: Holders must maintain comprehensive health insurance for the entire duration of their stay.
- Financial self-sufficiency: Applicants must show they have their own funds (NZD $160k for singles / $250k for couples) or that their sponsor meets a higher income threshold.
- Compliance check: A health and insurance check is required between the third and fourth year to ensure the visa conditions are being met.
If you want your parents to move to New Zealand permanently, the Parent Resident Visa is the primary pathway. This category uses an Expression of Interest (EOI) ballot system. As of July 2025, the annual cap has been reset to 2,500 visas per year, and the old backlogs have been cleared, making this a much faster process than in previous years.
To apply, you first submit an EOI. If selected in the quarterly ballot, you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). This visa allows your parents to live, work, and study in New Zealand indefinitely. Because selection is random and the financial requirements for sponsors are strict, we recommend a professional “Pre-Ballot Audit” of your finances to ensure you qualify before you enter the pool.
The Parent Retirement Resident Visa is often the fastest way to residency if the financial criteria are met. Unlike the ballot system, there is no “luck” involved; if you meet the requirements, the visa is granted.
To qualify, you must:
- Have an adult child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident
- Have an annual income of at least NZD $60,000
- Invest NZD $1 million in New Zealand for 4 years
- Have an additional NZD $500,000 in settlement funds
After 4 years of maintained investment, you can apply for permanent residency. This visa allows for unlimited travel and the right to work and study. We offer specialised “Variation of Conditions” services (typically NZD $800-$1,100) to help manage your travel rights during the investment period.
