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The new Parent Boost Visitor Visa will open for applications on 29 September 2025.
The Parent Boost Visitor Visa is designed to help parents of New Zealand citizens and residents spend extended time with their families. It allows eligible parents to stay in New Zealand for up to 5 years, and leave and re-enter New Zealand as many times as they want within that time.
There is also the option to apply for a second 5-year visa, enabling a total stay of up to 10 years.
Note
This visa is not a pathway to residence, but it offers a meaningful way for families to spend extended time together.
Eligibility and application
To be granted a Parent Boost Visitor Visa, you must genuinely intend to follow the visa rules, leave New Zealand before it expires, and only use it for visiting your children temporarily.
To apply, you must:
- Be outside New Zealand when applying and when the visa is granted
- Meet character and health standards
- Be sponsored by an adult child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident
- Demonstrate you have sufficient funds or income to support your stay or that your sponsor or sponsors meet income requirements
- Show that you are a genuine visitor who will retain links with your home country.
If you meet the criteria to be approved:
- You will receive an approval in principle and be asked to provide evidence of 12 months’ worth of acceptable insurance.
- You will also need to sign a declaration confirming that you understand the Parent Boost Visitor Visa is for a temporary stay only, you must follow all visa conditions and leave New Zealand before it expires, and if you or your sponsor do not comply, your visa could be cancelled and you may face deportation.
Note
To be eligible for the Parent Boost Visitor Visa, you must not have any dependent children.
Once you visa is granted:
- You must arrive in New Zealand within 6 months of the visa being approved
- Your 5-year stay begins from the date of first arrival, not the approval date
- You can leave and re-enter New Zealand freely during the visa period
- Parents and their partners can travel separately
- After 3 years (but before 4 years), you will need to leave New Zealand and complete a compliance check which includes submitting a new medical certificate and providing evidence that acceptable insurance has been maintained while you have been in New Zealand.
This check confirms you are still meeting the visa conditions, including health requirements.
Health and medical requirements
Applicants must meet an acceptable standard of health. This ensures visa holders do not place undue pressure on New Zealand’s health system.
For the first visa, medical certificates from the past 12 months may be reused if they meet the required standard.
For the mid-visa check and second visa, new medical certificates no older than 3 months are required.
Medical waivers will not be considered — applicants must meet the health standard to qualify.
Health insurance requirements
To protect both visa holders and New Zealand’s public services, acceptable insurance is mandatory.
| Coverage Type | Minimum Amount (in NZD) |
|---|---|
| Emergency medical care | $250,000 a year |
| Cancer treatment | $100,000 a year |
| Repatriation | $250,000 |
| Return of remains | $50,000 |
Additional requirements
- Insurance must be maintained for the entire duration of the stay in New Zealand.
- 12 months insurance must be purchased upfront (following an approval in principle).
- Evidence of this insurance must be provided within 3 months of the visa being approved in principle (Immigration New Zealand will request the evidence at this time).
- Insurance from companies outside of New Zealand will be accepted so long as it is provided by an acceptable insurer and meets the requirements.
Note
Failing to maintain acceptable insurance while in New Zealand on a Parent Boost Visitor Visa may result in your visa being cancelled, you being made liable for deportation or you not being eligible for a future Parent Boost Visitor Visa or Parent Resident Visa.
Financial Support
To demonstrate financial self-sufficiency for the visa, you must meet 1 of the following criteria.
Sponsor’s income
A single sponsor must earn at least the
to support 1 parent.
If there are joint sponsors, their combined income must be at least 1.5 times the median wage to support 1 parent (currently NZD $104,707.30).
For each additional parent, the required income increases by 0.5 times the median wage (an additional NZD $34,902.40 for each parent).
Parent’s ongoing income
A single parent must have a regular income that aligns with the single rate of New Zealand Superannuation, which is currently NZD $32,611.28 a year before tax.
A couple must have a combined income that matches the couple rate of New Zealand Superannuation, which is currently NZD $49,552.88 a year before tax.
Parent’s available funds
A single parent must have at least NZD $160,000 in available funds.
A couple must have at least NZD $250,000 in available funds.
These funds must be sufficient to support the parents for the entire duration of their visa. Borrowed or gifted money cannot be used — the funds must genuinely belong to the parents.
Sponsorship requirements
Sponsorship is a key part of the Parent Boost Visitor Visa.
Sponsors must be adult children (aged 18 or older) who are New Zealand citizens or residents.
Joint sponsorship is allowed.
This can include:
- An adult child and their partner
- 2 adult children (siblings)
- 1 adult child of the parent and 1 adult child of the parent’s partner.
Sponsors play a vital role in ensuring visa holders have support during their stay and that the visa programme remains sustainable.
