NewZealand - Parents of New Zealand residents

Closeness to family is often the reason people choose to leave their home land and start a new life in New Zealand. And many have found New Zealand a great place to live alongside their family.

If you are a parent and wish to move to New Zealand to be close to your child or children, you will need to apply for residence in New Zealand. Your child must be a New Zealand citizen or resident, and be eligible to sponsor you.

Requirements

You need to meet a number of requirements to have your residence application approved under the Family Category (Parent Policy).  
  • - be the parent of an adult child 17 years or over who is a New Zealand citizen or resident (in some situations grandparents and legal guardians are also considered as parents).  Please note that if your sponsoring child is aged between 17 and 24 they must provide satisfactory evidence they can meet the undertakings given in the sponsorship form.
  • - have no dependent children and all of your adult children are lawfully and permanently outside the country in which you are lawfully and permanently, or the centre of gravity of your family is in New Zealand.
  • - have the “centre of gravity ” of your family in New Zealand.
  • - be in good health
  • - be of good character
  • - be sponsored by your New Zealand child who is eligible to sponsor you, and is able (and/or their partner is able) to meet the minimum income requirment 

And you must supply:

  • - evidence of your relationship to your sponsor
  • - evidence of your relationship to your other children
  • - evidence of where your other children are living
  • - evidence of your sponsorship by attaching to your application a properly completed, signed and witnessed sponsorship form.
    • - declares they meet the requirements, and
    • - attaches evidence of their immigration status
    • - attaches evidence that they and/or their partner meet the minimum income requirement.

And if you are a grandparent…

You must also supply: 
  • - evidence showing your sponsor’s relationship to grandparent where sponsor’s parents are deceased
  • - evidence showing your sponsor’s parents are deceased

And if you are a legal guardian…

You must also supply: 

  • - evidence showing legal guardianship where your sponsor’s parents are deceased
  • - evidence showing your sponsor’s parents are deceased

About partner and children?

Your partner and any dependent children can be included in your application for residence.
To be approved residence you and your partner must meet their partnership requirements and your partner and any dependent children must meet health and character requirements.