Visa Application Fees to Rise – 1 October 2024
Immigration New Zealand recently announced that there are going to be changes to Visa Application Fees as of 1 October 2024. Some fees are set to double in price which will be a hit to the hip pocket of visa holders.
Which Visa Application Fees are rising?
The short answer is nearly all of them – but not uniformly.
Below is some of the most widely used Visas with their Visa Application Fees as of 1 October 2024. The full list of application fees can be found here.
| Visa | CURRENT FEE | NEW FEE AS OF 1 OCTOBER 2024 |
| Partner Residence Visa | $2750 | $5360 |
| Skilled Residence | $4290 | $6450 |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | $750 | $1540 |
| Partner Work Visa | $860 | $1630 |
| Student Visa | $375 | $750 |
| Visitor Visa | $211 | $341 |
| Parent Retirement Category | $5260 | $12,850 |
| Post Study Work Visa | $700 | $1670 |
| Dependent Child | $2750 | $3230 |
Why are they doing this?
Immigration New Zealand needs to be financially sustainable.
According to Immigration Minister Erica Stanford MP, ‘The new charges reflect the costs associated with visa processing, assessing and managing more high-risk applications, and increased compliance costs as we deal with higher levels of migrant exploitation, managing more asylum claims, and maintaining and upgrading Immigration New Zealand’s ICT systems’.
Whether Immigration New Zealand will have service improvements in line with the increase in visa application fees remains to be seen.
Should I submit my Visa Application before the fees rise?
There will be the temptation to submit your visa application before the application fees rise.
However this can be a very costly temptation, particularly if you have applied for a visa before you are eligible. For example if you have not met the Partnership Residence Visa of living together for 12 months – but submit your application before the 12 months has passed, it will lead to a declined visa which will be very costly.
Seek expert advice
Regardless of whether you submit your visa application before or after 1 October 2024 – you need professional advice.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to IDESI LEGAL for guidance and support.
Contact us today . If visiting our Auckland or Wellington office is not feasible, we offer online consultations. Call us at 044616018 to schedule a virtual meeting. We have extensive experience in New Zealand immigration law.
