The New Zealand Parent Resident Visa reopened on 12 October 2022 and the selection of existing expressions of interest (EOIs) will resume on 14 November 2022.
There will be an increased number of visas available each year, increasing from 1000 to 2500, and reduced requirements for sponsors.
What are the changes for sponsors for a Parent Resident Visa?
Immigration New Zealand have lowered the income requirements for sponsors and now allowing 2 adult children, rather than just an adult child and their partner, to combine their income to sponsor parents.
A sponsor now needs to earn 1.5 times the New Zealand median wage rather than twice the median wage.
These new requirements apply to both existing EOIs and those that are submitted from 12 October 2022.
New EOIs to be selected by ballot
New EOIs can be submitted from 12 October 2022. Any new EOIs (submitted from 12 October 2022) will go into a ballot. The first random selection from the ballot is in August 2023, then every 3 months after that. 500 visas will be available each year from the ballot.
EOIs that have not been selected from the ballot expire after 2 years. This means there is no rush to submit an EOI now – you may wish to wait until closer to August 2023.
Existing EOIs can be updated or withdrawn
Any EOIs that were submitted before 12 October 2022 will be selected in date order. This first selection will take place on 14 November 2022 and will continue every 3 months after that (up to 2000 EOIs per year). This process is likely to be slow for many, due to the number of EOIs in the queue.
If you have an existing EOI in the queue, you can update it based on the new requirements, or you can choose to withdraw it and request a refund.
If you have any questions, get in touch.
