Parent Category Residence Visa

At a glance

The Parent Category is a residence category established under the Family Categories for parents of New Zealand citizens or residence class visa holders. The current instructions, effective 1 July 2025, set out a two-stage process: an expression of interest (EOI) must be submitted first, and selection from the Pool of EOIs may lead to an invitation to apply for a resident visa. The number of approvals in principle that can be issued is capped at 2,500 people per year (year ending 30 June). [F4.1]

There are two EOI Pools: a Queued Pool for EOIs submitted on or before 11 October 2022, and a Ballot Pool for EOIs submitted on or after 12 October 2022. Ballot Pool EOIs are randomly selected periodically until the annual cap is filled; Queued Pool EOIs are selected in date order. Selected EOIs may result in an invitation to apply if an immigration officer is satisfied that the claims made in the EOI are credible. [F4.5]

How to apply

1. Submit an EOI in the prescribed manner. [F4.1]
2. The EOI enters the Pool. An immigration officer assesses whether the claims made in the EOI concerning health, character, English language, family relationship, and sponsorship are credible. If they are, the EOI may result in an invitation to apply for residence. [F4.1]
3. Once invited, lodge the residence application within four months of the date of the invitation to apply letter. [F4.1]

The invitation to apply must not have been revoked at the time the application is lodged. [F4.10] 4. The residence application will be approved if the applicant satisfies the requirements for health, character, English language, family relationships, and sponsorship (including minimum income thresholds). [F4.1]

The annual limit of 2,500 approvals in principle applies across all Parent Category applications. People who withdrew their EOI before 12 October 2022 may re-submit one further EOI into the Queued Pool, which will be drawn at the same time as the next ballot draw. [F4.1]

Expression of Interest (EOI) pools

Queued Pool: Contains EOIs submitted on or before 11 October 2022. These EOIs have no expiry date and are selected in chronological order of submission. [F4.5]

Ballot Pool: Contains EOIs submitted on or after 12 October 2022. An EOI in this pool is current for two years from submission, unless no selection occurs within that period — in which case it remains current until a selection from the Ballot Pool takes place. After expiry, the EOI is removed. An EOI is also removed if it is selected and leads to an invitation to apply, or if it is selected but the immigration officer determines the applicant does not meet requirements, or if the EOI includes a person already in another EOI in the Ballot Pool. [F4.5]

A principal applicant or secondary applicant may hold only one EOI in each pool at any time. [F4.5]

EOI submission requirements

A person must submit a completed Parent Category EOI form and the prescribed fee. By submitting the EOI, the person declares information about identity, health, character, English language ability (or intention to pre-purchase ESOL tuition), family relationship to sponsoring adult children and any other children, the sponsor's eligibility and income for the past three years, and — if the person holds or previously held a Parent Boost visitor visa — that they maintained acceptable travel/health insurance and have no outstanding Crown debt while holding that visa. [F4.5]

Selections from the pools

EOIs are selected periodically by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on behalf of the Government. [F4.5]

• Ballot Pool selection: EOIs are randomly selected until the number of potential applicants needed to fill the annual visa cap is reached. To be eligible, the EOI must be submitted before the first day of the month of selection. [F4.5]
• Queued Pool selection: EOIs are selected in date order, with the earliest submitted first, until the annual visa cap is reached. [F4.5]

Re‑submission of previously withdrawn EOIs

If an EOI was in the pool on 7 October 2019 and was later withdrawn before 12 October 2022, a new EOI for the same person may be submitted into the Queued Pool (rather than the Ballot Pool) on or after 12 October 2022. The selection order will be based on the original submission date of the withdrawn EOI. The person must complete the prescribed form and pay the fee. [F4.5]

Invitation to Apply (ITA)

After selection, an immigration officer may issue an ITA if satisfied that:

• the information does not indicate health or character issues that would prevent a grant of residence; [F4.5]
• claims about English language are credible or there is an intention to pre-purchase ESOL tuition; [F4.5]
• the parent's relationship to the sponsoring adult child and other children appears to meet requirements; [F4.5]
• the sponsor(s) are likely to meet sponsorship and income requirements (including at least two 12‑month periods of meeting the minimum income threshold within the three years before the ITA date); [F4.5]
• if joint sponsorship is considered, it appears credible that the requirements will be met; and [F4.5]
• for Parent Boost visa holders, it is credible that they maintained acceptable insurance and have no outstanding Crown debt from the visa period. [F4.5]

An officer may seek further evidence to determine credibility, and may decide not to issue an ITA if the claims are not credible or sufficient to meet Parent Category requirements. Selection of an EOI does not confer a right to an ITA, and the issuance or revocation of an ITA is at the discretion of the Minister or an immigration officer. An ITA is not a guarantee that a subsequent residence application will be approved. [F4.5]

Eligibility criteria

The principal applicant must be the parent of a New Zealand citizen or resident child who is eligible to sponsor them. [F4]

To receive an invitation to apply, the EOI must demonstrate credible claims in respect of health, character, English language, family relationship, and sponsorship. [F4.1]

For approval, the applicant must meet the full requirements for health, character, English language, family relationships, and sponsorship (including minimum income thresholds). [F4.1]

Approval under these instructions also requires that the applicant satisfies the Parent Category requirements in F4.15. Specifically, applicants must: [F4.15]

• meet health and character requirements; [F4.15]
• have a minimum standard of English or pre-purchase ESOL tuition; [F4.15]
• have no dependent children; [F4.15]
• have at least one sponsoring adult child who meets the family relationship and sponsorship requirements, including the minimum income threshold; [F4.15]
• if jointly sponsored, have sponsors who each meet sponsorship requirements and the joint sponsorship requirements; [F4.15]
• meet the evidential requirements; [F4.15]
• if they hold or previously held a Parent Boost visitor visa, have maintained acceptable travel/health insurance for a suitable period and have no outstanding Crown debt incurred while holding that visa. [F4.15]

In addition, the income of the sponsoring adult child or joint sponsors is assessed under F4.35.5. [F4.10]

In addition, to submit a valid EOI the applicant must:

• complete the Parent Category EOI form and pay the prescribed fee; [F4.5]
• declare identity, health, character, English language ability (or intention to pre-purchase ESOL tuition), and relationship to children; [F4.5]
• provide details of the sponsor's eligibility and income for the past three years; and [F4.5]
• if the applicant holds or previously held a Parent Boost visitor visa, declare they maintained acceptable travel/health insurance and have no outstanding Crown debt. [F4.5]

An applicant may have only one EOI in each pool; an EOI will be removed from the Ballot Pool if it includes a person already in another EOI in that pool. [F4.5]

Family relationship requirements

The Parent Category imposes specific rules about who qualifies as a child, the absolute prohibition on dependent children, and special accommodations for grandparents and legal guardians. [F4.30]

Who are considered children of the applicant

For the Parent Category, children of the applicant include: [F4.30]

• all biological or adopted children of the applicant; [F4.30]
• any child of the applicant's partner (whether or not the partner is included in the application), if that child has lived with the principal applicant for a predominant period of the child's life between the time their relationship with the principal applicant began and until the child turned 18 years of age. [F4.30]

Where the applicant is a legal guardian, children of the applicant also include the New Zealand citizen or resident sponsor, all biological and adopted children of the applicant, any children of whom they are (or were) legal guardian by reason of the parents of those children being deceased, and any child of the applicant's partner (with the same predominant‑period test). [F4.30]

Where the applicant is a grandparent, children of the applicant include the New Zealand citizen or resident sponsor, all biological and adopted children of the applicant, and any child of the applicant's partner (with the same predominant‑period test). [F4.30]

Applicants must not have dependent children

Applicants under the Parent Category must not have any dependent children (as defined in F4.20). An application will be declined if any applicant included in the application has dependent children. [F4.30]

Grandparents and legal guardians

Only one grandparent and their partner, or one legal guardian and their partner, may be sponsored under the Parent Category. [F4.30]

Grandparents: A sponsoring adult child's grandparent and their partner will be considered to be "parent(s)", and the sponsor will be considered to be an "adult child", under the Parent Category if both the sponsor's parents are deceased. [F4.30]

Legal guardians: A sponsoring adult child's legal guardian and their partner will be considered to be "parent(s)" and the sponsor will be considered to be an "adult child" under the Parent Category if: [F4.30]

• both the sponsor's parents died before the sponsor attained the age of 18 years; [F4.30]
• the applicant had legal guardianship of the sponsor (custody and the right to control the sponsor's upbringing) before the sponsor attained the age of 18 years; and [F4.30]
• the applicant was the most recent legal guardian of the sponsor. [F4.30]

Sponsorship requirements

Who can sponsor

The sponsor(s) on a Parent Category application must be: [F4.35.1]

• the adult child of the principal applicant; or
• the adult child and that child's partner (joint sponsorship); or
• the adult child and one other adult child of either applicant (joint sponsorship).

Each sponsor must: [F4.35.1]

• be an acceptable sponsor (as required by immigration instructions);
• meet the minimum income requirement for sponsors (see below);
• agree to meet the sponsorship undertakings [R4.10] for a 10-year sponsorship period, and if those undertakings are breached the consequences in R4.15 apply (including Crown debt and deportation liability for the visa holder); [R4.15]
• not be a dependent child.

A maximum of two people can act as sponsors in one application, and each sponsor can sponsor up to six parents. [F4.35.1]

Minimum income requirements

The sponsor or joint sponsors must have total income that meets the minimum income threshold (calculated as set out below), and must have met that threshold for two 12-month periods within the 3 years before the expression of interest was selected. The two periods cannot overlap; if there are joint sponsors, the periods must be the same for both sponsors. [F4.35.5]

The income of a sponsoring adult child's partner may only be counted if the partner is a joint sponsor, has been living with the sponsoring adult child for at least 12 months in a genuine and stable partnership, and meets partnership recognition requirements. [F4.35.5]

Minimum income thresholds

The threshold is calculated as: [F4.35.5.1]

• 1.5 times the median annual income for one parent;
• an additional 0.5 times the median income for each extra parent; and
• an additional 0.5 times median income (combined) if two sponsors are acting jointly.

The median income is based on Statistics New Zealand's median hourly earnings, converted to a 40-hour week. [F4.35.5.1]

Current thresholds (effective 28 February 2025 onward), for a median income of $69,804.80:

One sponsor: [F4.35.5.1]

Number of parents	Minimum income
1	$104,707.20
2	$139,609.60
3	$174,512.00
4	$209,414.40
5	$244,316.80
6	$279,219.20

Two (joint) sponsors: [F4.35.5.1]

Number of parents	Minimum combined income
1	$139,609.60
2	$174,512.00
3	$209,414.40
4	$244,316.80
5	$279,219.20
6	$314,121.60

(For earlier periods, see the full tables in the operational manual.) [F4.35.5.1]

Evidential requirements

Only taxable income recorded on the sponsor's New Zealand Inland Revenue tax statements (Summary of Income) is recognised. For self-employed sponsors, only taxable income on the Final Tax Summary for the three most recent financial years is considered. [F4.35.5.10]

Income from a company or trust cannot be counted unless it has been paid directly to the sponsor as shareholder-employee salary, dividends, or trust income, and must appear on the sponsor's IR tax statements. [F4.35.5.10]

All sponsors whose income is used to meet the threshold must satisfy these evidential requirements. [F4.35.5.10]

Counting sponsored parents

The total number of parents being sponsored includes any person (and their partner) previously sponsored by a sponsor in this application who is still within the 10-year sponsorship period, and any person included in the current application. [F4.35.5.15]

Note: If a partner's income was used in an application processed under pre-7 October 2019 instructions but the partner was not a sponsor, that person is not counted as a sponsored parent for these purposes. [F4.35.5.15]

Visa conditions

A resident visa granted under the Parent Category is subject to the condition that the sponsor(s) must meet their sponsorship obligations for 10 years from the visa holder's first day as a resident in New Zealand. [F4.45]

The multiple entry travel conditions on a resident visa granted under the Parent Category must be valid for 10 years from the visa holder's first day as a resident in New Zealand. These conditions are imposed under sections 49 and 55 of the Immigration Act 2009. [F4.45]

Evidence requirements

Evidence of relationship between parent(s) and children

Evidence of a parent's relationship to their children is original or certified copies of birth certificates establishing the relationship, household registration documents if these establish the relationship, or evidence of adoption (see R3). Other evidence establishing the relationship may also be provided or requested. [F4.40.1]

Evidence of relationship to grandparent where sponsoring adult child's parents are deceased

Evidence of the sponsor's relationship to the grandparent(s) is original or certified copies of birth certificates, household registration documents, or evidence of adoption. Other supporting evidence may be provided or requested. [F4.40.5]

Evidence of legal guardianship where sponsoring adult child's parents are deceased

Evidence of legal guardianship includes documents showing the principal applicant had custody and the right to control the sponsor's upbringing before the sponsor turned 18, such as:

• legal documents (e.g., a will) naming the principal applicant as guardian of the sponsor in the event of the parents' death; [F4.40.10]
• a court order granting legal guardianship after the parents' death and before the sponsor attained the age of 18 years; [F4.40.10]
• documents showing the sponsor lived with the principal applicant after the parents' death and before attaining the age of 18 years; [F4.40.10]
• medical and school records indicating the principal applicant acted as a parent for the sponsor after the parents' death and before the sponsor attained the age of 18 years. [F4.40.10]

Evidence that parents are deceased

Evidence that a sponsoring adult child's parents are deceased is original or certified copies of death certificates for both parents. Where a death certificate is unobtainable, other documentary evidence must satisfy an immigration officer that the parents are deceased and the date(s) of death. A death certificate is considered obtainable even if there is a possible delay or expense. [F4.40.15]

Evidence of dependence

Up to and including 20 years of age, if a child is unmarried then they are presumed to be dependent. For children aged 21 to 24, evidence of actual independence may be required. [F4.40.20]

Evidence of sponsorship

Evidence is a Sponsorship Form for Residence in New Zealand that confirms the sponsor(s) meet the requirements for acceptable sponsors and contains the required undertakings. [F4.40.25]

Evidence of sponsor(s) meeting minimum income requirement

Evidence of meeting the minimum income requirement must be demonstrated through annual Inland Revenue tax statements or Summary of Income, whichever is relevant to the sponsor's employment status. [F4.40.30]

Evidence of being 'ordinarily resident' in New Zealand

Evidence that the sponsor(s) are ordinarily resident in New Zealand may include correspondence addressed to the sponsor(s), employment records, travel movements outside New Zealand, banking records, rates demands, Inland Revenue records, mortgage documents, tenancy and utility supply agreements, and documents showing household effects have been moved to New Zealand. [F4.40.35]

Verification of family details and documents

Immigration officers may refer to former applications lodged by applicants, family members, or sponsors to verify declarations about family details. Income tax statements may be verified with Inland Revenue Department. [F4.40.40]

Interpretation & edge cases

Discretion not to issue an ITA: Even if an EOI is selected, an immigration officer may decide not to issue an invitation if the claims made are not credible or sufficient to meet the category requirements. The officer may request further evidence to test credibility. No person has a right to an ITA; the decision to issue or revoke is discretionary. [F4.5]

False or misleading information in the EOI: It is a ground to decline the subsequent residence application if false or misleading information was provided in the associated EOI, relevant prejudicial information was withheld, or the applicant (or their agent) failed to advise of a material change in circumstances that could affect the decision. [F4.5]

• Knowledge of the false/misleading information is not required: the application can be declined even if the applicant did not know the information was false, did not know that it was provided, and did not intend to deceive. [F4.5]
• For withholding information, the officer must be satisfied that the applicant or their agent knew the information, but there is no need to establish intent to deceive. [F4.5]
• Where an agent provided false information, the officer does not need to determine whether the agent knew it was false. [F4.5]
• Despite these grounds, the officer must consider the circumstances of the case before declining (i.e. the decision is not automatic). [F4.5]

EOI removal: An EOI is removed from the Ballot Pool if it includes a person already in another Ballot Pool EOI, if it expires, or if it is selected and the officer determines the applicant does not meet the requirements. [F4.5]

Queued Pool EOIs and previously withdrawn EOIs: Special provision allows resubmission of a previously withdrawn EOI into the Queued Pool, preserving the original submission date for queue order. This applies only if the original EOI was in the pool on 7 October 2019 and was withdrawn before 12 October 2022. [F4.5]

No guarantee of residence: An ITA does not guarantee that the subsequent residence application will be approved; all category and generic requirements (including health and character) must be satisfied at the time of the residence decision. [F4.5]

Invitation validity

A person may only apply for a resident visa under the Parent Category if they have been issued an invitation to apply, the application is lodged within four months of the date of the invitation letter, and the invitation has not been revoked. [F4.10]

Definitions

The following definitions apply for the purposes of the Parent Category.

Dependent child

A child is dependent if they meet one of the following tiers, irrespective of the definition in section 4 of the Immigration Act 2009: [F4.20]

1. Aged 21 to 24 years:

   • have no child(ren) of their own;
   • are single (as defined in the Family Categories residence instructions); and
   • are totally or substantially reliant on their parent(s) for financial support, whether living with them or not.

2. Aged 18 to 20 years:

   • have no child(ren) of their own; and
   • are single.

3. Aged 17 or younger:

   • are single.

When assessing whether a child aged 21–24 is totally or substantially reliant on their parent(s) for financial support, immigration officers consider the whole application and all relevant factors, including whether the child:

• is in paid employment (full-time or part-time) and its duration;
• has any other independent means of financial support;
• is living with their parents or another family member, and the extent to which other support is provided; or
• is studying, whether full-time or part-time. [F4.20]

Adult child

For the purposes of the Parent Category, an 'adult child' is a child aged 18 or older, unless they are dependent (see dependent child definition above). [F4.20]

Adult child for sponsorship purposes

For sponsorship purposes, an 'adult child' means a child aged 18 or older. However, children aged 18 to 24 are considered adult children for sponsorship only if they can satisfy an immigration officer that they can meet sponsorship undertakings (see sponsorship requirements) and the minimum income requirement (see F4.35.5). [F4.20]

Parents sponsored by adult children who are also dependent children will not meet the family relationship requirements at F4.30.5.

Ordinarily resident in New Zealand

For sponsorship purposes, a person is 'ordinarily resident' in New Zealand if an immigration officer is satisfied that New Zealand is their primary place of established residence (see sponsorship requirements at F4.35.1). [F4.20]

Maintaining acceptable travel and/or health insurance while holding a Parent Boost visitor visa

Maintaining acceptable travel and/or health insurance includes periods of non-coverage only if the non-coverage was a direct result of an insurer's or bank's error to grant the required insurance and coverage was resumed as soon as possible. An error does not include situations where the insurer makes a decision to lapse, cancel or refuse the required insurance. [F4.20]

Debt to the Crown while holding a Parent Boost visitor visa

A debt to the Crown while holding a Parent Boost visitor visa means costs incurred for services (where there is no entitlement as a Parent Boost visitor visa holder) provided by a New Zealand government agency and/or Crown entity. [F4.20]

Citations

• F4 — Parent Category
• F4.1 — Summary of requirements
• F4.5 — Expression of interest (EOI) and invitation to apply for residence
• F4.10 — Applying for residence and assessing residence applications
• F4.15 — Parent Category Requirements
• F4.20 — Definitions
• F4.30 — Family relationship requirements for the Parent Category
• F4.35 — Sponsorship Requirements
• F4.35.1 — General Requirements
• F4.35.5 — Minimum income requirements for sponsors
• F4.35.5.1 — Minimum income thresholds
• F4.35.5.10 — Evidential requirements for sponsor's income
• F4.35.5.15 — How to calculate the number of people being sponsored
• F4.40 — Evidence
• F4.40.1 — Evidence of relationship of parent(s) to children
• F4.40.5 — Evidence of relationship to grandparent
• F4.40.10 — Evidence of legal guardianship
• F4.40.15 — Evidence that parents are deceased
• F4.40.20 — Evidence of dependence
• F4.40.25 — Evidence of sponsorship
• F4.40.30 — Evidence that the sponsor(s) meet the minimum income requirement
• F4.40.35 — Evidence of being 'ordinarily resident' in New Zealand
• F4.40.40 — Verification of family details and documents
• F4.45 — Conditions of a resident visa granted under the Parent Category
• R4.10 — Sponsorship undertakings
• R4.15 — Breach of sponsorship undertakings