New Zealand visas for partners and families
New Zealand visa options for your partner
In New Zealand, your partner will need to apply for their own visa to be in the country if they wish to work or study (examples of visas they might apply for include a student visa, a working holiday visa or a work visa). It is not possible to add them to your student visa as a dependent.
They can, however, apply for a work visa on the basis of being your partner if the course that you are going to study in New Zealand falls into either of the following two categories:
- Your course is in an area of absolute skill shortage, as specified by the New Zealand Government’s Long Term Skill Shortage List. See the Immigration New Zealand website for more information.
- Your course is a postgraduate qualification
Please contact Study Options if you have any questions about whether or not your chosen course would make your partner eligible to apply for a work visa under this scheme.
Travelling with children
Any child travelling with you to New Zealand will need to have their own student visa, regardless of level of study. You’ll also have to pay fees for your children to go to any New Zealand school (whether the school is state or private). Fees vary according to the age of your children and where you live, but expect to pay around NZ$9,000 to NZ$15,000 per year, per child.
