New Zealand Visa Fee Refunds: When You Can and Cannot Get One
If your visa application was declined, you do not get your money back. Immigration New Zealand refunds a fee where the application was not processed — you paid a fee you did not need to, paid the wrong fee, or the application was returned to you. A processed application is not refunded, and the International Visitor Levy is never refunded.
Quick Facts
| Item | Detail (as at August 2026) |
|---|---|
| Declined application | No refund. A processed application is not refunded |
| Changed your mind | No refund |
| Withdrew after lodging | No refund |
| Paid a fee you did not need to | Refund available |
| Application not accepted and returned | Refund available |
| IVL | Never refunded, in any circumstances |
| How to request | Customer Refund Request Form (INZ 1183) plus supporting documents |
| Where to send it | By mail if in New Zealand · email [email protected] if outside |
| INZ's refunds page | Last updated 2 March 2026 |
The question most people are asking
My visa was declined — do I get my money back?
No.
INZ charges for assessing an application, not for granting a visa. Once the assessment has been done, the fee has bought what it was there to buy. INZ's published rule states it directly: a refund is not available where your application or request has been processed, even if it was declined.
That is the headline, and everything below is detail around it.
When a refund IS available
INZ publishes four situations:
| Situation | Why it qualifies |
|---|---|
| You paid the application fee but did not need to | The charge should not have been made |
| You paid the wrong fee | The wrong amount was charged |
| Your application is not accepted and is returned to you | It was never taken into assessment |
| Your application has not been processed, or you withdraw your Expression of Interest | No assessment was done |
The common thread is that no assessment happened. That is the underlying logic of the entire refund policy, and it is a more reliable guide than trying to memorise the lists.
When a refund is NOT available
INZ publishes six situations:
- Your application or request has been processed — even if it was declined
- You suffer financial hardship as a result of a payment
- You change your mind
- You withdraw your application after it has been lodged
- Your Expression of Interest has been selected
- Your EOI has not been selected and has lapsed
Two of those deserve a moment. Financial hardship is expressly excluded — a hard rule, and an unusual one to publish so plainly. And withdrawing after lodgement produces no refund, which is different from withdrawing an EOI before selection, where a refund is available.
The IVL is never refunded
The International Visitor Levy — NZ$100 per person — is not refunded in any circumstances, including where the application is declined and including where an NZeTA request is refused.
It is a levy on the intention to visit, collected at the point of application, and it is not contingent on the outcome. See the International Visitor Levy.
What about the immigration levy?
Honestly: we do not know, and we are not going to guess.
Whether the immigration levy specifically is refundable in the situations where the application fee is refundable was not established from a primary source. INZ's refunds page speaks about fees; INZ 1028 treats the levy as a separate charge. Neither resolves the point.
If you are requesting a refund, ask INZ to confirm what is being refunded rather than assuming the whole amount. For what the levy is and how it differs from the application fee and the IVL, see how to pay New Zealand visa fees.
Step 1: Check your situation against INZ's two lists
Not against a general sense of fairness. The lists above are INZ's, and the operative question is whether the application was processed.
Step 2: Complete the Customer Refund Request Form (INZ 1183)
This is the named form for refund requests. It is not a general enquiry and not an email asking for your money back.
Step 3: Gather the supporting documents INZ requires
INZ names three:
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| A copy of the fee receipt | Proves what was paid |
| Proof of your bank account | Where the refund goes |
| Authorisation from the original payer, if applicable | Where someone else paid — an employer, an agent, a family member |
That third item matters more than it looks. Where an employer, an education agent or a relative paid the fee, the refund follows the payment, and the original payer's authorisation is what allows it to go elsewhere.
Step 4: Send it to the right place
| Where you are | How to submit |
|---|---|
| In New Zealand | By mail |
| Outside New Zealand | Email [email protected] |
INZ does not publish a processing time for refund requests, and we are not going to invent one.
Fee waivers are a different thing
A refund returns money already paid. A fee waiver means the fee is not charged in the first place.
Waivers apply to refugees, refugee claimants and protected people; citizens of countries with bilateral fee-waiver agreements; and victims of family violence. They do not apply to the IVL, and they do not apply to the fee for replacing or transferring a visa label in a new passport. See bilateral fee-waiver countries and transferring your visa to a new passport.
Separately, a list of immigration levy exemptions exists, covering Samoan citizens applying for residence, refugee and protection claimants, the family violence and people trafficking special categories, Skilled Migrant Category Job Search, and Migrant Exploitation Protection work visa applicants and their families.
What this means for how you apply
The refund rules make one thing worth saying plainly: the money is spent when you submit. That reframes the value of preparation.
An application declined for a missing police certificate — which since 2026 can happen without INZ contacting you first — costs the fee as well as the outcome, and a fresh application means a fresh fee. Waiting three weeks for a certificate is cheaper than being declined. See the upfront police certificate rule and documents you need.
The same logic applies to withdrawing. If circumstances change after lodgement, withdrawing does not recover the fee — so there is rarely a financial reason to withdraw rather than let the application run.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get my New Zealand visa fee back if I am declined?
No. INZ does not refund a fee once an application has been processed, even where it was declined. The International Visitor Levy is never refunded.
What is the INZ 1183 form?
The Customer Refund Request Form — the named form for requesting a refund of a visa application fee. It is submitted with a copy of the fee receipt, proof of your bank account, and authorisation from the original payer where someone else paid.
Can I get a refund if I withdraw my application?
Not after it has been lodged. Withdrawing an Expression of Interest is different — a refund is available there, provided the EOI has not been selected and has not lapsed.
Is the International Visitor Levy refundable?
No. The IVL is never refunded, including where the visa application or NZeTA request is refused.
What if I paid the wrong fee?
That is one of the situations where a refund is available. So is paying an application fee you did not need to pay at all.
Can I get a refund because I cannot afford it?
No. Financial hardship arising from a payment is expressly listed by INZ as a situation in which a refund is not available.
Who gets the refund if my employer paid?
The refund follows the original payment, which is why INZ requires authorisation from the original payer where applicable. An employer, agent or relative who paid the fee is the party whose authorisation is needed.
How long does an INZ refund take?
INZ does not publish a processing time for refund requests, so we do not state one. Submit the form with all three supporting documents to avoid a round trip.
This page explains published rules. It is general information, not immigration advice, and it does not assess any individual's circumstances. Anyone who needs their own situation assessed should speak to a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer.
