New Zealand Visa Fees: The Complete Price List
Every New Zealand visa price is built from up to three charges: an application fee, an immigration levy charged per application, and a NZ$100 International Visitor Levy charged per person. A Visitor Visa is NZ$441. An Accredited Employer Work Visa is NZ$1,540. Skilled residence is NZ$6,450. No general fee or levy has risen since 1 October 2024.
Quick Facts
| Controlling document | Fees Guide INZ 1028, May 2026 edition |
| Charges that make up a price | Application fee · immigration levy · International Visitor Levy (IVL) |
| Charged per application | Application fee, immigration levy |
| Charged per person | IVL — NZ$100 |
| Cheapest entry permission | NZeTA via the mobile app — NZ$17 plus IVL |
| Most expensive product | Active Investor Plus — NZ$27,470 |
| Last general increase | 1 October 2024 |
| Increase in 2025 or 2026 | None. INZ's fees page still reads "as of 1 October 2024" |
| Refundable if declined | No. The IVL is never refunded in any circumstance |
| Currency | All figures New Zealand dollars, as at 20 August 2026 |
The three charges, and why the split matters
Immigration New Zealand publishes a single "from NZ$X" figure on each visa page. Behind that figure sit up to three separate charges, and they do not behave the same way.
| Charge | What it pays for | How it is charged | Can it be waived? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application fee | The cost of assessing and deciding the application | Per application. Varies by fee band | Yes — bilateral fee-waiver agreements cover it for citizens of eleven countries |
| Immigration levy | Migrant settlement programmes, immigration research, system infrastructure, migrant attraction work, and the Immigration Advisers Authority | Per application — except group visitor visas, where it repeats per person | Yes, under the same waivers and for a short list of humanitarian categories |
| International Visitor Levy (IVL) | Conservation, tourism infrastructure and tourism initiatives. The policy owner is MBIE, not INZ | Per person included in the application | Only through the IVL exemption list — never through a fee waiver |
Three consequences follow, and none of them are obvious from INZ's combined price.
A family application costs far less than the headline price multiplied by the number of people. Where a partner and dependent children can be included on one application, the fee and the levy are paid once. Only the IVL repeats. Two adults and two children on one Visitor Visa application pay $300 + $41 + (4 × $100) = $741, not $1,764. See who can be included in one visa application.
Some people pay the fee but not the IVL. Australian and New Zealand passport holders, citizens of a list of Pacific nations, transit passengers at Auckland International Airport, New Zealand resident visa holders, Australian Resident Visa holders, Business Visitor Visa holders and APEC Business Travel Card holders are all exempt from the IVL. They still pay the application fee and levy where those apply.
Some people pay the IVL but not the fee. Eleven countries hold bilateral fee-waiver agreements with New Zealand. Those waivers expressly do not cover the IVL. See New Zealand visa fee waiver countries.
Every fee below is therefore quoted with its band, and with the levy and IVL shown separately. A single "the fee is $X" is wrong for a large share of readers.
The three fee bands in one line
| Band | Who it applies to |
|---|---|
| Band A | Applicants who are in New Zealand when they apply. GST inclusive |
| Band B | Applicants outside New Zealand who are citizens of specified Pacific countries |
| Band C | Applicants outside New Zealand, rest of the world |
Dual citizens pay the band that applies to the passport used in the application. Full detail, including the Band B country list, is in New Zealand visa fee bands A, B and C explained.
Visitor visas, NZeTA and transit
| Product | Band A | Band B | Band C | Levy | IVL | Common total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor Visa | 300 | 120 | 300 | 41 | 100 | $441 |
| NZeTA (mobile app) | 17 | 17 | 17 | — | 100 | $117 |
| NZeTA (website) | 23 | 23 | 23 | — | 100 | $123 |
| Transit NZeTA | 17 app / 23 web | same | same | — | — | $17 or $23 |
| Transit Visa | 235 | 195 | 235 | — | — | $235 |
| Business Visitor Visa | 300 | 120 | 300 | 41 | exempt | $341 |
| Group Visitor Visa (other) | 86 | 63 | 86 | 85 per person | 100 | $271 per person |
| Group Visitor Visa (Approved Destination Status, China, offshore) | — | — | 55 | 85 per person | 100 | $240 per person |
| Parent Boost Visitor Visa | 1,940 | 1,390 | 1,940 | 1,060 | 100 | from $3,100 |
| Temporary Retirement Category Visitor Visa | 7,750 | 4,720 | 7,750 | 41 | 100 | $7,891 |
Two things stand out. The NZeTA costs $6 less in the mobile app than on the website for an identical product — a difference nobody advertises. And the Group Visitor Visa is the only category where the immigration levy is charged per person rather than per application.
The Transit Visa carries no immigration levy and no IVL, which makes it one of the few New Zealand products priced as a single flat charge.
Student visas
| Product | Band A | Band B | Band C | Levy | IVL | Common total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fee Paying Student Visa | 485 | 270 | 485 | 265 | 100 | from $850 |
| Pathway Student Visa | 485 | 270 | 485 | 265 | — | from $750 |
| Limited Visa — student | 485 | 270 | 485 | 265 | 100 | $850 |
Do not conflate the two student prices. The Fee Paying Student Visa is from $850 because the IVL applies. The Pathway Student Visa is from $750 because it does not. That $100 gap is the IVL, and it is the single most commonly mangled figure in New Zealand student-visa content.
Where the levy or IVL is marked with an asterisk in INZ's own schedule, INZ directs applicants to its fee finder to establish whether it is payable in their specific case. More on student pricing in how much a New Zealand student visa costs.
Work visas
| Product | Band A | Band B | Band C | Levy | IVL | Common total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | 480 | 480 | 480 | 1,060 | — | $1,540 |
| Global Workforce Seasonal Visa | 480 | 480 | 480 | 1,060 | — | $1,540 |
| Peak Seasonal Visa | 480 | 480 | 480 | 1,060 | — | $1,540 |
| Post Study Work Visa | 320 | 270 | 320 | 1,350 | — | $1,670 |
| Partnership work visa | 570 | 570 | 570 | 1,060 | — | $1,630 |
| Work to Residence (temporary) | 570 | 570 | 570 | 1,060 | — | $1,630 |
| Work visa — other | 295 | 250 | 295 | 1,060 | * | from $1,355 |
| Working Holiday Scheme | 215 | — | 215 | 455 | 100 | $770 |
| Working holidaymaker extension | 245 | — | 245 | 455 | 100 | $800 |
| Business Investor Work Visa | 11,320 | 5,190 | 11,320 | 1,060 | — | $12,380 |
| Entrepreneur Work Visa (closed to new applications) | 11,320 | 5,190 | 11,320 | 1,060 | — | — |
The Accredited Employer Work Visa is the clearest example of the levy dominating the price. The application fee is $480; the immigration levy is $1,060, more than twice as much. The Post Study Work Visa is more lopsided still — $320 of fee against $1,350 of levy.
Note also that the worker's $1,540 is only part of the total cost of an accredited-employer hire. The employer pays separately for accreditation and a Job Check before the worker can apply. Those charges are set out in employer immigration fees in New Zealand.
Residence class visas
| Product | Band A | Band B | Band C | Levy | Common total (Band A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Residence (incl. Skilled Migrant Category, Straight to Residence, Work to Residence) | 2,880 | 1,860 | 2,880 | 3,570 | $6,450 |
| Residence from Work Category | 2,920 | — | — | 3,570 | $6,490 |
| Family Category (incl. Partner of a New Zealander) | 1,940 | 1,390 | 1,940 | 3,420 | $5,360 |
| Dependent Child | 1,830 | 1,360 | 1,830 | 1,400 | $3,230 |
| Business Investor Category | 11,320 | 5,610 | 11,320 | 3,570 | $14,890 |
| Entrepreneur Residence Category | 11,320 | 5,610 | 11,320 | 3,570 | $14,890 |
| Active Investor Plus Category | 12,070 | 6,190 | 12,070 | 15,400 | $27,470 |
| Parent Retirement Category | 9,430 | 5,140 | 9,430 | 3,420 | $12,850 |
| Employees of Relocating Business Category | 1,940 | 1,390 | 1,940 | 3,570 | $5,510 |
| Pacific Access Category | 1,300 | 1,280 | — | no levy | $1,300 |
| Samoan Quota Scheme | 820 | 800 | — | no levy | $820 |
| Pitcairn Islanders | 1,940 | 1,390 | 1,940 | no levy | $1,940 |
| Any other residence category | 1,940 | 1,390 | 1,940 | varies | — |
| Permanent Resident Visa | 315 | 260 | 315 | no levy | $315 |
| Second or subsequent resident visa | 275 | 250 | 275 | no levy | $275 |
| Variation of travel conditions on a resident visa | 320 | 260 | 320 | no levy | $320 |
No residence class visa carries the IVL. That is a structural rule, not a concession, and it is why residence prices are quoted as fee plus levy only.
Four figures in that table are worth pulling out.
Active Investor Plus is the most expensive product in the system at $27,470, and it is the only one where the levy ($15,400) exceeds the application fee ($12,070). Detail in the Active Investor Plus visa explained.
The Pacific Access Category and the Samoan Quota carry no immigration levy at all. Samoan citizens applying for a resident visa are expressly exempt from the levy. PAC applicants also pay a registration fee of $89 to enter the ballot before any residence application is made.
The Permanent Resident Visa is cheap — $315, or $260 in Band B. People routinely assume the second stage of New Zealand's two-stage residence system is another five-figure charge. It is not. See resident visa vs permanent resident visa.
The Global Impact Permanent Residence Visa is priced at $6,490, which reconciles exactly to the Residence from Work Category line ($2,920 + $3,570). That reconciliation is ours, drawn from matching INZ's published "from" price to the fee schedule; INZ does not state the mapping.
Expressions of interest and registrations
| Item | Band A | Band B | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| EOI under Parent Category — hard copy | 575 | 555 | 575 |
| EOI under Parent Category — online | 450 | 435 | 450 |
| Pacific Access Category registration — first year | 89 | 86 | 89 |
| Pacific Access Category registration — second and subsequent year | 89 | 49 | 89 |
An expression of interest is not an application. Paying the EOI fee buys entry to a selection process, not an assessment. See expression of interest (EOI) explained.
Changes, corrections and other charges
| Item | Band A | Band B | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Variation of conditions on a temporary visa | 325 | 240 | 325 |
| Variation of travel conditions on a resident visa | 320 | 260 | 320 |
| Reconsideration of a declined temporary visa | 220 | — | — |
| Temporary entry class visa granted under section 61 | 640 | — | — |
| Residence class visa granted under section 61 | 1,510 | — | — |
| Special direction | 260 | 255 | 260 |
| Confirmation of immigration status | 225 | 170 | 225 |
| Transfer of a visa label to a new passport | 225 | 170 | 225 |
| First endorsement indicating New Zealand citizenship | 225 | 185 | 225 |
| Second and subsequent citizenship endorsement | 225 | 140 | 225 |
| Call-out fee (INZ office opened outside normal hours) | 375 | 365 | 375 |
Two of these are widely misreported.
A section 61 request is not free of all charge. Making the request costs nothing, but if INZ decides in principle to grant a visa under section 61, a fee of $640 (temporary) or $1,510 (residence) becomes payable. A large amount of content online says section 61 is free full stop. See section 61 request explained.
The transfer fee and the variation-of-conditions fee are not published on INZ's web pages at all — only in the Fees Guide. If you are budgeting for a passport renewal mid-visa, $225 is the figure to plan for. See transfer your visa to a new passport.
What you never pay for
There is no priority, expedited or premium processing service in New Zealand, at any price. No such service appears anywhere on INZ's site and no corresponding line exists in the Fees Guide. Any site offering to jump the queue in exchange for money is selling something that does not exist. See paid priority visa processing in New Zealand.
You never pay a third party to reach INZ. Applications are made directly at immigration.govt.nz. Commercial sites charging a "service fee" on top of the government charge are reselling a free process — see what an NZeTA actually costs.
A Visa Application Centre service fee is not an INZ fee. VAC service fees rose on 1 January 2026 across 26 countries. Those are the centre's charges for biometrics and document handling, and they do not change any figure on this page.
Refunds
INZ does not refund the fee or the levies once an application has been processed, even where it is declined. Refunds are available only where you paid a fee you did not need to pay, you paid the wrong fee, your application was not accepted and was returned to you, or the application had not been processed.
The IVL is never refunded. Not on decline, not on withdrawal, not on a change of plan. That makes checking your fee band and IVL status before submitting more valuable than any other pre-application step. See NZ visa fee refunds explained.
How these figures were checked
The source is the Fees Guide INZ 1028, May 2026 edition — the PDF INZ publishes as the controlling fee document. Every headline total on this page was then cross-checked against the "from NZD $X" price INZ shows on the individual visa page for that product. Nineteen products reconcile exactly: the Visitor Visa to $441, the Fee Paying Student Visa to $850, the Accredited Employer Work Visa to $1,540, the Post Study Work Visa to $1,670, the Partner of a Worker Work Visa to $1,630, Skilled Residence to $6,450, the Business Investor Resident Visa to $14,890, Active Investor Plus to $27,470, and the rest.
Where a figure could not be reconciled against a second source, this page says so.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a New Zealand visa?
It depends entirely on the visa and on where you apply from. As at August 2026, the common totals are NZ$117 for an NZeTA via the app, $441 for a Visitor Visa, $770 for a Working Holiday Visa, $850 for a Fee Paying Student Visa, $1,540 for an Accredited Employer Work Visa and $6,450 for skilled residence.
Have New Zealand visa fees gone up in 2026?
No. There has been no general fee or levy increase in 2025 or 2026. The last one took effect on 1 October 2024, and INZ's own fees page still describes its rates as current "as of 1 October 2024". The Fees Guide was reissued in May 2026, but the rates in it match the October 2024 schedule.
What is the immigration levy and how much is it?
A charge that funds migrant settlement, immigration research, system infrastructure and the Immigration Advisers Authority. The amount varies by product: $41 on a Visitor Visa, $265 on a student visa, $455 on a Working Holiday Visa, $1,060 on an Accredited Employer Work Visa, $1,350 on a Post Study Work Visa, $3,570 on skilled residence and $15,400 on Active Investor Plus. It is charged per application, not per person.
Is the fee charged per person or per application?
The application fee and the immigration levy are charged once per application, however many people are included. The IVL is charged for each person. Group visitor visas are the single exception, where the levy repeats per person too.
Do I get a refund if my visa is declined?
No. Once an application has been processed, the fee and levies are not refunded, including where the outcome is a decline. The IVL is not refunded in any circumstance.
Why does INZ only show "from" prices?
Because the price genuinely varies. The application fee changes with your fee band, the immigration levy changes with the product, and whether the IVL applies depends on your nationality and visa type. INZ's fee finder resolves those variables for a specific case; a published table cannot.
Which New Zealand visa is the cheapest?
For entry permission, the NZeTA at NZ$17 through the mobile app, plus the IVL where it applies. Among full visa applications, the Transit Visa at $235 is the cheapest single charge, and the Band B Pacific visitor visa is the cheapest visitor product. A ranked list is in the cheapest New Zealand visas.
Which New Zealand visa is the most expensive?
Active Investor Plus, at NZ$27,470 — an application fee of $12,070 plus an immigration levy of $15,400. It is the only product where the levy is larger than the fee.
Does the fee include an immigration adviser?
No. INZ's fee covers the assessment of your application only. A licensed immigration adviser charges separately, and their fee is a private commercial matter. See immigration adviser fees in New Zealand.
Primary source: Immigration New Zealand, Fees Guide INZ 1028, May 2026 edition, cross-checked against the individual visa pages at immigration.govt.nz. All figures verified 20 August 2026 and stated in New Zealand dollars. INZ's fee finder is the only authoritative source for your own fee band and IVL status.
This page is general information about published fees. It is not immigration advice and does not assess your circumstances.
