Child of a Worker Visitor Visa

The Child of a Worker Visitor Visa allows eligible dependent children of New Zealand work visa holders to join their parent and live temporarily in New Zealand.

The visa can be useful for families who want their children to accompany them to New Zealand but do not require a student visa for the child.

Who can apply?

To qualify, the child must have a parent who holds an appropriate New Zealand work visa and is eligible to support the child’s application.

The child must also be single and financially dependent on their parent.

Generally, dependent children can qualify if they are aged 17 or younger, or aged 18 or 19 with no children of their own. Immigration New Zealand may ask for additional evidence showing that an 18- or 19-year-old remains financially dependent on their parent.

Children aged 20 to 24 may qualify in limited circumstances where they have applied for, or are included in, an eligible New Zealand residence application.

Which workers can support a child?

Not every New Zealand work visa holder is able to support a Child of a Worker Visitor Visa.

Some categories of work visa are excluded, including Working Holiday Visas and certain seasonal and other temporary work visas.

For Accredited Employer Work Visa holders, eligibility can depend on the worker’s job, income and other immigration requirements.

It is therefore important to check the parent’s particular work visa and employment circumstances before making an application.

Accredited Employer Work Visa holders

Special rules apply where the parent holds an Accredited Employer Work Visa, commonly known as an AEWV.

Whether an AEWV holder can support a visitor visa for their dependent child can depend on their occupation, skill level, earnings and the immigration settings applying to their employment.

The parent may need to provide evidence of income, such as an employment agreement, payslips or tax records.

Because AEWV family-support rules have changed over time, the current requirements should be checked carefully before applying.

Proving the parent-child relationship

Immigration New Zealand requires evidence showing that the worker is the child’s parent.

This will commonly include the child’s birth certificate. Adoption documents or other official records may be required where relevant.

Where a child is travelling alone or with only one parent, Immigration New Zealand may also request evidence showing that the child has the legal right to leave their country of residence.

This may include custody or guardianship documents or consent from the other parent.

How long can the child stay?

The Child of a Worker Visitor Visa will normally be granted for the same duration as the parent’s eligible work visa.

If the parent’s work visa expires, the child’s visa will generally expire at the same time.

If the parent obtains another eligible work visa, a further application may be required for the child.

Can the child study?

A Child of a Worker Visitor Visa allows school-aged children to study in New Zealand for up to three months in any calendar year.

Older children can generally study at a tertiary institution for up to three months in a 12-month period.

If the child intends to study for longer than three months, they will normally need an appropriate student visa.

For school-aged children who will attend school on a longer-term basis, a Dependent Child Student Visa may be a more appropriate option if the parent is eligible to support one.

Can the child work?

A Child of a Worker Visitor Visa does not normally provide general work rights.

However, certain dependent children who are waiting for the outcome of an eligible residence application may be able to obtain work rights.

Depending on their age and circumstances, an eligible child may be able to apply for conditions allowing part-time employment during the year and full-time employment during the summer holiday period.

The child must meet the specific requirements and obtain the appropriate work conditions before starting employment.

Financial requirements

Depending on the parent’s work visa, the parent may need to demonstrate that they earn sufficient income to support their dependent children in New Zealand.

This is particularly important for some Accredited Employer Work Visa and Religious Worker Work Visa holders.

The applicable income threshold can change and should be checked against the parent’s particular visa and employment circumstances when the application is prepared.

Health requirements

The child must meet Immigration New Zealand’s applicable health requirements.

Depending on the child’s age, country of residence, medical history and intended length of stay, medical information or a chest X-ray may be required.

Children younger than 11 do not normally need a chest X-ray unless Immigration New Zealand specifically requires one.

Character requirements

The child must meet the applicable character requirements.

Police certificates may be required depending on the child’s age and circumstances. Children younger than 17 do not normally need to provide police certificates.

Any previous immigration or character issues should be addressed appropriately when preparing the application.

Genuine intentions

Immigration New Zealand must be satisfied that the child genuinely intends to comply with the conditions of the visitor visa.

The child’s circumstances, purpose for coming to New Zealand and previous immigration history may be considered when the application is assessed.

Applying at the same time as the parent

A Child of a Worker Visitor Visa application can potentially be submitted at the same time as the parent’s work visa application.

However, the child’s visa will not be granted unless the parent’s qualifying work visa is approved.

This can allow a family to organise their visa applications together rather than waiting until the parent has already arrived in New Zealand.

Multiple-entry travel

Travel conditions should always be checked on the child’s eVisa.

If multiple-entry travel conditions are granted, the child can leave and return to New Zealand while the visa and travel conditions remain valid.

Immigration New Zealand states that children applying for multiple-entry travel conditions must not have spent more than nine months in New Zealand during the preceding 18 months.

What documents are required?

An application will commonly require the child’s passport and photograph, evidence of the parent-child relationship, and evidence that the parent holds or has applied for an eligible New Zealand work visa.

Depending on the circumstances, additional evidence may include proof of financial dependency, custody or parental consent documents, evidence of the parent’s income, medical information and police certificates.

Documents that are not in English must be accompanied by full English translations that meet Immigration New Zealand’s requirements.

Preparing a strong application

Before applying for a Child of a Worker Visitor Visa, the first step should be to confirm that the parent’s particular work visa allows them to support a dependent child’s application.

This is especially important for AEWV holders because eligibility can depend on the parent’s employment and income.

The application should then clearly establish the parent-child relationship, dependency, any necessary custody or travel consent arrangements and the child’s genuine purpose for coming to New Zealand.

For eligible families, the Child of a Worker Visitor Visa provides a practical way for dependent children to accompany their working parent and live with their family in New Zealand for the duration of the parent’s qualifying work visa.