Dependent Child Resident Visa

The Dependent Child Resident Visa allows eligible children of New Zealand citizens and residents to live permanently in New Zealand with their parent or parents.

Once granted, the visa allows the child to live, study and, when old enough, work in New Zealand indefinitely.

Who can apply?

The parent supporting the application must generally be a New Zealand citizen or resident and live in New Zealand. New Zealand must normally be the parent’s main place of residence, although a specific exception applies to certain Active Investor Plus Visa holders.

The applicant must be the supporting person’s biological or legally recognised adopted child and meet Immigration New Zealand’s definition of a dependent child.

How old can the child be?

A child can potentially qualify if they are aged 24 or younger, but the dependency requirements vary according to age.

The child must be single. If aged 18 to 24, they must not have children of their own. Children aged 21 to 24 must also be financially dependent on a parent or another adult.

For applicants aged 21 to 24, Immigration New Zealand may consider whether the child is working, studying, living with family, able to support themselves independently and the extent of the financial support they receive.

Proving the parent-child relationship

Evidence must establish that the applicant is the child of the New Zealand citizen or resident supporting the application.

This will commonly include a birth certificate identifying the parent. Depending on the circumstances, adoption documents, household registration records or other official evidence may also be relevant.

Additional requirements apply to adopted children, particularly where an overseas adoption is involved. Changes introduced in September 2025 affect which international adoptions New Zealand can recognise for immigration purposes, so overseas adoption cases should be checked carefully before applying.

Custody and the right to remove a child

Where a child is aged 15 or younger, an important issue can arise if the parents are separated, divorced or the other parent remains overseas.

The supporting parent must have the legal right to take the child out of their home country.

Evidence may include a court order giving the parent the sole right to determine where the child lives, documentation establishing the right to remove the child from the country, or evidence that the other parent agrees to the child moving permanently to New Zealand.

This can be particularly important where the child currently lives overseas with the other parent.

Is the child already a New Zealand citizen?

Before applying for residence, it is important to check whether the child is already a New Zealand citizen.

Depending on where and when the child was born and the citizenship status of their parents, the child may already be a New Zealand citizen by birth or descent.

If the child is already a New Zealand citizen, they do not need a Dependent Child Resident Visa.

Health requirements

The child must meet the applicable health requirements for New Zealand residence.

Immigration New Zealand may require a medical examination or chest X-ray depending on the child’s age, circumstances and medical history.

Medical-waiver provisions may be available in some cases involving dependent children of New Zealand citizens or residents, although particular medical conditions can prevent a waiver from being granted.

Character requirements

The child must also meet the applicable character requirements.

Police certificates may be required depending on the child’s age and the countries in which they have lived.

Any criminal convictions, immigration issues or other potential character concerns should be considered before the application is submitted.

English language requirements

Most dependent children will not have a separate English-language requirement.

However, an English-language requirement can apply to some children aged 16 or older who could have been included in their parent’s earlier residence application under specified skilled or business residence categories.

Where applicable, the requirement may be met through qualifying citizenship, education or qualifications, an acceptable English-language test, or payment for English-language tuition in New Zealand.

What if the child was not included in the parent’s original residence application?

This issue should be considered carefully.

If the child could have been included in the parent’s original residence application but was not included, Immigration New Zealand may ask why.

Different rules can apply depending on the residence category through which the parent obtained residence. A child who was eligible under certain categories but was omitted from the original application may not be eligible for a Dependent Child Resident Visa.

It is therefore important to check the parent’s original residence application and immigration history.

What does the visa allow?

Once granted, the Dependent Child Resident Visa allows the child to live in New Zealand indefinitely.

The child can study in New Zealand and can work when they are old enough to do so.

If the supporting parent’s resident visa is subject to section 49 conditions, the child’s resident visa may be subject to the same conditions.

Applying from overseas

A dependent child can apply while outside New Zealand.

If residence is granted while the child is overseas, the child must generally enter New Zealand within the period specified by Immigration New Zealand. INZ currently states that the child must enter within 12 months of the visa being granted.

If the child is already in New Zealand, they must maintain lawful immigration status while the residence application is being processed. Where necessary, a separate temporary visa application may be required.

Documents required

The documents required will depend on the child’s circumstances, but commonly include the child’s passport, birth certificate, evidence of the parent’s New Zealand citizenship or residence, evidence that the parent lives in New Zealand, custody or consent documents where relevant, and any required health, character or English-language evidence.

Documents that are not in English must be accompanied by acceptable certified English translations.

Preparing a strong application

A Dependent Child Resident Visa application can be straightforward where the parent-child relationship, dependency and custody arrangements are clear.

However, additional care may be required where the child is older, the parents are separated, the child lives with another parent overseas, there are questions about the right to remove the child from their home country, the child was omitted from an earlier residence application, or an overseas adoption is involved.

For eligible families, the Dependent Child Resident Visa provides a pathway for a dependent child of a New Zealand citizen or resident to establish their life permanently in New Zealand.