How to get New Zealand permanent residency in 2026
New Zealand's permanent resident visa comes 2 years after the resident visa: you spend 184 days in the country in each of the two years or show your commitment to it another way. The fee is from $180, and a decision usually takes 2 weeks.
| Key facts | 2026 |
|---|---|
| How long | 2 years in a row on a resident visa |
| Main condition | 184 days in the country in each of the two years or one of four other ways to show commitment |
| Language and exam | not needed for the permanent visa; English is checked earlier, for the resident visa |
| Fee | from $180 (NZ$315) |
| Processing time | 80% of applications in 2 weeks |
| Visa term | indefinite, without conditions |
| To citizenship | 5 years in the country with a resident visa |
Data checked: 07.10.2026
Permanent residency in New Zealand in 2026 means the permanent resident visa: it goes to people who have held a resident visa for 2 years in a row, met its conditions and shown commitment to the country, most often with 184 days in the country in each of the two years. The fee is from $180 (NZ$315), and 80% of applications are decided within 2 weeks.
A resident visa already lets you live and work in the country indefinitely, but its travel conditions last 2 years; the permanent visa removes all conditions. Below: the timelines by category, the day count, documents, fees, how to get approved and the path to a passport. Amounts in US dollars are at NZ$1.786 per dollar, rounded up.
We will work out online the investment or income your family needs and what the permit costs for each member.
How many years until permanent residence in New Zealand
| Residence ground | Years to permanent residence | Special conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Resident visa of any category | 2 years | 184 days in the country in each of the two years or another way to show commitment to New Zealand |
| Green List occupation with straight-to-residence | 2 years after the resident visa | the resident visa comes without work experience in the country |
| Green List occupation through work | 4 years | 2 years of work in the country before the resident visa and 2 years with it |
| Skilled Migrant | 2 years after the resident visa | 6 points for qualifications, income and work in the country |
| Active Investor Plus | 3 or 5 years | investment from $2.8 million for 3 years or from $5.6 million for 5 years; the permanent visa follows the investment period |
| Partner of a citizen or resident | 2 years after the resident visa | at least 12 months of living together before the resident visa |
The 2 years to permanent residency in New Zealand are counted the same way for all categories: from the first entry on the resident visa, or from the date it was granted if you were already in the country. The routes differ in how long it takes to get the resident visa itself.
A specialist with a Green List occupation gets the resident visa at once or after 2 years of work, a Skilled Migrant collects 6 points, and a partner of a citizen shows 12 months of living together. An investor keeps the investment for 3 or 5 years: the conditions are on the page New Zealand residence by investment.
Who can apply for permanent residence in New Zealand
You can apply for permanent residency in New Zealand if you have held a resident visa for at least 2 years in a row and the visa is still valid or expired no more than 90 days ago. The application is made online to Immigration New Zealand.
Conditions for the applicant:
- 2 years in a row on a resident visa;
- the resident visa conditions met, if there were any: for example, work in your occupation or keeping the investment;
- commitment to the country shown in one of five ways;
- good character of the applicant and everyone included in the application.
The five ways to show commitment: spend 184 days in the country in each of the two years; be a New Zealand tax resident and spend at least 41 days in the country in each of the two years; keep an investment in the country for at least two years; own an operating business; or establish a base there with family, a home or work. Most people apply under the first, which border crossing records confirm.
If the resident visa had conditions, such as a period of work for an accredited employer or keeping an investment, they are checked first: the other requirements are assessed once those are met.
How residence time and absences are counted
The 184 days for permanent residency in New Zealand are counted separately in each of the two yearly periods before you apply: 200 days in the first year do not make up for 170 days in the second. Apply only once every condition is met: an early application is declined even if the 2 years are completed while it is being processed.
The travel conditions of the resident visa last 2 years. If they have expired and you do not yet have the permanent visa, you can live in the country, but after leaving you cannot return on that visa: before a trip the travel conditions are extended or the permanent visa is obtained.
The permanent visa is indefinite and does not depend on how much time its holder spends abroad. It is linked to the passport: when you replace the passport, the visa is transferred to the new one before travelling.
For citizenship the days are counted more strictly: 1,350 days in the country over 5 years and at least 240 days in each year.
If you have not reached 184 days, instead of the permanent visa you can extend the travel conditions of the resident visa for 12 or 24 months: your status in the country stays, and you apply for the permanent visa later, once the days are there.
Documents for permanent residence in New Zealand
- a scan of the passport data page and the pages with visas and stamps, for the applicant and everyone included in the application;
- a photo of each person;
- proof that the resident visa conditions are met, if there were any;
- for ways other than 184 days: tax documents, proof of investment, business or a home;
- certified translations of documents not in English.
Police certificates no older than 6 months, a medical examination and proof that children are dependent are requested later if needed. Immigration New Zealand checks your days in the country against its own travel records.
The application is completed online in your Immigration New Zealand account. You do not send the passport: the visa is issued electronically and linked to the passport number.
Get the document checklist for this program
Leave a contact in the chat and we will send a list for your family.
Language and exams
There is no language test or exam for permanent residency in New Zealand: English is checked earlier, when the resident visa is granted, and the requirement depends on the category. Skilled Migrants need an international test result, while Active Investor Plus applicants do not need to prove English.
The check that remains is character: the applicant and family members should have no convictions or security concerns. For citizenship, basic English and the intention to live in the country are checked later.
How much permanent residence in New Zealand costs and how long it takes
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Permanent resident visa | from $180 (NZ$315) |
| Police certificates and medical examination | if requested, paid separately |
| Certified translations into English | paid separately |
| Our support | a manager will calculate it in the chat |
Permanent residency in New Zealand costs from $180 (NZ$315): this is the Immigration New Zealand fee for an application that can include your partner and dependent children up to 24. 80% of applications are decided within 2 weeks.
Family members who were not in the resident visa application must hold a resident visa for 24 months themselves and meet all the conditions. Police certificates, the medical and translations are paid separately; the fee is not refunded.
You can apply from abroad if the resident visa is valid or expired no more than 90 days ago. The decision comes electronically, and the permanent visa is linked to the passport given in the application.
Application fee for a family of three included in one application - from $180. We will calculate the exact amount for your family in the chat.
The fee is from $180, and the day count decides the outcome
Mistakes cost more than the fee: an application filed before the 2 years are up, a day count based on passport stamps, unmet resident visa conditions, a trip abroad after the travel conditions have expired. Murblz specialists count your days from border crossing records, check your visa conditions, choose how to show your commitment to the country and see the application through to a decision.
The cost of support depends on the category and the family; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
How to get permanent residence in New Zealand approved the first time
- apply once the 2 years on the resident visa are complete;
- have 184 days in the country in each of the two years, or document another way of showing commitment;
- meet every condition of the resident visa;
- apply while the resident visa is valid or within 90 days of its expiry;
- keep a good character record for the applicant and every family member;
- include only family members who meet the conditions themselves.
The most common mistake is the day arithmetic: the days of departure and arrival are counted under Immigration New Zealand rules, and one day can be missing. We count the days from travel records before the fee is paid.
What permanent residence in New Zealand gives and how it differs from citizenship
| Question | Permanent residence | Citizenship |
|---|---|---|
| Term | indefinite, without conditions | for life |
| Work and study | without limits | without limits |
| Travel | without limits while the visa is in a valid passport | with a New Zealand passport |
| Voting | yes, after a year of living in the country | yes |
| Living in Australia | no special rights | the right to live and work in Australia |
| Passport | you keep your own country's passport | a New Zealand passport; you can keep your previous one |
The permanent resident visa gives almost all the rights of a citizen inside the country: to live, work and study without limits, use public healthcare and vote. The differences begin abroad: consular protection and the right to live in Australia come only with the passport.
New Zealand citizenship is granted after 5 years of living in the country with a resident visa: 1,350 days in the country over 5 years and at least 240 days in each year, basic English and the intention to live in the country. The permanent visa is not required for this, and dual citizenship is allowed. Tax rates for residents are on the page taxes in New Zealand.
Who can apply: rules by citizenship
The rules of New Zealand's permanent resident visa do not divide applicants by nationality: the timeline, days in the country and character check are the same for everyone.
The differences come earlier. Australian citizens live and work in New Zealand without a resident visa. Citizens of other countries get a resident visa through the general categories, and since 2018 buying an existing home has been open to people with resident status.
Police certificates from your own country are submitted with a certified English translation.
Let us check whether you qualify
Describe your situation in the chat and we will tell you right away whether you meet the requirements.
This topic in other countries
Permanent residence in other countries:
- How to get permanent residence in Serbia in 2026
- How to get permanent residence in Vietnam in 2026
- How to get permanent residence in Kazakhstan in 2026
- How to get permanent residence in Belarus in 2026
- How to get permanent residence in Spain in 2026
- How to get permanent residence in Thailand in 2026
- How to get permanent residence in Georgia in 2026
- How to get permanent residence in China in 2026
- How to get permanent residence in Poland in 2026
- How to get permanent residence in Azerbaijan in 2026
- How to get permanent residence in the US in 2026: every route to a green card
- How to get permanent residence in Canada in 2026
- How to get UK permanent residency (ILR) in 2026
- Permanent residence in Germany
- Permanent residence in Japan
About this country:
- New Zealand residence by investment
- Taxes in New Zealand
- Auckland: districts and prices
- Wellington: districts and prices
- Company registration in New Zealand
FAQ
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What is the difference between a resident visa and a permanent resident visa in New Zealand?
Can I lose New Zealand permanent residency by living abroad?
When can I get New Zealand citizenship?
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