New Zealand Parent Boost Visa: A New Pathway for Family Reunification

New Zealand has introduced the Parent Boost Visa, a long-term visitor visa designed to help families reunite while attracting highly skilled migrants. This visa lets parents of New Zealand citizens and residents visit for up to five years. You can also renew it for another five years, for a maximum stay of 10 years.

Key Features of the New Zealand Parent Boost Visa

1. Sponsorship Requirements

To qualify for the Parent Boost Visa, applicants must have a sponsor who is their biological or adopted child and a New Zealand citizen or resident. This sponsor must agree to cover the parent's essential expenses, including:

• Accommodation and daily living costs.

• Access to health and financial support.

• Any costs related to repatriation or deportation, if necessary.

2. Financial Criteria

Applicants for the Parent Boost Visa must satisfy one of the following financial criteria:

• Sponsor’s income: Your sponsoring child needs to earn at least the New Zealand median wage if they're sponsoring one parent. If they're sponsoring two parents (like both your parents), that goes up to 1.5 times the median wage. For every additional parent they sponsor beyond that, they'll need to earn another half of the median wage.

• Parent’s income:Applicants can also demonstrate financial eligibility by having an ongoing personal income that matches the New Zealand Superannuation rate. For a single applicant, this is NZD $32,611.28 per year (gross), and for a couple, it's NZD $49,552.88 per year (gross).

• Personal funds: You'll need to have at least NZD $160,000 in personal funds if you're a single applicant, or NZD $250,000 if you're applying as a couple.

3. Health Insurance Mandate

Applicants must hold comprehensive health insurance covering:

• Emergency medical care (minimum NZD $250,000/year)

• Repatriation and return of remains

• Cancer treatment (minimum NZD $100,000)

Failure to maintain insurance may lead to visa cancellation or affect future residency applications.

4. Health Assessments

Two health checks are required:

1. Initial application

2. Third-year check (must be done outside NZ)

5. Visa Fees

• Standard fee: The application cost for the visa is NZD $3,000, and this amount covers both the immigration fee and a levy.

• Pacific fee band: NZD $2,450

• Additional third-year processing fee: There's a processing fee for the third-year health check required for this visa. For most applicants, this fee is NZD $325. However, if you're eligible for the Pacific fee band, the cost is reduced to NZD $240.

Parent Boost Visa vs. Parent Resident Visa

The Parent Boost Visa is not a pathway to residency—it’s a long-term visitor visa. Families seeking permanent residency should explore the Parent Resident Visa instead.

Application Timeline

Applications will open on September 29, 2025. More information will be released closer to that date.

Why Choose the Parent Boost Visa?

• Extended family stays (up to 10 years)

• No burden on public services

• Supports skilled migration by keeping families connected

For more details on visa translation requirements, check out our guide on New Zealand Visitor Visa Translation Requirements.

Final Thoughts

The Parent Boost Visa is a game-changer for families wanting to stay together longer in New Zealand. While it doesn’t lead to residency, it offers a practical solution for parents to spend quality time with their children in NZ.

Stay updated with the latest visa news by visiting New Zealand Immigration.