New Zealand Introduces New Visa to Allow Nigerians Bring Their Parents

• New Zealand has introduced a "Parent Boost" visa, allowing parents of citizens and residents to stay for up to five years
• This visa provides a long-term option for families to be together, but does not lead to permanent residency, which still requires the Parent Resident Visa
• The new visa will begin accepting applications on September 29 and comes with specific income and health insurance conditions for sponsors and applicants

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

To facilitate the process of temporary residents bringing their parents into the country, New Zealand has loosened its immigration regulations.

In an effort to bring families together and increase New Zealand's attractiveness to highly educated migrants, the government has unveiled a new long-term tourist visa.

Parents of citizens and residents of New Zealand will be able to enter the country multiple times for a maximum of five years, starting in September, under the new "Parent Boost" visa, provided they meet certain health, income, and insurance requirements.

Parents of citizens and residents of New Zealand may travel for a maximum of five years with the Parent Boost Visa, a multiple-entry visitor visa. If they continue to meet all eligibility requirements, they can apply for a second visa, which allows for a stay of up to 10 years.

The Parent Boost Visa offers families a long-term, meaningful way to spend time together, but it does not provide a path to permanent residency. The Parent Resident Visa remains available for those who want to live in New Zealand permanently. After holding this visa for at least ten consecutive years, individuals are eligible to apply for permanent residence.

The Visitor Visa and the Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa are additional short-term visa options for parents. For parents looking to obtain permanent residency, there are two additional visas available: the Parent Retirement Resident Visa and the Parent Resident Visa, which has an annual cap of 2,500 spots.

Skilled international workers will be able to live with their parents in New Zealand thanks to the new "Parent Boost" visa. Applications for the Parent Boost visa will be accepted starting on September 29, 2025.

Applicants must have a sponsor who is a citizen or resident of New Zealand to be eligible for the Parent Boost visa. Additionally, they must have health insurance that covers emergency medical expenses up to $250,000 for at least one year.

To ensure their health is up to standard, applicants will need to undergo two medical evaluations. The initial visa application includes a health examination. Applicants will be required to have a second health examination while they are outside New Zealand during the third year of the visa. Additionally, they must provide documentation proving they had health insurance while in New Zealand.

One of the following income requirements must also be met:

• To sponsor one parent, the sponsor must earn the median salary; to sponsor two parents, the joint sponsor must earn 1.5 times the median salary; or
• The parent's continuous income must align with the couple rate for a couple and the single rate for a single parent in New Zealand Superannuation; or
• For the duration of their visa, the parents must be able to sustain themselves with $160,000 for a single parent and $250,000 for a couple.

New Zealand Changes work visa rules

Legit.ng reported that the government of New Zealand has revised its immigration rules, allowing partners and spouses of international students enrolled in particular higher education programmes to qualify for work visas.

The changes aim to make the country more attractive for students and their families by easing work eligibility criteria.

Under the new rule, spouses of students enrolled in some higher education schemes, especially those aligned with the country’s Green List, occupations are now eligible for visas.

Source: Legit.ng