Did you know that there is a difference between a permanent resident and a resident? As a permanent resident, you have unlimited travel facility. Whilst a resident must renew the travel facility after a few years. Travel facility is the ability to travel and return to New Zealand.

LIVE, WORK, AND STUDY IN NEW ZEALAND.

TRAVEL TO AND FROM NEW ZEALAND ANY TIME YOU LIKE.

To apply for a permanent residence visa in New Zealand, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must hold a New Zealand residence visa.
• You must have been living in New Zealand for 2 years or more.
• You must show commitment to New Zealand. You can show commitment by:
  • You have spent enough time in New Zealand.
  • You are a tax resident in New Zealand.
  • You have invested $1,000,000 in New Zealand.
  • You have a business in New Zealand.
  • You have established based in New Zealand i.e., owning a home, evidence of employment.
• You must be of good character.

Spending time in New Zealand

To demonstrate a commitment to New Zealand, you must be in New Zealand as a resident for a total of 184 days or more in each of the two 12-month portions of the 24 months immediately preceding the date their application for a permanent resident visa was made.

Tax Residence

1. You have been in New Zealand as a resident for a total of 41 days or more in each of the two 12-month portions of the 24 months immediately preceding the date the application for a permanent resident visa was made (ie, in each of the two 12-month portions, a period or periods that amount to 41 days or more); and
2. you are assessed as having tax residence status for the 24 months preceding their application.

Investment

You will have demonstrated a commitment to New Zealand if:

1. You were granted a resident visa under the Business Investor Category and have met any conditions imposed.
2. You have been approved a resident visa other than under the Business Investor Category and have maintained an investment in New Zealand of N.Z.$1,000,000 or more.

Business

To show commitment to New Zealand, you have been granted a resident visa under any category and have successfully established a business in New Zealand that has been trading successfully and benefiting New Zealand in some way for at least 12 months immediately preceding the date the application for a permanent resident visa was made.

Base established in New Zealand

1. You have resided in New Zealand for at least 184 days in the two-year period immediately preceding the date the application for the permanent resident visa was made; and
2. You have been in New Zealand as a resident for a total of at least 41 days in the 12 months immediately preceding the date the application for the permanent resident visa was made; and either
   • you own and maintain a family home in New Zealand; or
   • you have been engaged in full time continuous genuine employment in New Zealand immediately preceding the date the application for the permanent resident visa was made.

As per the criteria, you must first hold a residency visa. There are a variety of residency visa which you can apply for.

In some cases , you may seek directly a Permanent Resident visa outright (without travel conditions). These include:

• Refugees and protected people
• Applicants who have been in a relationship with a New Zealander overseas for over 5 years and apply from offshore