Business Visas

Citizens from all Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies except Australia who want to take up temporary residence for business purposes in New Zealand must apply for a work visa, unless their stay will be for no longer than three months in any one year and they will only be in New Zealand to discuss and negotiate business arrangements. Those people may enter as visitors. A work visa is an endorsement in your passport to allow you to enter or re-enter New Zealand. It shows you have permission to travel to New Zealand and may be granted a work permit when you arrive. The visa may be single for one journey or multiple for more than one journey and may be issued for up to three years' duration. Intracompany transfer and work visas Short term business visas Intracompany transfer and work visas: The multiple-entry work visa covers such cases as overseas company sending a manager or specialist to its New Zealand subsidiary or the hiring by a New Zealand company of a foreign manager or specialist on contract. These visas are also issued to applicants who intend to set up a business in New Zealand, who do not wish to stay permanently in New Zealand. This visa is also issued to those applicants who might, at a later stage, opt for long term visas under the Entrepreneur category. Successful applicants will be granted a three -year visa Documentation Required Passport or equivalent travel document Completed application form with passport photo attached Sufficient funds for maintenance and accommodation or guarantee of maintenance and accommodation by the employer Evidence of arrangements to leave New Zealand or guarantee of repatriation from the New Zealand employer. Job offer setting out conditions of employment (In some circumstances evidence will be required of attempts to recruit from within New Zealand.) Additional documentation may be required. Application process The application may be lodged personally or by workpermit.com. Most applications are processed within seven working days and not longer than 40 working days. There is no formal right of appeal of a visa application decision. Validity Work visas are valid for up to three years. You are allowed to stay as long as your visa is valid. You can extend your workpermit for up to three years at a time and to do so you do not have to leave New Zealand. Bringing your family Dependent family members may apply to accompany the work visa applicant. They can apply for entry as visitors, or as students if they will be attending an educational institution. Upon application, dependent family members may be issued student permits and would be regarded as domestic students for fee purposes at primary and secondary schools for the period of the spouse or parent's work visa. If dependent family members wish to work, they must qualify in their own right for a work permit. Short term business visas: If you will be visiting New Zealand short-term as a sales representatives from an overseas company, an overseas buyer, or if you will be an overseas visitor attending business consultations or negotiations, you can apply for a visitor visa. Please note that if an existing Visa Waiver Arrangement is in place with your country of citizenship, you may enter New Zealand visa-free if your stay in New Zealand is no longer than three months in any one year. Currently, New Zealand has Visa Waiver Arrangements with the following APEC economies: Australia, Brunei, Chile, The Peoples' Republic of China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Chinese Taipei. Vietnam will join in 2006. Business persons from all countries except Australia wishing to stay more than three months in any one year will be required to apply for a work visa. Documentation Required For those eligible for visa-free entry: passport, return tickets and evidence of purpose of visit should be presented on arrival Visitor's visa application for a stay of under three months: Completed visitor's visa application form Passport one passport-size photograph Evidence of return air tickets and of funds or sponsorship Work visa application for a stay of three months or more: Completed work visa application form Passport 1 passport-size photograph Evidence of return tickets and of funds or sponsorship Letter of support from employer Note: other documentation may be required by the visa officer. How to apply The applicant is not required to lodge the visa application personally. workpermit.com may also submit your applcation. A formal interview is not usually necessary, but may be required in some circumstances. Most visitor's visa applications are processed within seven days and most work visa applications within 21 days. Multiple entry visas are available but are not issued automatically. They are generally available to frequent visitors upon request provided the visit does not total more than 9 months in any 18-month period. Visa validity The length of the visa/permit validity is determined by the circumstances of the visit. A visitor's visa may be granted for up to nine months. Visas (or entry permits issued on arrival at a port of entry) can be renewed once the business person is in New Zealand. A new application is required (including documentation as above). A seven-day decision time is required. A new permit of the same type would have the same conditions as the original visa. Bringing your family Where no visa is required, family members may accompany the business person. Where a visa is required, spouses and dependent children under the age of 20 will have to apply for their own visa to come to New Zealand.