Immigration New Zealand Tightens Residence Rules From November 12, Requiring Unlawful Dependent Children's Status to Be Resolved Before Approval
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) amended its residence instructions through Amendment Circular 2026-34, effective November 12, 2026. Under the new instruction, a resident visa application must be declined when any applicant has a biological or adopted dependent child unlawfully in New Zealand; the child's immigration status must be resolved before residence can be granted to the parent and other secondary applicants.
Where the child is included in the application itself, the application is placed on hold until the child is granted a visa or departs New Zealand. The circular also provides an exception: where the child is under 16 and the applicant has no legal right to remove the child from New Zealand because of custody or access arrangements, the application may still be approved.
The revised rules apply to applications lodged on or after November 12, 2026. Applications lodged before that date are assessed under the rules that applied at lodgement. Families whose applications are declined can still appeal to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal if they believe special circumstances justify a different outcome.
Source: Immigration New Zealand
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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