From 4 July 2018, Immigration New Zealand will no longer issue passport visa labels. Instead, successful visa applicants will receive an eVisa in the form of a letter of approval via email.

Immigration New Zealand has increased a number of minimum income thresholds, including:

Under the Samoan Quota Scheme and the Pacific Access Category, the minimum income requirements for applicants who include partners and dependent children in their applications is now NZD 38,199.20, a 13% increase (as of 1 June).

The minimum income threshold for work visa holders (under the Essential Skills and Religious Worker Work Visa Category) seeking visitor or student visas for their dependent children has increased by over 15% to NZD 42,944.20 (as of 1 July).

Effective 28 June, immigration instructions have been updated to reflect current UN sanctions, and now include a ban on the grant of visas with work rights to nationals of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and restrictions on the grant of transit visas to certain groups, as designated by the UN Security Council.