The Parent Boost Visitor Visa has been open since 29 September 2025. It lets parents of New Zealand citizens and residents stay for up to 5 years on one visa, and a second 5-year visa is possible, which makes a maximum of 10 years in total. It is a visitor visa, not a residence visa. Parents cannot work on it, it does not lead to residence, and it needs a trip out of New Zealand in the third year for a health and insurance check. This guide explains how the 10 years work, the sponsor and money rules, insurance, cost and the steps for Indian parents. Everything below was checked against Immigration New Zealand (INZ) pages on 6 November 2026.
Key Takeaways
- You can hold 2 Parent Boost Visitor Visas, each for up to 5 years and multiple entry, so the maximum is 10 years with exits in between.
- An adult child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident must sponsor you. You cannot apply if you have a dependent child.
- You meet the money test through your own income, your own funds, or your sponsor's income.
- Medical or travel insurance is mandatory for the whole stay, with minimum cover of NZD 250,000 for emergency care and NZD 100,000 for cancer.
- INZ lists the visa from NZD 3,100 and expects processing to take around 4 months.
How "Up to 10 Years" Really Works
The 10 years are two separate visas, not one visa that is renewed from inside New Zealand. INZ says you can only apply for 2 Parent Boost Visitor Visas, and if you want to stay longer you must apply for a different visa.
| Stage | What INZ requires |
|---|---|
| Apply | Apply online while outside New Zealand. Your sponsor then completes their own form. |
| Approval in principle | If INZ approves your application, it first approves it in principle. You must send evidence of at least 12 months of insurance within 3 months, or INZ declines the application. |
| Arrival | You must arrive within 6 months of the visa being granted. Your 5-year stay starts on the day you first enter New Zealand. |
| Years 1 to 5 | You can leave and re-enter freely, and there is no time limit on each visit. You need insurance for the first year and for every visit afterwards. |
| Third year | You must leave New Zealand for a health and insurance check, with a new chest X-ray, a medical examination and evidence of insurance. You stay outside New Zealand until INZ confirms you have met the conditions, which can take up to 3 months. Complete it before the fourth year starts. |
| Second visa | You must leave New Zealand when you apply, show you met the conditions of the first visa, meet all current requirements including income and sponsorship, and provide a new chest X-ray and medical examination. |
In our reading, a parent who uses both visas will leave New Zealand at least three times: for the third-year check on the first visa, to apply for the second visa, and for the third-year check on the second visa.
Who Can Apply
- You have a child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident and who is at least 18 years old. The child can be a natural child, an adopted child, or your partner's child if you lived with them for most of their life and until they turned 18.
- You have no dependent children of your own.
- You are outside New Zealand when you apply and when the visa is granted.
- You meet INZ's health and character requirements and have genuine reasons for visiting New Zealand temporarily.
- You can include your partner in your application, with proof of your relationship and of their health and character. A partner cannot be added after the visa is granted. They can apply for their own Parent Boost Visitor Visa, or be included in your second application.
The sponsor
You can have up to 2 sponsors: your adult child alone, your adult child and their partner, two adult children, or your child and your partner's adult child. Sponsors must normally live in New Zealand and spend at least 184 days there in each year that you hold the visa. They agree to cover essential costs such as accommodation, make sure you have access to health and financial support, and cover repatriation or deportation costs if needed. If a child and their partner sponsor you, you must show they have lived together for at least 12 months.
The Money Test: Three Ways to Meet It
You must meet one of three options. INZ updates these amounts each April, so check the live page before you apply.
| Option | One parent | Parent and partner |
|---|---|---|
| Your own ongoing annual income | NZD 33,663.24 | NZD 51,182.56 |
| Your own funds in a bank account | NZD 170,000 | NZD 260,000 |
| Income of one sponsor | NZD 72,800 to sponsor 1 parent | NZD 109,200 to sponsor 2 parents |
| Combined income of two joint sponsors | NZD 109,200 to sponsor 1 parent | NZD 145,600 to sponsor 2 parents |
- Your income can come from pensions, rental properties, dividends, interest, company profits or share trading. You must show you earned it in the 12 months before you apply and that it is ongoing.
- Your funds must be available in a bank account for you to use during your visit. Funds in a bank outside New Zealand count if you can show you can access them. Funds cannot be gifted or borrowed and cannot have debt owed against them.
- Sponsor income must be met now and in 2 of the past 3 completed New Zealand tax years (1 April to 31 March). The amount is based on the New Zealand median wage and rises by half the median for each extra parent.
Insurance and Health
Insurance is mandatory. You need at least 1 year of medical insurance, travel insurance or both once INZ approves you in principle, and acceptable cover on each visit afterwards, with at least these amounts:
| Cover | Minimum (NZD or equivalent) |
|---|---|
| Emergency medical care, including diagnosis, treatment, ambulance and hospital care | 250,000 each year |
| Cancer cover | 100,000 each year |
| Repatriation to your home country | 250,000 |
| Return of remains | 50,000 |
The insurer must have a credit rating of at least A (strong) or an equivalent from an internationally recognised agency. INZ endorses no policy and warns that exclusions can stop a policy qualifying. Without valid insurance in New Zealand your visa can be cancelled, and it may affect future applications, including for a Parent Resident Visa.
The health standard is higher than for other visitor visas. You need a chest X-ray and medical examination from an INZ panel physician, and INZ does not consider medical waivers. Certificates must be less than 3 months old when INZ receives them, although INZ lets you reuse certificates it already holds if they were issued in the last 12 months.
Fees and Processing Time
- Visa fee: INZ lists the visa from NZD 3,100. INZ's June 2025 announcement explained this as NZD 3,000 for most applicants plus the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. The live page shows the exact amount for your country.
- Third-year health and insurance check: NZD 325 for most people.
- Processing: INZ says to expect around 4 months.
- Other costs: insurance premiums, medicals, police certificates, translations and flights.
Application Steps for Indian Parents
Check you have the right visa
For one short visit, INZ points to the Visitor Visa or the Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa, which have fewer requirements.
Gather documents
Passport, a photo, proof of relationship to your sponsor such as a birth certificate, proof of income or funds, police certificates if needed, and English translations.
Apply online and pay the fee
Apply from outside New Zealand. INZ then asks your sponsor to complete their form and upload their evidence.
Do your medicals when asked
Visit a panel physician for the chest X-ray and medical examination after INZ requests them.
Buy insurance, then travel
After approval in principle, send evidence of 12 months of cover within 3 months. Enter New Zealand within 6 months of the grant.
Is There a Cap?
INZ's Parent Boost Visitor Visa page does not state an annual cap. The 2,500-place yearly limit that appears in news coverage applies to a different visa, the Parent Resident Visa.
If You Want Residence or Only a Short Visit
- Parent Resident Visa: a two-stage process. You submit an expression of interest and, if selected, receive an invitation to apply, which you must use within 4 months. INZ can approve up to 2,500 a year. From 5 October 2026 INZ selects about 90 percent of places from a queue, earliest first, and about 10 percent by ballot.
- Visitor Visa or Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa: better for a single or short visit, with fewer requirements.
Check Your Family's Options for New Zealand
See our Parent Boost Visitor Visa page for the requirements at a glance, then speak to us about your sponsor, funds and insurance.
Parent Boost Visa PageFrequently Asked Questions
How long can my parents stay in New Zealand on the Parent Boost visa?
Each Parent Boost Visitor Visa allows a stay of up to 5 years, and the 5 years start on first entry. You can apply for a second visa, which gives a maximum of 10 years in total. INZ allows only 2 Parent Boost Visitor Visas per person.
Does the Parent Boost visa lead to permanent residence?
No. INZ says it is a temporary visitor visa and does not give a pathway to a resident visa. Parents who want residence can look at the Parent Resident Visa, which is capped at 2,500 approvals a year.
Can my parents work in New Zealand on this visa?
No. INZ says you cannot work in New Zealand on a visitor visa, although you may be able to work remotely for an employer or client based outside New Zealand. You can study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.
What income does my child need to sponsor me?
A single sponsor needs to earn at least NZD 72,800 a year to sponsor one parent, and joint sponsors need a combined NZD 109,200. The sponsor must also have earned the minimum in 2 of the past 3 completed New Zealand tax years. INZ updates these amounts each April.
Can we skip the sponsor income test?
Yes, if the parent shows enough income of their own (NZD 33,663.24 a year for one parent or NZD 51,182.56 for a couple) or enough funds (NZD 170,000 or NZD 260,000). A sponsor is still required for the visa.
Is health insurance really mandatory?
Yes. You need acceptable medical or travel insurance for the first year and for every visit after it, with the minimum cover INZ lists. Failing to keep it can lead to cancellation or deportation and can affect future visas.
Sources
This article is based on the following official pages, all opened on 6 November 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so confirm current requirements before you act.
- Parent Boost Visitor Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/parent-boost-visitor-visa/
- New Parent Boost Visitor Visa is now open (2 October 2025): https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/news-centre/new-parent-boost-visitor-visa-open/
- New Parent Boost Visitor Visa to strengthen family connections (8 June 2025): https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/news-centre/new-parent-boost-visitor-visa-to-strengthen-family-connections/
- Overview of parent visas (22 July 2026): https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/news-centre/overview-of-parent-visas-and-application-numbers/