New Zealand•OceaniaInterim Visa
At a Glance
Varies
Free
Up to 6 months
Not renewable
Renewal
Not renewable
Family
Not specified
PR Pathway
None
Sponsor
No job offer needed
Work
Remote not required
Overview
Automatic electronic bridging permit for temporary visa holders in New Zealand awaiting a decision on a further temporary visa application lodged in time.
The New Zealand Interim Visa is an electronic bridging permit granted automatically by Immigration New Zealand under the Immigration Act 2009. It preserves a person's lawful status while INZ decides a further temporary visa application, closing the gap when a current permit expires mid-assessment. Holders cannot apply for it — qualification is checked and the eVisa issued without action.
To qualify, you must hold a current temporary visa, have lodged and had accepted a further temporary visa application before it expires, be in New Zealand, and not have previously held an SMC or 2021 Interim Visa. There is no fee. Stay is capped at 6 months or until the new application is decided; if declined, the visa expires 21 days later. Leaving New Zealand causes it to lapse.
This visa is ideal for temporary visa holders already in New Zealand who have applied in time for a further work, student or visitor visa and need to remain lawfully on shore while INZ assesses the new application.
Requirements
PUBLISHED REQUIREMENTS
Must hold a current temporary visa (work, student, visitor or other temporary visa)
Must have lodged and had accepted a further temporary visa application before the current visa expires
Must be physically present in New Zealand
Must not have previously been granted a Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa or a 2021 Interim Visa
Advantages & Considerations
Key Benefits
- Free of charge — no application fee or immigration levy
- Granted automatically as an eVisa with no separate application required
- Maintains lawful status in New Zealand while a further temporary visa is being decided
- Work or study rights can continue, mirroring conditions of the previous or applied-for visa
- Issued electronically — no need to send your passport to INZ
- Valid for up to 6 months, providing meaningful buffer for complex assessments
Worth Knowing
- Leaving New Zealand immediately causes the Interim Visa to lapse, with no re-entry on it
- Conditions are not guaranteed — they depend on your previous and applied-for visas and may be more restrictive (e.g. visitor-only)
- If your new temporary visa application is declined, the Interim Visa expires 21 days later
- Cannot be applied for directly; grant is at the absolute discretion of INZ
- Not granted if you are outside New Zealand when your current visa expires
- Not available if you have previously held a Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa or a 2021 Interim Visa
- Not granted if your new temporary visa application was not accepted for processing before your current visa expired
Application Process
Apply for a new temporary work, student or visitor visa while still in New Zealand
Ensure the new application is complete and accepted for processing before your current visa expires
Receive an email from INZ a few days before your current visa expires confirming whether an Interim Visa will be granted
Interim Visa is issued automatically as an eVisa starting the day after your current visa expires
If your new visa is approved, it replaces the Interim Visa; if declined, the Interim Visa expires 21 days after the decline decision
Related visas
More visas in New Zealand
Work visas in other countries
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