New Zealand Requires Police Certificates Upfront for Student and Temporary Visa Applications

Key Point  

• New Zealand will now require eligible student and temporary visa applicants to submit required police certificates at the time of application, with missing documents potentially resulting in visa refusals or shorter visa validity periods.  

Police Certificates Upfront 

Immigration New Zealand announced that applicants for student and other temporary visas must submit any required police certificates at the time of application.  

The change is intended to ensure applications are complete when filed and can be assessed without additional document requests.  

According to INZ, applications will be assessed based on the information provided at submission, and missing police certificates may negatively affect the outcome of a visa application.  

What Applicants Need to Know 

INZ noted that police certificate processing times vary by country and can take considerable time to obtain.  

As a result, applicants are encouraged to: 

• Apply for police certificates as early as possible; 
• Confirm document requirements before filing; and 
• Wait until all required documents are available before submitting a visa application.  

Limited Exceptions 

INZ identified limited exceptions for applicants from: 

• Fiji; 
• Hong Kong; and 
• Israel.  

For these jurisdictions, police certificates are sent directly to INZ by the issuing authority. Applicants may upload evidence that they have applied for the certificate rather than the certificate itself.  

Consequences of Missing Police Certificates 

Applicants Outside New Zealand 

If you plan to stay in New Zealand for more than 24 months, you must provide the required police certificate. If you do not, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will likely decline your application.

In some cases, INZ may issue a visa for a shorter period if it cannot fully assess your eligibility. If you later want to stay longer, you must submit a new visa application and pay a new application fee.

Applicants Inside New Zealand 

Applicants already in New Zealand may receive a short period of time to provide a missing police certificate in certain circumstances.  

However, if the document is not provided, INZ may issue a visa for a shorter duration, generally limited to a total stay of up to 24 months. A new application and fee may be required to obtain a longer visa.  

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