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Residence : Contents

Australian citizens and permanent residents

Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents complete an application for a residence class visa when arriving at the New Zealand border.

If Immigration New Zealand allows them to enter New Zealand, Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents are generally granted a resident visa and can stay in New Zealand indefinitely.

For the purpose of deciding if a person meets the residence criteria for financial assistance from MSD, Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents hold a residence class visa.

Note people from Australia must generally be ordinarily resident in New Zealand to qualify for financial assistance from MSD.

For more information see:

Legislation

  • General limitation on receiving benefit: persons unlawfully resident or present in New Zealand and persons holding temporary entry class visa section 19 Social Security Act 2018
  • Applications at immigration control area or port by Australian citizens and permanent residents for resident visa regulation 8 Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Regulations 2010
  • People to whom waiver to travel to New Zealand applies schedule 2 Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Regulations 2010
  • Residence class visas sections 71-75 Immigration Act 2009
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A resident visa is a type of residence class visa.

Resident visas have travel conditions that state how many times a person can travel in and out of New Zealand over a stated period of time.

There are different types of resident visas with different conditions based on a person's circumstances.

Legislation

A residence class visa means a:

A residence class visa allows people to live in New Zealand indefinitely. The visa also lets people work and study in New Zealand. There are different travel conditions based on the type of residence class visa.

Residence class visas are granted by Immigration New Zealand.

For the purpose of deciding if a person meets the residence criteria for financial assistance from MSD, people who ...