Parent residence visa moves from pure ballot to "90% in-order + 10% ballot"
New Zealand · Policy change · From 2026-10-05; first selection 11-10
| Country / region | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Category | Policy change |
| Date | From 2026-10-05; first selection 11-10 |
| What happened | From 2026-10-05 the Parent Resident Visa moves to a hybrid model: roughly 90% of EOIs selected in order of submission date and roughly 10% by ballot. EOIs no longer expire (a confirmation every two years suffices); existing EOIs transfer automatically; the first selection under the new model is set for 11-10. Separately, from 09-24 twenty visitor visa categories may be filed only through Immigration Online. |
| Impact on applicants | Queue certainty improves substantially and the value of filing early rises; families with parent-reunion plans should enter the pool as soon as possible. |
| Source | Immigration New Zealand ↗ |
Source: Immigration New Zealand ↗ · Last verified: 2026-09-20 · For reference only; not application or legal advice. Always check the official source for current rules.
FAQ
Parent residence visa moves from pure ballot to "90% in-order + 10% ballot" — what happened?
From 2026-10-05 the Parent Resident Visa moves to a hybrid model: roughly 90% of EOIs selected in order of submission date and roughly 10% by ballot. EOIs no longer expire (a confirmation every two years suffices); existing EOIs transfer automatically; the first selection under the new model is set for 11-10. Separately, from 09-24 twenty visitor visa categories may be filed only through Immigration Online.
What does this mean for applicants?
Queue certainty improves substantially and the value of filing early rises; families with parent-reunion plans should enter the pool as soon as possible.
Where does this information come from?
Immigration New Zealand, verified by us on 2026-09-20.
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