Parent Boost Visitor Visa NZ: Income, Insurance and Fees

The Parent Boost Visitor Visa lets parents of New Zealand citizens or residents visit for up to 5 years, with a health and insurance check in year 3. INZ showed NZD 3,100 and an expected processing time of around 4 months on 9 October 2026; a person can hold only 2 of these visas and it does not lead to residence.

The Parent Boost Visitor Visa is a long-stay visitor visa for the parents of New Zealand citizens and residents. It is not a residence visa, and it has more conditions than an ordinary visitor visa: the applicant needs a sponsoring adult child, proof of money, insurance that meets stated minimums, a medical examination and chest X-ray, and a health and insurance check in the third year. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) opened applications on 29 September 2025.

This guide sets out the rules as INZ publishes them on its Parent Boost Visitor Visa page and its fee finder, both read on 9 October 2026. Several figures on the page are updated each April, so the amounts below are the ones INZ showed on the reading date, not permanent numbers. The guide explains how the visa works. It does not say whether any particular family meets the requirements, whether a policy will satisfy INZ, or which visa a person should choose. Applying the rules to a family's own facts is immigration advice, and in New Zealand only a licensed immigration adviser or a lawyer can give it.

What the visa is and what it allows

INZ's summary box describes a visa for people who have "children who are New Zealand citizens or residents". The headline terms it lists are:

length of stay: up to 5 years;
cost: from NZD 3,100;
processing time: expected to be around 4 months;
a multi-entry visa, so the holder can leave and return during the 5 years.

There is no limit on the length of each visit. INZ does require the holder to leave New Zealand during the third year of the visa for a health and insurance check, covered below. INZ states that the visa lets the holder visit children and grandchildren, travel in and out of New Zealand, and include a partner in the application.

Two limits matter for planning. First, "You can only have 2 Parent Boost Visitor Visas." Second, INZ says: "This is a temporary visa and it does not give you a pathway to a resident visa." A person who wants to stay longer than the visa allows must apply for a different visa. INZ's page also points to two lighter options for people who only plan one trip or short visits: the Visitor Visa and the Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa, which INZ says have fewer requirements. Which of these suits a family is a question for a licensed adviser, not for a guide.

The visa must be used within a set window after it is issued. INZ says the holder must come to New Zealand within 6 months of the date the visa is given, and the 5-year stay starts on the first date the holder enters New Zealand.

Who can apply, and who can sponsor

INZ's eligibility list says the applicant must:

have a child or children who are New Zealand citizens or residents;
be sponsored by that child;
have no dependent children;
have enough money to cover living costs in New Zealand, or a sponsor who earns enough to support them;
be living outside New Zealand and be outside New Zealand when applying;
be in good health;
have medical or travel insurance;
be of good character; and
have genuine reasons for coming to New Zealand.

If a partner is included, INZ adds that evidence of the relationship, and of the partner's good health and character, is needed.

On sponsorship, INZ requires at least one adult child aged 18 or older. A child can sponsor jointly with one other person, so there can be up to two sponsors. INZ lists the relationships that count: a natural child, an adopted child, or a partner's child if the applicant lived with them for most of their life and until they turned 18. A note on the page adds that a grandchild or a child the applicant was legal guardian of may also qualify as the sponsoring child in the circumstances described there, including a requirement to have been the child's most recent legal guardian before they turned 18.

Sponsors must be New Zealand citizens or residents. Joint sponsors can be an adult child and that child's partner, adult siblings, or an adult child and the applicant's partner's adult child (if the partner is included). Where the sponsors are a child and the child's partner, INZ requires evidence that they live together and are in a partnership, and for the supporting documents it asks for proof the couple has lived together for at least 12 months.

Sponsors must normally live in New Zealand and "spend at least 184 days in New Zealand each year" that the visa is held; INZ counts that from the day the parent first arrives on the visa. They also accept responsibilities: covering essential living costs such as accommodation, making sure the parent has access to health and financial support, and covering the cost of repatriation or deportation if required.

The money requirement: three ways INZ accepts

The applicant must meet one of three options for showing enough money to live on in New Zealand: annual income, personal funds, or a sponsor's income. INZ's figures on 9 October 2026 were:

Annual income: at least NZD 33,663.24 a year, or NZD 51,182.56 a year if a partner is included. INZ says these rates are based on the New Zealand pension and updated in April each year. The income can come from sources such as pensions, rental property, share dividends, investment interest, company profits or share trading. It must be ongoing, and INZ says the applicant must show they earned it during the 12 months before applying.
Personal funds: at least NZD 170,000, or NZD 260,000 if a partner is included, in a bank account or accounts available for use during the visit. INZ says these amounts are also updated in April each year. Funds held jointly count only for the applicant's own share. INZ gives an example of NZD 100,000 held equally with a sibling, of which NZD 50,000 counts. Funds cannot be gifted or borrowed, and cannot have debt owed against them. Funds held in a bank outside New Zealand need evidence that they will be accessible while the applicant is in New Zealand.
Sponsor's income: the sponsor or sponsors must currently earn the required minimum and must have earned it in 2 of the past 3 completed New Zealand tax years (1 April to 31 March) before the application. INZ's example: for an application made between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027, the test looks at the three completed years between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2026.

Because the amounts are stated as figures that change each April, anyone reading this after April 2027 should check the current figures on INZ's page before relying on any number here.

How the sponsor income minimum is built

INZ bases the sponsor minimum on the New Zealand median wage in force when the application is submitted. For one sponsor supporting one parent, the minimum is the median income; for joint sponsors it is 1.5 times the median. Each additional parent adds half the median income. INZ says the median is updated in April each year.

On 9 October 2026 INZ's tables showed these minimum annual incomes:

one sponsor: NZD 72,800 for one parent, NZD 109,200 for two parents, NZD 145,600 for three parents, NZD 182,000 for four, NZD 218,400 for five and NZD 254,800 for six;
two joint sponsors: NZD 109,200 for one parent, NZD 145,600 for two, NZD 182,000 for three, NZD 218,400 for four, NZD 254,800 for five and NZD 291,200 for six.

Evidence comes from Inland Revenue. INZ lists documents by income type: for PAYE earners, Proof of Income, Income Details or an Income Tax Assessment Letter; for the self-employed, a Confirmation of Income, a Return Acknowledgement letter or a Notice of Assessment letter; and for mixed income, a Submission Confirmation, Amendment Confirmation or Return Acknowledgement letter. Sponsors must also supply a copy of their passport or identity document and evidence of their immigration status.

The INZ page does not say what happens to a sponsor who falls short in one of the three years, beyond stating the 2-of-3 rule. A sponsor's own history is a fact-specific question, and a licensed adviser can assess it.

Insurance: the minimums INZ sets

Insurance is the feature that most distinguishes this visa. INZ requires at least 1 year of medical insurance, travel insurance, or both, and then insurance each time the holder visits after that first year. The policy must include cover for emergency medical care (diagnosis, treatment, ambulance and hospital care), cancer cover for all medical expenses, repatriation to the home country in the event of serious illness or disability, and return of remains if the holder dies in New Zealand.

The minimum amounts INZ listed, in NZD or the equivalent, were:

emergency medical care: 250,000 each year;
cancer cover: 100,000 each year;
repatriation: 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 rating agency. INZ names some policies that have been designed for or have met the requirements, but it says: "We do not endorse any insurance policy or provider," and that the applicant is responsible for making sure the policy meets the requirements. INZ also warns that policies with unclear wording can take longer to assess. This is most likely where the policy document does not set out specific coverage, such as cancer care.

On timing, INZ says to research insurance options and costs before applying but not to buy a policy until the application is approved in principle. The evidence is then sent at that stage. If it is not provided within 3 months of approval in principle, INZ says it will decline the application. INZ also warns that holding no valid insurance in New Zealand can affect later visas, including a Parent Resident Visa, and can lead to the visa being cancelled or the holder becoming liable for deportation; the same applies if a changed policy no longer meets the requirements.

Health, character and genuine intentions

Health. The applicant, and an included partner, must be in good health. INZ says the acceptable standard of health is higher for this visa than for other visitor visas, and that medical waivers are not available. A chest X-ray and medical examination are required during the application unless certificates issued in the last 12 months have already been provided. INZ tells applicants not to book appointments until after the application is submitted and INZ asks for them. Results must be less than 3 months old when INZ receives them, and must come from a panel physician.

Character. Police certificates are required for applicants aged 17 or older whose total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer, counting past stays. They must come from every country of citizenship and every country where the applicant has spent more than 5 years since turning 17, and must be less than 6 months old at submission.

Genuine intentions. INZ says the applicant must have genuine reasons for coming and can upload evidence that the stay is temporary, such as a statement of plans after the visit, evidence of family ties or commitments in the home country, or evidence of previous travel. INZ's wider genuine intentions page sets out how it weighs these factors.

Citizens of China applying from China, Hong Kong or Macau must also provide a supplementary form (INZ 1027); some Hong Kong and Macau document holders applying within those places must provide INZ 1220 and a copy of an identity card.

Including a partner

A partner can be included in the application or can apply for their own visa. To include a partner, INZ requires proof of the relationship (for example a marriage or civil union certificate, or joint mail sent to a shared address) and proof of the partner's identity, good character and good health. The partner needs their own medical or travel insurance during visits, and the income and funds figures in the money section are the higher couple figures.

INZ is explicit about timing: "You will not be able to include a partner after you are given a Parent Boost Visitor Visa." A partner who was not included must apply for their own Parent Boost Visitor Visa, or can be included in the holder's second application. Applicants with dependent children cannot use this visa, because the eligibility list requires "no dependent children".

Fee, steps and timing

INZ's fee finder, queried on 9 October 2026 for Indian, UK and Philippines passport holders applying from their own countries, and for an Indian passport holder resident in New Zealand, showed NZD 3,100 and expected processing of around 4 months. INZ says that includes a non-refundable immigration levy and the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, and that the cost is not refunded if the application is declined. Fees can vary by passport and country, so the finder should be checked for the person's own passport and location.

INZ describes the steps as: confirm the visa is the right one, gather documents, submit online and pay, have the sponsor complete their own online form, wait for the decision, and — if approved in principle — send insurance evidence before the visa is issued. The applicant must be outside New Zealand when applying. A note on the page says: "We are not legally obliged to reconsider declined Parent Boost Visitor Visas."

The documents INZ lists for the applicant are a passport copy, a photo, proof of the relationship to the sponsor (such as a birth certificate), proof of the money requirement, a chest X-ray and medical evidence if required, police certificates if required, and translations. Sponsors provide a passport or identity document copy, evidence of immigration status, and income evidence if they are supporting the stay.

After arrival: the year-3 check and the second visa

INZ requires a health and insurance check during the third year. The holder must provide a new chest X-ray and medical examination, even if recent certificates exist, and evidence of acceptable insurance for the first year and every visit. The holder must then "leave New Zealand and stay outside New Zealand until we confirm you have met the conditions of your visa", which INZ says could take up to 3 months. The check must be completed before the fourth year starts, and INZ says the visa may be cancelled if the check is not completed or the health standard is not met.

On the day INZ's page was read, the process for the check was not yet published: "More information about how to complete the health and insurance check will be available in the future." INZ stated that there will be a form and processing fee of NZD 325 for most people, or NZD 240 for people who qualify for a reduced rate described on its page.

A second Parent Boost Visitor Visa can be applied for. The holder must leave New Zealand when applying, show the conditions of the first visa were met, meet all the then-current requirements including income or sponsorship rules, show acceptable insurance during previous visits, and provide a new X-ray and medical examination.

Work and study are limited. A visitor visa does not allow work in New Zealand, though INZ notes remote work for an employer or client based outside New Zealand may be possible. The holder can study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.

Finding a licensed immigration adviser

Migratio lists licensed immigration advisers so you can compare them and contact one directly. Every listing shows the adviser's licence number, which you can check on the Immigration Advisers Authority's public register before you book. We don't assess cases and don't tell anyone which visa or pathway fits them; that is the adviser's job.

Questions people ask

How much does the Parent Boost Visitor Visa cost?

INZ's fee finder showed NZD 3,100 on 9 October 2026, including a non-refundable immigration levy and the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. INZ does not refund the cost if an application is declined. The year-3 health and insurance check carries a separate fee, which INZ said would be NZD 325 for most people.

How many Parent Boost Visitor Visas can a person have?

INZ says a person can only have 2. The visa is temporary and INZ states it does not give a pathway to a resident visa.

What does the insurance have to cover?

INZ lists emergency medical care, cancer cover, repatriation and return of remains. The minimums it showed on 9 October 2026 were NZD 250,000 a year for emergency care, NZD 100,000 a year for cancer, NZD 250,000 for repatriation and NZD 50,000 for return of remains, with an insurer rated at least A (strong).

What income does a sponsor need for the Parent Boost Visitor Visa?

INZ's tables showed NZD 72,800 a year for one sponsor supporting one parent and NZD 109,200 for two joint sponsors supporting one parent, rising by half the median income for each extra parent. The sponsor must have met the minimum in 2 of the past 3 completed tax years. INZ updates the figures each April.

Can a partner be added after the visa is granted?

INZ says no. A partner must apply for their own Parent Boost Visitor Visa, or be included in the holder's second application.

Does the Parent Boost Visitor Visa lead to residence?

No. INZ says it is a temporary visa and does not give a pathway to a resident visa. Parent residence is a separate visa with its own rules.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

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