From 17 March 2025, the health requirements for dependent children of temporary visa holders are changing.
The government has announced changes to the immigration health requirements for dependent children of temporary visas holders.
From 17 March 2025, dependent children of work, student or military visa holders will no longer be eligible for student and visitor visas if they have a severe cognitive or development disability that requires significant support.
These changes align the health requirements for temporary entry visas for dependent children with those in place for residence class visas.
It also provides clarity upfront for families who might be excluded from gaining residency because their child has high learning needs.
We aim to strike the balance between facilitating the entry of the people New Zealand needs to work, visit, live or study here and managing costs and demands on New Zealand’s health and education systems.
Aligning the health settings across these visas helps ensure consistency in our immigration system, as well as protect our schools from potential resourcing burden.
For more information:
Acceptable health requirements for visas