F6.1 How do siblings and adult children qualify for residence?

Siblings and adult children of New Zealand citizens or residents meet Sibling and adult child policy if:

1. they have no other immediate family who are lawfully and permanently in the same country in which the principal applicant is lawfully and permanently, and
2. they have an acceptable offer of employment in New Zealand.
3. in each case the adult child or sibling must be sponsored by an adult sibling or parent who:
   1. is in New Zealand, and
   2. is a New Zealand or Australian citizen or the holder of a current residence permit that is not subject to requirements under s18A of the Immigration Act 1987, and
   3. has been a New Zealand or Australian citizen and/or the holder of a residence permit or a returning resident's visa for at least three years immediately preceding the date the application under Sibling and adult child policy is made, and
   4. in each of the three 12 month portions within that three year period, has spent a total of 184 days or more in New Zealand.
4. Principal applicants with dependent children must show that they will meet a minimum income requirement if they come to New Zealand, which is intended to ensure they can support themselves and any dependants. The table below sets out the gross minimum income requirement for principal applicants with dependent children:

   Number of dependent children	Total family income per year
   1	$30,946
   2	$36,493
   3	$42,040
   4 or more	$47,586

   Note: If a principal applicant's partner included in their application also has an offer of employment in New Zealand, their wage or salary may be taken into account when determining the Total family income per year, provided (at the time the application is assessed) a visa or immigration officer is satisfied the principal applicant and partner have been living together for 12 months or more in a partnership that is genuine and stable - see R2.1.15.1 b and R2.1.15.5ai. A partner's offer of employment must meet all the requirements for an acceptable offer of employment except the requirement that the offer be for full-time employment.

5. Siblings and adult children must meet health and character requirements policy (see A4 and A5).
6. From 21 August 2006, principal applicants applying under Sibling and adult child policy must be aged 55 years or younger at the time the application is lodged.

F6.1.1 Lodgement requirements for applications made under Sibling and adult child policy

1. All applications lodged under Sibling and adult child policy must include an offer of employment.
2. Applications that do not include an offer of employment will not be considered to be made (see R2.25).
3. If the original job offer lodged with an application under Sibling and adult child policy has been replaced by another, the new offer will be checked against the relevant policy criteria as if it were the first offer.

Effective 21/08/2006