South Island Contribution Resident Visa
You can apply for New Zealand residence if you have a South Island Contribution Work Visa, and have been employed in the same industry and region for the last 2 years.
Apply online-
Length of stay
Live, work and study
indefinitely
-
Cost
From
NZD $6490
-
Processing time
Data
not available
To apply you must:
- have had a South Island Contribution Work Visa for the past 2 years and, during that time, have been employed in a full-time job in the region and industry specified on your South Island Contribution Work Visa
- work, or have a job offer, in the region specified in your work visa for at least 24 months from the date your resident visa is approved
- meet the other requirements of this visa.
This visa lets you:
- live, work and study in the region recorded on your South Island Contribution Work Visa
- include your partner and dependent children aged 24 and younger in your application
- travel in and out of New Zealand.
Who can apply
Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide
Identity
You must provide proof of your identity:
- 2 acceptable photos of your head and shoulders
- your original or a
of your passport or - your original or a certified copy of your
If your photo does not meet all of our requirements we will ask you for a new photo. If you are applying for a visa, we will stop processing your application until we receive an acceptable photo. If you are requesting an NZeTA, your request may be delayed or refused. Use the photo examples on this page to check your photo is correct and meets our requirements. Alert Do not use the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs website or other online tools to check your photo as those tools are for passport photos only. Your photo is more likely to be accepted if you use a professional photographer or business that takes passport photos. Give the photographer our instructions to make sure you get a photo that meets our requirements.
The photo you submit with a paper application must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. Further instructions are on the paper application forms. Note You can only apply for an NZeTA online. The photo you submit with an online application must be: Alert We are unlikely to accept your photo if it is not the right size. If you request an NZeTA using the web app, you can either upload an existing photo or take one using your device's camera. If you use the mobile app, you can only take a photo using your device's camera. Your photo must be: If you take a photo with your device, the camera must have a minimum resolution of 540 x 720 pixels. Large photos will be automatically formatted. If there is an issue with your photo you will receive an error message when you submit your visa or NZeTA photo online. To help you, we have provided a list of online errors and how to fix them. Your photo must: It may be easier to remove them.
Visa and NZeTA photos
Your photo must be less than 6 months old and clearly identify you. It must also meet all of our technical requirements.
Meeting our photo requirements
Visa and NZeTA photos are not passport photos
Using a professional photographer
Paper applications for visas
Online applications for visas
Online requests for NZeTAs
Online photo error messages
Taking your visa photo
Be in portrait, not landscape
Be of you, not a photo of a photo or your travel document
Have even lighting with minimal shadowing
Be in colour, showing natural skin tones
Be in focus, not blurry
Not contain red-eye
Be an original photo, not changed by photo-editing software
Not be a selfie
Be taken 1.5 metres from the face
Be taken against a plain, light-coloured — but not white — background with no patterns or objects
Only contain plain clothing patterns
Be of one person
We need to clearly see your face
Face the camera and keep your head straight
Keep your eyes open and mouth closed
Do not smile or frown
Show your face clearly and that long hair is tucked behind your ears
Position yourself in the middle of the photo
Remove sunglasses and hats
If you wear prescription glasses
Make sure your eyes show clearly through the lenses, with no reflected light
If you wear a head covering for religious or medical reasons
Make sure that your face and hairline can be seen in the photo
Note
You can provide either your original passport or a certified copy when you submit your application. If you provide a certified copy, we may request your original passport to complete your application.
Character
You must be of good character.
If you are 17 or over, you must provide a police certificate from:
- your country of citizenship
- any country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.
Anyone applying for a New Zealand visa must meet the character requirements. When you apply, you must tell us about any issues or activities, both current and in your past, that could affect our decision, including whether you have been: If there is an issue, we may: You can request a character waiver or special direction when you apply. If your request is approved, we can give you a visa if your application meets all other requirements. Visas are given by special direction only in rare circumstances. You may need to provide us with police certificates to show your good character. Whether you need to give these certificates depends on how long you plan to stay in New Zealand and the visa you are applying for.
Character requirements for New Zealand visas
To be given a New Zealand visa, you must be of good character. If you have a criminal history, have provided false or misleading information, or could be a risk to New Zealand, we can decline your application.
Being of good character
Providing police certificates
How to get a police certificate
Note
Police certificates must be less than 6 months old at the time you apply.
If you provide a police certificate that is not in English, you must provide an
All supporting documents submitted with your resident visa application must be provided in English or include an English translation. Visitor visa requirements are changing From 26 May 2025, supporting document translations for visitor visa applications will no longer need to be certified. Examples of documents that require full translation include: You must provide us with full certified English translations of all medical and police certificates. This includes police certificates that record no convictions. Note If your other evidence is not in English, you should provide a translated copy, as this will help us to process your application faster. Immigration New Zealand does not translate documents on behalf of visa applicants. You must pay for certified translations. You can provide certified translations completed by: We do not accept translations completed by the applicant, family members, or the immigration adviser assisting with your application. We will accept translations from a licensed immigration adviser (LIA) who is: Check your passport to see if it has your name written in English. Ask your translator to use this spelling when they translate your documents. If a translator used a different spelling of your name in your translated documents, then include this spelling of your name in the 'other names' section of the visa application form. We need to know if you have used other names that are in your translated documents. For example, if: In your visa application form, enter all other names that you have used in the section called 'other names'. Each translation must: When you apply for your visa, the supporting documents that you provide us are the: How you provide the documents depends on if you are applying online or on a paper form. We may not need an original document or its certified copy in the following situations: When we process your application, we will contact you if we need you to send us a document.
Providing English translations of supporting documents
Check the requirements of the visa you are applying for. Provide certified translations of your documents to avoid delays processing your application.
Check the visa application requirements
Residence visa applications
Visitor visa applications
All other visa applications
Our requirements for translated documents
Who can complete a certified translation
Using the English spelling of the name in your passport
Include your 'other names' in the application form
Check your translated document
Submitting your original foreign language documents
If applying online, make sure all scanned copies are clear and readable.
Health
You must be in good health.
You must have a chest x-ray and a medical examination as proof of your good health.
Note You can check the situations where you need an X-ray or medical examination, and the different types of examinations. Who needs an X-ray or medical examination If you need a medical examination, you normally get a 'general medical examination' unless you need a limited medical examination. A general medical examination is sometimes called a 'full medical examination'. For some visas, you must have a chest X-ray, a medical examination or both before you apply. For an Accredited Employer Work Visa or a Visitor Visa, we will let you know after you submit your application if you need a chest X-ray or medical examination. If you need a chest X-ray or medical examination, you must visit a doctor or radiologist from our list of 'panel physicians' — unless there are no panel physicians in your country. Panel physicians are doctors and radiologists approved to complete chest X-rays and medical examinations for New Zealand visa applications. Check if there is a panel physician in your country. Doctors who can do examinations You must visit a panel physician. You can use any registered doctor. You must visit a panel medical clinic who will refer you to a panel radiology clinic. Note If there are other people on your application, they will each need an appointment. If you are menstruating (having a period), you need to wait until your period finishes before having your medical examination. You cannot have your medical examination during your period because the blood can affect your urine test. For an Accredited Employer Work Visa or Visitor Visa, if we need you to have a chest X-ray or medical examination, we give you an Immigration New Zealand health case reference number (NZHR). Give the NZHR to the clinic when you make your appointment. Finding your eMedical and INZ health case reference numbers You can bring a family member, support person or interpreter to your appointment. Let the clinic know when you make your appointment if you are bringing someone with you. If you are having a physical examination, you can ask the clinic for a chaperone. The clinic must have chaperones available. Have the following ready to bring to your appointment: Identity documents for X-rays and medical examinations Note If you are 17 years or under, you need your parent or legal guardian to come with you. If you are visiting any registered doctor because there are no panel physicians in your country, you need to also bring: Get the medical certificate form you need:
You need to also bring a completed 'Immigration Adviser Details' form to give to the clinic.
At your medical appointment, you must sign a form to allow the doctor to send your medical information to us. If you are 17 or younger, your parent or guardian must sign the form for you. If your doctor is using eMedical, they will give you an eMedical client consent and declaration form to sign. You can read the form before your appointment:
There are 3 parts to the medical examination: The doctor checks your height, weight, mental state, hearing and vision, listens to your heart and lungs, feels your abdomen and checks your reflexes and other parts of your nervous system. A nurse or health care assistant may complete parts of the examination. You will need to: You must pay any costs related to your X-ray and medical examinations. Note Ask the clinic about the costs when you make your appointment. In your visa application, you need to provide evidence of your X-ray or examination results. To show you had an examination you can either: To get a copy of your results you can ask the doctor when you have your examination, or any time afterwards. You can ask for email notifications. If you do, you will receive an email when your physician sends us your results. You cannot reply to this email. If you have any questions about your results, discuss these with your doctor. You can ask the clinic for a copy of your medical examination results. Once we receive your results you can also contact us if you want a copy of them. If you have an immigration adviser, and would like them to be able to see and ask questions about your medical information, you need to:
The panel physicians who use eMedical must agree to protect your personal information to meet New Zealand privacy laws. Your information is sent to us using a secure online channel and is available only to us and the clinic where you were examined. If you have any privacy concerns, you can contact us.
How to get an X-ray or medical examination
If you need a chest X-ray or medical examination for your visa application, you will need to make a doctor's appointment and take any relevant documents with you. You will need to provide evidence of your medical results in your application.
Process overview
Your chest X-ray and medical examination results must be no more than 3 months old when we get your application.
1. Check if you need a chest X-ray or medical examination
2. Make an appointment
If there is a panel physician in your country
If there is no panel physician in your country
If you are in New Zealand and only need a chest X-ray
Bringing someone with you to the appointment
3. Get what you need for your appointment
If you are visiting a doctor that is not a panel physician
If you are using a licensed immigration adviser
4. Go to your appointment
Authority to collect medical information
What happens at the medical examination
Paying for your medical examination
5. Provide evidence of your results in your application
6. How to get your results
If you need a copy of your results
Sharing your medical information with an immigration adviser
Your privacy
Employment while holding a South Island Contribution Work Visa
You must have been employed for 2 years while holding a South Island Contribution Work Visa.
You must:
- currently hold a South Island Contribution Work Visa
- have held a South Island Contribution Work Visa for 2 years
- have been employed for 2 years in a full-time role in the region and industry specified by your South Island Contribution Work Visa.
Employment must have been with an employer who is not included on the list of non-compliant employers.
Ongoing employment
You must have ongoing employment in the South Island region recorded on your South Island Contribution Work Visa.
You must hold current employment or have an offer of employment which is:
- full-time
- paid by salary or wages
- genuine
- sustainable and ongoing (that is, permanent or indefinite, or for a stated term of at least 24 months)
- based in the South Island region recorded on your South Island Contribution Work Visa
- based on terms and conditions which are not less than those of the New Zealand market
- with an employer who has a history of compliance with immigration and employment law, and is not included on the list of non-compliant employers maintained by the Labour Inspectorate.
Relationship with family
Your family must meet the requirements for a resident visa.
You can include your partner and dependent children in your application for a resident visa.
You must provide evidence:
- of your relationship with your partner and dependent children
- that your partner and dependent children meet the identity, character, and health requirements for this visa.
We define partnership as 2 people, who live together in a
You must be able to show us that you and your partner are living together in a
Living together means sharing the same home as your partner. This does not include: Evidence showing you are living together can include: For some partnership applications – such as a Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa – evidence of living together must cover a period of 12 months prior to the application being submitted. Make sure you check the category you are applying under to see if we need this from you. You can provide us with items showing your shared address, dated every few months, to cover the full duration. These items can be addressed to you both jointly — or individually — as long as we can see that you have both been at the same address for the same period of time. Evidence of having a genuine and stable relationship needs to show that: Evidence can include: The way we want to receive this evidence depends on how you are applying. If you apply by paper for a residence visa, we must receive originals or certified copies. You can send electronically issued documents as we regard those as originals. If you apply online, we accept scanned images — so you do not need to send us originals or certified copies. You and your supporting partner must: When you apply for a visa based on your partnership with a New Zealand visa holder or New Zealand citizen, we call that person your supporting partner. Character requirements for New Zealand visas See also the requirements for supporting partners in the 'Eligible NZ supporting partner' and 'Your partner's' sections for these visas: When we assess your visa application, we consider things like: We will also look at your living and financial arrangements, including: If you and your partner have spent time living apart, you should provide information about your separation, including: We will use the information you provide to assess whether you and your partner have genuine and compelling reasons to have stayed apart. Note If you and your partner are coming together through a culturally arranged marriage, the rules are different.
Partnership and how to prove it
If you are applying for a visa based on your partnership, find out how we define partnership and what evidence you can provide to show your relationship is genuine.
How we define partnership
Providing evidence of your partnership
Living together
Having a genuine and stable relationship
How to supply this evidence
Applying by paper
Applying online
Minimum requirements
Supporting partners
How we assess partnership
If you have not always lived together
There are 2 ways that dependent children can apply for a visa. Note The definition of dependent children depends on age and whether they are applying for a resident visa or a temporary visa. Your child is dependent if they are: If they are 18 or over they must not have children of their own. If they are aged 21 to 24 they must also rely on you or another adult for financial support (depending on which visa they have applied for). Your child is dependent if they: If they are 18 or 19 they must not have children of their own. If your children are 20 or older: If they want to join you in New Zealand they need to apply for their own visa. If your children are aged 20 to 24 they may still be dependent if: Your children must have applied for, or have been included in your application for one of the following residence visas:
Bringing children
How to apply for visas for dependent children.
How your children apply for a visa
Dependent children are not eligible for work visas.
How we define dependent children
Resident visas for dependent children
Temporary visas for dependent children
Primary or secondary student visas and visitor visas
Child of a New Zealander or Worker visitor visas
Eligible residence visas
Note
We will automatically consider your child dependent if they were granted a work visa when your South Island Contribution Work Visa was granted.
How to pay and submit
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When you arrive
Entry permission
You must apply for permission to enter New Zealand. You do this by completing a New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) form.
You can start your digital declaration any time, but the earliest you can submit it is 24 hours before starting your travel to New Zealand.
A paper declaration form is available for travellers who cannot complete it online.
New Zealand Traveller Declaration
New Zealand Customs and Biosecurity also check that you meet their entry requirements.
Alert
You can be refused entry permission if you:
- do not meet our character requirements
- have had a change in circumstances since we issued your visa
- refuse to let us take your photo, fingerprints or an iris scan.
When you travel to New Zealand on a temporary visa, your intentions must be genuine. This means that you: We use all the information we have, including the information you give us in your application, to confirm that you have genuine intentions. Alert You must answer truthfully when you complete your visa application or NZTD. If you are travelling on a visitor visa or visiting from a
If you have a visitor visa for a specific reason, you must be coming to New Zealand for that reason. For example, if you have a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa, your reason for visiting must be getting medical treatment. If you are travelling on a student visa, you must have genuine intentions to study in New Zealand. You can only work if the conditions of your student visa allow you to. If you are travelling to New Zealand to work, you must have a visa that will allow you to. Unless your visa allows you to work in any job, you must plan to work in the job, for the employer, and in the location specified in your visa. You may be asked to provide evidence of your genuine intentions: Here are some examples of evidence to show that you have genuine intentions in coming to New Zealand. To show your travel history, you could show a copy of your current and recent passports, including: If you live in a country that is not your country of citizenship, provide a copy of the visa allowing you to live in that country. If you have ever had a visa application declined by any other country, provide: If you plan to visit family or friends in New Zealand, provide their: Evidence of your travel plans while in New Zealand could include copies of: You may also need to show that you have plans to leave New Zealand at the end of your stay. This evidence could include: If you are applying for a student visa, you could provide evidence that you have: If you do not need to pay tuition fees, or if you can pay by instalment — where you make smaller payments over a period of time — you must provide confirmation from your education provider. You can also write a cover letter or statement of purpose explaining why you want to study in New Zealand. This will help us decide if you are a genuine student. If you are using an education agent or licensed immigration adviser, they cannot write the letter for you. Examples of things you could write about in your letter or statement include: If you plan to apply for another visa — for example, a work visa — after you finish your studies, include this in your cover letter or statement of purpose.
To show that you have genuine intentions to work, you will in most cases need to provide: If your visa requires you to have enough money to live on during your stay, you will need to provide evidence. This could include: Depending on your situation, you may need to provide: We consider each application based on the information and evidence we receive. If you do not provide enough evidence, it may take us longer to process your application, or we may decline your application. You must provide genuine evidence. If you or your agent provide evidence that is false or misleading, we may also decline your application. False, misleading or withheld information in visa applications Check the translation requirements for the visa you are applying for. All non-English documents must be translated when you apply for visitor and resident visas. Providing English translations of supporting documents If you are applying online, make sure your evidence is in an acceptable file format. To decide if your intentions are genuine, we look at: We look at evidence you provide with your application to check that it: When we consider information about your personal circumstances, we look at: We also look at information from your previous applications and travel to New Zealand. This can show us if you have: We might not give you a visa or allow you to enter New Zealand if we:
Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in New Zealand
Before you can get a visa or enter New Zealand to visit, work or study, we check that your reasons for coming here are genuine.
What it means to have 'genuine intentions'
Visitor visas
Student visas
Work visas
Evidence to show you have genuine intentions
Evidence of your travel history
If you live in a different country to your citizenship
Declined visa applications
Evidence you are visiting family or friends
Evidence of your travel plans
Evidence of your study plans
Evidence of your work plans
Evidence you have enough money
Evidence of your home country circumstances
evidence of your relationships with close relatives in your home country
Providing good-quality evidence
How we decide if your intentions are genuine
Evidence you provide with your application
Your personal circumstances
Your previous applications
If we decide your intentions are not genuine
If you have been refused entry to New Zealand and you still want to travel to here, contact the Customer Service Centre for advice. You may need to apply for a visa before you travel here again. Together with your airline or other carrier, we can stop you from travelling to New Zealand if you do not meet our entry requirements — for example, if you cannot provide evidence that you can meet the conditions of your visa. When you arrive we check your identity and other information again before we give you
Alert Having a visa does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter New Zealand. Your airline or other carrier can be fined if they let you board an aircraft or ship after we have let them know that you cannot travel. We can stop you from travelling to New Zealand if: We can stop you travelling to New Zealand or entering the country if you: We can also refuse to let you travel to or enter New Zealand if you cannot show us evidence to support the conditions of your visa. For example, you cannot show us evidence that you: Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in NZ If your circumstances have changed and you can no longer meet the conditions of your visa we can also refuse to let you enter New Zealand. For example, if your work visa is based on a job offer that has since been withdrawn you will not be allowed to travel to New Zealand on that visa. You cannot come to New Zealand if you do not meet our health and character requirements. For example, you can be refused entry if: You could be refused entry to New Zealand if you:
What might stop you from being allowed to enter New Zealand
Together with your airline or other carrier, we can stop you from travelling to New Zealand if you do not meet our entry requirements. For example, if you cannot provide evidence that you can meet the conditions of your visa.
Why we stop you travelling to or entering New Zealand
Your identity and travel documents
Information you provide to us
Meeting the conditions of your visa
Your character and health
Arriving in New Zealand
While you are in New Zealand
These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa.
Travel
You can travel in and out of New Zealand as often as you like until your travel conditions expire — normally 2 years from the date you first arrive in New Zealand as a resident.
Alert
If you are outside New Zealand when your travel conditions expire, your visa will expire as well.
To travel in and out of New Zealand after your travel conditions expire, you need to apply for:
- a variation to your travel conditions, or
- a Permanent Resident Visa.
Check or change your resident visa conditions
Becoming a permanent resident of New Zealand
Note
Your travel conditions will expire 2 years from the date you first arrive in New Zealand as a resident.
Keep your visa in a valid passport
If you want to travel, your visa must be in a valid passport.
If your passport expires, you must apply to transfer your visa to a new passport before you can travel.
Transferring a visa to a new passport
Note
To transfer your visa, you must:
-
- send us your old and new passports
- complete an 'Application for Transfer or Confirmation of a Visa'
- pay a transfer fee.
Application for transfer or confirmation of a visa
Fees, decision times and where to apply
Work
You must work in the region specified in your visa approval letter for 24 months from the date your resident visa is granted.
Note
The region specified will be the same region as specified by your South Island Contribution Work Visa.
You must provide evidence you have met your visa conditions within 30 months of being granted a resident visa.
Study
Once granted a resident visa, you can do any study you like.