An Interim Visa is granted in order to allow someone the ability to remain in New Zealand while their application for another, temporary visa is considered. It is usually given automatically if the applicant’s current visa is expected to expire before they receive a decision on their new visa.
Who can apply for an Interim Visa?
It is not possible to apply for an Interim Visa yourself. Rather, if you are eligible, New Zealand Immigration will grant you an Interim Visa automatically while you wait for you application for another visa to be considered.
In order to be eligible to be granted an Interim Visa, you must:
- currently hold either a visitor, student or work visa
- be awaiting a decision on another visitor, student or work visa
- NB: You must have already applied for this visa in order to be eligible for an Interim Visa
- be physically located in New Zealand
What does an Interim Visa offer?
An Interim Visa gives the holder the right to remain in New Zealand while they await a decision on their application for a new visa. Interim visas are electronic rather than physical documents and will therefore not be attached to your passport.
Whether you are permitted to work or study on an Interim Visa will usually depend on the rights and conditions you had on your previous visa. They may also be impacted by the rights and conditions typically attached to the new visa you have applied for.
Interim Visas do not give holders the right to enter New Zealand. If you leave New Zealand before you have received a decision on your new visa, your Interim Visa will expire and your application for the new visa may be affected.
An Interim Visa is valid for a maximum of six months, but will expire earlier if you receive a decision on your application for a new visa:
- If your application is approved and you are granted a new visa, that visa takes precedence and your Interim Visa expires
- If your application is declined or you withdraw it, your Interim Visa will expire 21 days later
How much does an Interim Visa cost?
Interim Visas are free of charge and will be granted automatically if you are eligible.
If you have submitted an application for another visa and your current visa is about to expire, you should receive an email from New Zealand Immigration informing you that you have been granted an Interim Visa. This email is usually sent a couple of days before the expiry of your current visa.
Interim visas for Skilled Migrant Category applicants
If you have applied for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa and your temporary visa expires while Immigration New Zealand is still deciding it, you may be issued a Skilled Migrant Category interim visa. It works differently from the standard interim visa:
- it starts the day your current visa expires and can last up to 24 months
- it is issued automatically as an eVisa, as long as you have not applied for another temporary visa
- partners and dependent children included in your residence application can get their own
- conditions are usually the same as your current visa: employer-specific work conditions carry over, open or partnership-based work visa holders get open work conditions, and student visa holders get open study conditions and may be able to work up to 25 hours a week
- you can travel in and out of New Zealand while it is valid
- if your residence application is declined or withdrawn, the interim visa expires 2 months later
While you hold it you cannot apply for other temporary visas to work, study or visit, and you cannot support visa applications for a partner or children. Limited changes are possible, such as changing employer or job within the Skilled Migrant Category rules.
Work rights while you wait for an AEWV
Since 8 April 2025, if you apply for an Accredited Employer Work Visa while you hold a work visa, or a student visa that allows you to work during term, your interim visa usually gives you work rights. You can start the job named in your AEWV application (the job linked to your employer’s Job Check) while you wait. Time on an interim visa with work rights counts towards the work experience needed for Work to Residence pathways, and for a second or later AEWV it counts towards the maximum continuous stay.
Your interim visa letter sets out your conditions, and you can show it to an employer as proof of your right to work.
Standard interim visa and SMC interim visa compared
| Standard interim visa | SMC interim visa | |
|---|---|---|
| When you get it | You applied for a temporary visa (visitor, student or work) before your current visa expired | You applied for an SMC Resident Visa and hold a temporary visa that expires while it is processed |
| Maximum length | 6 months | 24 months |
| Travel | Expires if you leave New Zealand | Travel in and out allowed |
| If the application is declined or withdrawn | Expires 21 days later | Expires 2 months later |
| Cost | Free, granted automatically as an eVisa | |
If you have applied for any other kind of resident visa (for example a partner resident visa) and your temporary visa will expire before a decision, you generally need to apply for a new temporary visa as well, so that you can be granted an interim visa. Talk to us early so there is no gap in your status.
Interim visa FAQs
How do I know I have been granted an interim visa?
Immigration New Zealand emails you, usually a couple of days before your current visa expires. If you have not received it, check your spam folder before contacting Immigration New Zealand. The visa is electronic, so there is no label in your passport.
Can I apply for another visa while I am on an interim visa?
No. You must wait for a decision on your current application, or hold a valid visa, before you can apply for a different visa. This is why it is important to choose the right visa before your current one expires.
Can I leave New Zealand on a standard interim visa?
You can, but your interim visa ends when you leave and it does not let you come back. Your pending application may also be affected. If you need to travel, get advice before you go.
What if my application is declined?
A standard interim visa expires 21 days after the decline, so you must leave New Zealand or obtain another visa within that time. If you think the decision is wrong, get advice quickly, as appeal and reconsideration options are time limited.
My application was not accepted for processing. Do I still get an interim visa?
No. Your complete application must be received and accepted for processing before your current visa expires. An incomplete application can leave you unlawful, so lodge early and check that everything required is included.
