Bringing Your Partner and Children on a New Zealand Student Visa (2026)

## Quick Facts What you need to know about bringing family on a New Zealand student visa in 2026: 1. Your partner and dependent children can apply for visas based on your student visa, but they require separate applications — they are not automatically included on your visa. 2. Partners of students enrolled in a Level 7 or 8 qualification that is on the Green List, or any Level 9 or 10 qualification (master's or PhD), may be eligible for a Partner of a Student Work Visa with open work rights. 3. Partner work rights depend on your qualification level: Level 4-6 typically means your partner can only visit (no work rights); Level 7-8 Green List means open work rights for your partner; Level 9-10 means open work rights for your partner. 4. Dependent children of a student visa holder enrolled at Level 7 or above can attend school as domestic students — meaning they pay no international tuition fees for primary or secondary education. 5. The living cost requirement increases by NZD $5,000 per year for each partner and each dependent child you bring, in addition to your own NZD $20,000 per year requirement. 6. Partners on a work visa can work for any employer, in any role, for any number of hours — there is no restriction tied to the student's work limits. 7. Family visa applications can be submitted at the same time as your student visa application or after your visa is granted, but they are processed separately. ## Partner Visa Options: Which One Applies to You The type of visa your partner can apply for depends entirely on your qualification level and programme of study. Immigration New Zealand categorises this into three tiers: 1. Level 9 or 10 qualifications (master's degrees and PhDs). If you are enrolled in a master's programme (including Master of Engineering, Master of Commerce, Master of Arts, etc.) or a PhD, your partner is eligible for a Partner of a Student Work Visa. This visa grants open work rights — your partner can work for any employer, in any occupation, full-time or part-time. There is no requirement for a job offer at the time of application. This is one of the most attractive pathways for couples, as it allows the partner to contribute financially while the student focuses on study. 2. Level 7 or 8 qualifications on the Green List. If you are studying a bachelor's degree (Level 7) or a postgraduate diploma (Level 8) in a field that appears on Immigration New Zealand's Green List, your partner also qualifies for a Partner of a Student Work Visa with open work rights. As of 2026, the Green List includes occupations in construction, engineering, health, ICT, and several trades, among others. If your qualification directly maps to a Green List occupation, your partner benefits. Check the current Green List on immigration.govt.nz — it is updated periodically. 3. Level 7 or 8 qualifications not on the Green List, and Level 4-6 qualifications. For these programmes, your partner is restricted to a visitor visa. A partner visitor visa allows your partner to live in New Zealand with you but does not permit any work. The standard visitor visa is typically granted for the same duration as your student visa. Partners on a visitor visa cannot work, study for more than three months, or access most publicly funded services. The distinction between tier 2 and tier 3 is the most common point of confusion. If you are studying a Level 7 bachelor's degree in a field that is NOT on the Green List (for example, a Bachelor of Arts in History or a Bachelor of Commerce with a non-Green List major), your partner does not qualify for a work visa — only a visitor visa. It is worth checking the Green List carefully before finalising your study plans if your partner's ability to work is important to you. ## Applying for a Partner Visa A partner visa application requires evidence of a genuine and stable relationship. This applies regardless of whether your partner is applying for a work visa or a visitor visa. Evidence requirements include: 1. Proof of relationship. Evidence that you and your partner are in a genuine and stable relationship. For married couples, a marriage certificate is the primary document. For de facto (unmarried but cohabiting) couples, you need to demonstrate that you have lived together for a significant period — typically at least 12 months is expected. Evidence can include: joint bank account statements, shared rental agreements or property ownership, utility bills in both names, correspondence addressed to you as a couple, and photographs together over time. 2. Evidence of your student status. A copy of your student visa (or, if applying concurrently, your offer of place and evidence that your student visa application is being prepared). 3. Identity documents. Your partner's passport, birth certificate, and police certificates meeting the same character requirements as the student application. 4. Funds evidence. Your partner must demonstrate they have sufficient funds for their own living costs — NZD $5,000 per year that your partner brings (on top of your NZD $20,000). These can be shown from joint funds or from your partner's own savings. 5. Medical and insurance documents. Your partner must meet the standard health requirements and hold approved medical and travel insurance for the duration of their stay. 6. For work visa applicants, no job offer is needed — the visa is open, meaning the partner can arrive and search for work. ## Dependent Children: Schooling and Visas Dependent children (typically under 19, unmarried, and financially dependent on you) can join you in New Zealand. The key visa for children is the Dependent Child Student Visa. The major benefit for children of students enrolled at Level 7 or above: they can attend primary or secondary school in New Zealand and pay domestic student fees — the same rates as New Zealand citizens and residents. For a child of a student enrolled at Level 4-6, the child may still join you on a visitor visa, but they would need to pay international student tuition rates to attend school, which can exceed NZD $12,000-$18,000 per year depending on the school level and location. Requirements for a dependent child's visa: 1. The child must be under 19 years of age (or under 24 for specified dependent children with a disability fully reliant on you). 2. The child must be single with no children of their own. 3. You must provide evidence of the parent-child relationship: the child's birth certificate showing your name as parent. 4. Funds: an additional NZD $5,000 per year per child must be demonstrated for living costs. This is INZ's minimum — actual costs of raising a child in New Zealand are higher, particularly if they are involved in extracurricular activities. 5. If you are a single parent, you may need to provide evidence that you have the legal right to remove the child from your home country (court orders, consent from the other parent, etc.). 6. The child may need to meet health requirements (medical examination and chest X-ray, age-adjusted). ## Funds: What It Costs to Bring Your Family Bringing your family significantly increases the financial requirement. Here is the calculation for a family of three (student, partner, one child): 1. Student living costs: NZD $20,000 per year 2. Partner living costs: NZD $5,000 per year 3. Child living costs: NZD $5,000 per year 4. Total living costs to demonstrate: NZD $30,000 per year, before tuition Add tuition (say, NZD $42,000 for a typical bachelor's programme) and return travel for three people (approximately NZD $4,500-$7,500), and the total minimum annual funds to demonstrate approaches NZD $77,000-$80,000. For a PhD student where tuition is at the domestic rate (approximately NZD $7,800) and the partner has open work rights, the financial model is quite different. The partner can work and earn income, reducing the pressure on savings. A PhD family of three might need to demonstrate approximately NZD $37,800 per year (living costs plus domestic PhD tuition), with the partner's earning potential offsetting ongoing expenses. ## Practical and Lifestyle Considerations Bringing your family to New Zealand involves more than visa logistics: 1. Housing. A single student can flat-share, paying NZD $200-$350 per week for a room. A family of three needs a self-contained apartment or house, typically costing NZD $500-$800 per week in Auckland or Wellington, or NZD $400-$600 in Christchurch or Hamilton. 2. Childcare. If both parents are occupied (one studying, one working or studying), childcare for a young child costs approximately NZD $250-$400 per week full-time, though subsidies may be available for eligible families. 3. School zoning. Public schools in New Zealand operate on zoning — children are entitled to attend the school in the zone where they live. If you want your child to attend a particular school, you must live within its zone. Research school zones before securing accommodation. 4. Healthcare. All family members need comprehensive medical insurance. The accident compensation scheme (ACC) covers accidental injuries for everyone in New Zealand regardless of visa status, but illness care is not covered for non-residents without insurance. ## FAQ ### Q1: Can I bring my parents on my student visa? No. The student visa only provides for a partner and dependent children. If you wish to bring a parent, they must apply for their own visitor visa independently. They may be able to visit for short periods under the standard visitor visa rules, but they cannot live in New Zealand for the duration of your studies on your student visa. ### Q2: Can my partner work while I am on a Post Study Work Visa? Yes. As of 2026, partners of Post Study Work Visa holders may also qualify for a Partner of a Worker Work Visa with open work rights, provided the PSWV holder is employed in a role that pays at least the median wage (NZD $31.61 per hour in 2026). This is a separate visa pathway and requires a new application. ### Q3: What if my relationship with my partner ends while we are in New Zealand? If your partner's visa is based on your student visa (a "partnership-based" visa), the end of the relationship may affect their visa status. In practice, your partner should notify Immigration New Zealand, and their visa may be reassessed. They may be able to apply for a different visa type on their own merits. ### Q4: Can my partner study while in New Zealand on a Partner of a Student Work Visa? Yes. An open work visa does not restrict study. Your partner can enrol in short courses, English language programmes, or even a degree programme, provided they hold the appropriate visa — but a Partner of a Student Work Visa is not a student visa, and if your partner wants to study full-time for more than three months, they may need to apply for their own student visa. ## Sources - Immigration New Zealand — Partner of a Student Work Visa: www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/visas/visa/partner-of-a-student-work-visa - Immigration New Zealand — Dependent Child Student Visa: www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/visas/visa/dependent-child-student-visa - Immigration New Zealand — Green List: www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/visas/green-list-occupations - Education in New Zealand — Schooling for Dependants: www.studywithnewzealand.govt.nz - Ministry of Education — School Zones: www.education.govt.nz