Parent residence visa cost: EOI first, application later
The Parent Resident Visa is paid for in two steps. An online Expression of Interest (EOI) costs $450, or $575 on paper. A parent who is invited to apply then pays an application fee and levy, which the table below prices at $5,360 from outside NZ. That second figure is being re-checked against INZ.
Fees as at 7 November 2026, checked against INZ.
What INZ charges for the residence application
| Where you apply from | Application fee | Immigration levy | Visitor levy (IVL) | INZ total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I'm in NZ | $1,940 | $3,420 | $0 | $5,360 |
| Overseas, Pacific passport | $1,390 | $3,420 | $0 | $4,810 |
| Overseas, other passport | $1,940 | $3,420 | $0 | $5,360 |
Source: Immigration New Zealand. Checked 7 November 2026. Fees aren't refunded if an application is declined.
Being re-checked. The Fees Guide has no line named for the Parent Resident Visa, so the table above uses the Family Category fee and levy. INZ's Parent Resident Visa page shows its own cost line and does not break it down. The two EOI fees below are separate lines in the Fees Guide.
| Where you apply from | Application fee | Immigration levy | Visitor levy (IVL) | INZ total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I'm in NZ | $450 | $0 | $0 | $450 |
| Overseas, Pacific passport | $435 | $0 | $0 | $435 |
| Overseas, other passport | $450 | $0 | $0 | $450 |
Source: Immigration New Zealand. Checked 7 November 2026. Fees aren't refunded if an application is declined.
| Where you apply from | Application fee | Immigration levy | Visitor levy (IVL) | INZ total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I'm in NZ | $575 | $0 | $0 | $575 |
| Overseas, Pacific passport | $555 | $0 | $0 | $555 |
| Overseas, other passport | $575 | $0 | $0 | $575 |
Source: Immigration New Zealand. Checked 7 November 2026. Fees aren't refunded if an application is declined.
Work out your own total
The calculator prices the residence application. The EOI fee is paid before it and is not part of that total.
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Full cost guides
Each guide has worked examples, when you pay what, and legal ways to pay less.
Every INZ fee, levy and IVL in one table
Three examples
- An online EOI, then an invitation: $450 now, and the residence application figure above later, if the parent is selected.
- A parent from a listed Pacific country: $435 for an online EOI, or $555 on paper. If the EOI is never selected, that is all that has been paid.
- A couple applying together as parents. See the application total with extras.
When you pay each part
The EOI fee is paid when the EOI is submitted online, and INZ says it cannot consider an EOI if the fee is not paid within 7 days. INZ selects EOIs from the pool every 3 months. The residence fee and levy are only paid if the parent is invited to apply and chooses to do so within 4 months of the invitation date. INZ says the chest X-ray and medical examination are not needed until the parent is invited to apply.
Legal ways to pay less
- The online EOI line costs less than the hard copy line, as the tables above show.
- Health evidence is only needed after an invitation, so a parent whose EOI is never selected has no medical bills for it.
- From 5 October 2026, INZ says EOIs no longer expire automatically. A parent confirms they want to stay in the pool within 6 months of each 2-year anniversary.
- Pacific-band rates apply to listed passports, shown in the first table.
Mistakes that cost money
- Paying the EOI fee late. INZ says an EOI cannot be considered if the fee is not paid within 7 days.
- Missing the 4-month window after an invitation. INZ says a new EOI is then needed.
- Not meeting the sponsor tests. The child must be 18 or older, have been a citizen or resident for at least 3 years, live in New Zealand and have spent 184 or more days here in each of the 3 years before the parent applies.
- Leaving a partner out of the health planning. INZ asks for the partner's chest X-ray and medical examination as well, if the partner is included.
- Treating selection as certain. INZ selects about 90% by submission date and about 10% by random ballot from 5 October 2026.
Extras for this visa
INZ asks the parent, and any partner included, for a chest X-ray and medical examination once invited, with results less than 3 months old when received. Police certificates must be less than 6 months old when you apply. Estimates:
- Medical examination: $200–$290.
- Chest X-ray: $130–$205 per adult.
- Police certificates: $44–$72 each.
- Certified English translations: $62–$95 per document.
Quick answers
How much is the Parent Resident Visa?
An EOI fee first ($450 online), then an application fee and levy if invited. The application figure is being re-checked against INZ. Sources: INZ Fees Guide and the INZ Parent Resident Visa page.
How often does INZ select EOIs?
Every 3 months, from the pool, mostly by the date the EOI was received. The first selection under the October 2026 model is on 10 November 2026. Source: INZ Parent Resident Visa page.
Who can sponsor a parent?
A child aged 18 or older who is a New Zealand citizen or resident, lives in New Zealand, and has been a citizen or resident for at least 3 years. Source: INZ Parent Resident Visa page.
What happens after the EOI is checked?
INZ either invites the parent to apply or tells them the EOI has been declined. An invited parent has 4 months from the invitation date to apply. Source: INZ Parent Resident Visa page.
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