From 5 October 2026, Immigration NZ changed how Parent Resident Visa applications are picked. If your parents are already in the queue, here’s what it means for your wait, and what you can do in the meantime.
From 5 October 2026, Immigration New Zealand changed the way it picks Parent Resident Visa applications. About 90% of places will now go to Expressions of Interest (EOIs) in date order, and about 10% by ballot. The first selection under the new system is on 10 November. If your EOI has been in the pool for a while, that's good news. But it doesn't make the queue any shorter, and for many families the wait will still be several years.
What has changed
Most EOIs are now selected in date order, based on when they first went into the pool. If you replaced an expired EOI within 90 days, your original date is generally kept.
About 10% of places still go by ballot, so a newer EOI has a small chance of being picked early.
EOIs no longer expire after two years. Instead, you need to confirm your EOI within 6 months of each two-year anniversary. There's no extra fee. If you don't confirm, it expires.
Selections happen four times a year, generally on the second Tuesday of the month.
The yearly limit hasn't changed. Immigration NZ can approve up to 2,500 people a year, counted from 1 July to 30 June.
Immigration NZ has said it will contact EOI holders directly about their place in the queue.
How long is the wait?
Immigration NZ doesn't give a waiting time. It only says some people may still wait some time. So here's the arithmetic, which is our estimate, not theirs.
At 31 August 2026 there were 8,041 EOIs in the pool, covering 11,913 people. The limit of 2,500 counts people, not EOIs, so a couple uses two places. At 2,500 people a year, it would take close to five years to work through the people already waiting. About 90% of places go in date order, so a new EOI joins the back of a queue of roughly five years. That will change if people drop out, don't confirm their EOI, or are declined.
If your parents are in their 70s or have health issues, five years is a long time. That's why it's worth looking at the other options too.
Who can sponsor
The sponsor is the adult child in New Zealand. You must have been a New Zealand citizen or resident for at least 3 years, and spent 184 days or more in New Zealand in each of those 3 years. You also agree to support your parents for their first 10 years here.
You also need to meet an income test. From 30 April 2026, a single sponsor needs $109,200 a year for one parent and $145,600 for two. If you sponsor jointly with your partner, it's $145,600 for one parent and $182,000 for two. Your parents also need to meet an English language standard, or pre-purchase English language classes.
The application fee is $5,360, and there's a smaller fee when you submit the EOI. That's a lot to pay when you don't know when you'll be selected, so get advice to make sure you meet the requirements before you go in.
While you wait: two short-term options
Parent Boost Visitor Visa. This lets parents visit for up to 5 years at a time on a multi-entry visa, and they can apply for a second visa for ten years in total. Each application costs from $3,100. Your parents need their own income (from $33,663 a year for one person) or savings (from $170,000), plus health insurance that meets Immigration NZ's minimum cover. If you are sponsoring, you need an income of at least $72,800 a year for one parent and $109,200 for two. They must leave New Zealand during the third year for a health and insurance check. It doesn't lead to residence, but it keeps families together while the queue moves. Note that parents must have relatively good health to apply under this option, and your parent must be outside New Zealand when they apply.
Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa. This is the cheapest option, from $441. Parents can come and go for up to 3 years, staying up to 6 months at a time and up to 18 months in total. Health insurance isn't required, but we strongly recommend it. Your parent must be outside New Zealand when they apply.
And an additional residence option
Parent Retirement Resident Visa. This is a residence option for parents with significant funds. They need $1 million to invest in New Zealand for 4 years, another $500,000 to settle with, and an income of at least $60,000 a year at the date of application. It costs from $12,850. It's not for most families, but for those who can do it, there's no queue. This application will require detailed evidence on source of funds, how they have been handled, and you must invest in approved investments. It will take around 5 years to get unconditional residence with unlimited travel conditions.
What should you do?
If your parents already have an EOI in the pool, watch for Immigration NZ's message about your queue position, and put the two-year confirmation date in your calendar.
If you haven't submitted an EOI yet, check the sponsor income test first. You need to meet it at the right times, and it's based on your income over several years.
Look at whether a Parent Boost or Parent and Grandparent visitor visa could bring your parents here sooner.
Every family's situation is different. If you'd like help working out which option suits your parents, get in touch for a chat.
Catherine Neazor Brady
Talent Director & Licensed Immigration Adviser (IAA 200900436)
This article is general information only and is not immigration advice. Immigration rules change often, so please talk to a Licensed Immigration Adviser about your own situation before you act on it. Figures are correct as at 16 October 2026.
