What is an Interim Visa?
An interim visa allows you to stay in New Zealand while Immigration New Zealand assesses your application for another temporary visa. You must have applied for another temporary visa before your previous visa expired.
You don’t need to apply for an interim visa – it is usually granted automatically. An interim visa may allow you to continue working or studying, but it will depend on the visa you’ve applied for and the visa you had before.
When will the Interim Visa start?
The visa starts when your current visa expires.
What are the conditions on the Interim Visa?
The conditions on an Interim Visa — that is, what you can do on that visa — depend on the type of visa you had before and the type of visa you are applying for next.
Visitor visa
If you have a visitor visa and are applying for a work visa, your interim visa condition will be the same as a visitor visa. That is, you do not have work rights. If you apply for a student visa, your interim visa will have the same conditions as your student visa.
Student Visa
If you currently hold a student visa and apply for a work visa, your interim visa will have the same conditions as a visitor visa (no work rights). But if you are applying for another course, your interim visa will have the same conditions as a student visa.
Work Visa
If you hold a work visa and want to visit New Zealand, your interim visa will have the same condition as the visitor visa.
However, if you want to study, your interim visa conditions will reflect a student visa.
If you are applying for another work visa with the same employer and location, you will keep the same work visa conditions on your interim visa. However, if you are working for a new employer, your interim visa will have the same conditions as a visitor visa.
This table will outline the visa conditions on the interim visa.
| Visa currently held | Visa applied for | Interim visa conditions |
| Visitor | Visitor | Visitor |
| Visitor | Work | Visitor |
| Visitor | Student | Student (open) |
| Student | Visitor | Visitor |
| Student | Work | Visitor |
| Student | Student | Student (open) |
| Work | Visitor | Visitor |
| Work | Student | Student (open) |
| Work (employer specific) | Work (employer specific – same employer, position and location) | Same work conditions as currently held |
| Work (employer specific) | Work (employer specific – different employer and/or position and/or location) | Visitor |
| Work (employer specific) | Work (open) | Visitor |
| Work (open) | Work (open where same type of open visa) | Work (open) |
| Work (open) | Work (open where different type of open visa) | Visitor |
| Work (open) | Work (employer specific) | Visitor |
| Military, Diplomatic, Consular, Official | Same type of diplomatic, official, consular, or military visa as currently held | Same conditions as currently held |
| Military, Diplomatic, Consular, Official | Another type of temporary entry class visa | Visitor |
What happens if you have varied your visa conditions?
If you changed the conditions of your last visa, the same conditions will apply to your Interim Visa if you are applying for:
- the same student visa
- the same work visa, or
- a Guardian of a Student Visitor Visa.
