So you want to move to New Zealand?  Or at the very least, you are a little bit interested in learning more about how to relocate there.  You have come to the right place because I relocated my life from the small American state of Connecticut to a small subtropical island in New Zealand in 2016.  I managed to do this on rather short notice and–due to fortune and fate–eased into a new adventure fairly seamlessly.

This is going to be a multi-part series.  How many?  I don’t know yet!  I’m still deciding how I want to categorize everything, but this has been a subject that I have been wanting to tackle for quite some time.  Since I am currently navigating the intricacies of moving my life to Australia, I feel like there is no better time to share what exactly moving to New Zealand entails and try to shed light on areas of information that I wish I had at the time.  You’ll hear about my personal experiences as well!

This post will be mainly geared toward USA rules, but I will tried to provide information and links to pages with other country-specific rules.  Here we go… how to move to New Zealand (Part 1).

Visas

In this post I will mainly discuss your visa options for going to New Zealand in regards to…

• Working Holiday Visa

But I will also mention briefly and link to more information on

• Visitor Visa
• Skilled Migrant Visa

Working Holiday Visa (USA)

Details…

• Duration: 12 Months
• Age Range: 18 – 30
• Quota: Unlimited for Americans
• You can only apply online
• You cannot bring children with you on the visa
• Cost: $0

With this visa you can…

• Work for up to 12 months
• Study for up to 6 months

The understanding between you as a traveler and the New Zealand government is that you are coming to their country primarily to travel and explore, with employment being a second priority.  This scheme has been created to give young travelers the opportunity to truly experience everything the country has to offer and to be able to fund their time in New Zealand.

To view Working Holiday Visa schemes & regulations for citizens of countries other than the USA click HERE 

After Receiving Your Visa

You must…

• Go to New Zealand within 12 months of receiving your visa online
• Have an onward ticket out of New Zealand upon arrival OR
• Have proof of enough funds to buy a travel ticket & cover your living costs ($4200 USD)
• Leave New Zealand before your visa expires

Other Details…

• Your visa is valid from the date you enter New Zealand
• You do not need a job offer prior to arriving in New Zealand on a Working Holiday Visa

If you are from the USA, apply for your Working Holiday Visa HERE on the NZ Immigration website.

Visitor Visa

This visa is ideal if you intend to go to New Zealand to visit friends or family, study, and not work

Details…

• It is valid for up to 9 months
• You must show proof of enough funds to care for yourself while in New Zealand
• You must show proof of intention to leave New Zealand
• You can study for up to 3 months
• You can bring children and family with you on this visa

Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa

• This visa is ideal if you are looking to relocate permanently to New Zealand and you have skills on NZ’s shortage list
• You must be under the age of 55
• You must submit an “Expression of Interest” and Immigration will determine whether or not you have the qualifications and skills necessary
• You and your partner may live, work, and study in New Zealand under this visa

For more information on the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa click here

My Experience

In October 2015 I applied for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa online on a whim.  I had been out of university for about 4-5 months and during my time in school I regularly researched ways to work abroad.  New Zealand had been high on my bucket list of destinations for many years and the opportunity seemed a bit too good to be true, but too easy not to try.

My visa application was accepted within 4 days.

 I was absolutely stunned when the realization hit me that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity I forced myself to apply for.  You can only be granted a Working Holiday Visa once for New Zealand.  I was so afraid to tell my family that I actually texted them all a group text to avoid the confrontation, oops.  But!! Everyone was excited, supportive, and a little sad.

Please please leave a comment if you found PART ONE of my guide to moving to New Zealand helpful and don’t hesitate to share it with your friends.  In forthcoming parts, I aim to discuss IRD’s (what they are and how to get them), setting up a phone plans, packing lists (?) and perhaps where to live (or categorize and discuss each of the country’s regions?).

Please tell me if any of this interests you because it’s super important that I produce something that is helpful, rather than something that only I find interesting.

What you can expect as I continue this series is hearing about… more bits and bobs about my experience moving to New Zealand (including up’s and down’s and how I dealt with them), tips on how to connect with other people who are doing what you’re doing, and perhaps job hunting help (maybe).  Again, this is a very “go with a flow”, “figure it out” approach to a hopefully exceptional, informative and inspirational guide that’ll help you feel ready pack your bags for New Zealand with confidence and a only a few friendly butterflies in your stomach!

Further reading that might interest you!

I Bought a One-Way Ticket To New Zealand

7 Ways To Save Money For Travel