Travel disrupted by
the Middle East
situation
Issued: Monday 02 Mar 2026, 07:10 pm NZDT
We have established a priority phone line from Monday to Friday for people to contact us about this specific situation. Call 0508 558 855 (toll free from NZ landlines) or +64 9 914 4100 and press option 7. For information about what options are available to you, check:
Middle East: advice for temporary visa holders in New Zealand affected by travel disruptions
Resident visas to live in New Zealand
Learn about the different resident visas you can apply for based on your skills. Find out about the ballots for some Pacific island countries. Learn how to check or change the conditions of your visa if you already have a resident visa.
Skilled residence pathways in New Zealand
Find out how to get a resident visa for New Zealand based on your skills.
Resident visas for Samoa, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tonga and Fiji nationals
New Zealand has a special relationship with the Pacific countries of Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. To recognise this, we run two ballots that can lead to residence for some citizens from these countries.
Check or change your resident visa conditions
Resident visas have rules about what you can do, including travelling overseas up to a certain date. You can apply to extend this date or to get permanent residence.
Permanent residence
Permanent residence is usually the next step after residence. You can live and work in New Zealand indefinitely and come and go as you like.
Non-principal applicants applying for permanent residence, second visas or variations
If you were included in someone else's residence application you may be able to get a Permanent Resident Visa, a Second or Subsequent Resident Visa or extend your travel conditions before the principal applicant.
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