24/07/2026
Parent Category Resident Visa - Review Update
For clients and colleagues with parents in the Parent Category resident visa queue, an update is worth reading.
According to RNZ (reporting by Gill Bonnett), Immigration Minister Erica Stanford's office has indicated the long-awaited review of parent category settings will be announced by the end of August 2026. Expected areas of focus:
β The ballot system itself, currently capped at 2,500 places a year. There's growing pressure to move back to a chronological queue, given the fairness concerns raised by applicants who've waited years.
β Sponsor income thresholds remain a barrier for many families: $109,200/year for one parent, $145,600/year for two.
β The government's alternative, the 5-year Parent Boost Visitor Visa, has significantly undershot expectations, with just 873 approvals by the end of June against a forecast of roughly 6,000 applications a year, largely attributed to high health insurance costs for older applicants.
Around 12,000 Expressions of Interest have been lodged over the past two years, roughly half from couples, underscoring the scale of demand this review needs to address.
We'll be watching closely and will share confirmed details as soon as INZ announces the outcome.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/773561/new-residence-rules-for-migrants-parents-around-the-corner
Happy to discuss how this may affect your specific situation.
*Correction: This story has been updated to clarify comments by the minister