Archive · 9 Aug 2026
New Zealand Overhauls Parent Resident Visa Selection To Hybrid System
New Zealand has changed how families can bring parents to live with them in the country.
The Parent Resident Visa lets eligible parents of New Zealand citizens and residents settle there permanently.
Before, families were picked by a lottery, which felt like a lucky draw.
Some people waited for years without knowing if their parents would ever be chosen.
Now, New Zealand will mostly use a waiting line instead of a lottery.
About 9 out of every 10 applications will be chosen based on how long they have been waiting.
The other 1 out of 10 will still be picked by lucky draw.
New Zealand will still only give out 2,500 of these visas every year.
The new way starts on 5 October 2026, and the first pick under it happens in November 2026.
This change makes the process fairer and more predictable for families who have waited a long time.
New Zealand will replace the ballot-only selection for Parent Resident Visas with a hybrid system effective 5 October 2026.
Around 90% of Expressions of Interest will be selected in chronological order, while 10% will continue to be chosen by ballot.
The annual cap of 2,500 Parent Resident Visas will remain unchanged.
The final selection under the existing ballot system will take place on 11 August 2026, with the first new-system selection scheduled for 10 November 2026.
As of 5 August 2026, the pool held 7,931 valid EOIs representing 11,904 people.
- Who
- Immigration New Zealand, the New Zealand Government, and applicants (parents of New Zealand citizens and residents) along with their sponsors
- What
- A revised Parent Resident Visa selection process that replaces the ballot system with a hybrid model prioritising chronological order
- When
- Final ballot selection on 11 August 2026; new hybrid system from 5 October 2026; first selection under the new system on 10 November 2026
- Where
- New Zealand
- Why
- To make the selection process fairer, clearer and more predictable for families, prioritising applicants who have already waited a long time
- Annual visa cap
- 2,500 Parent Resident Visas
- EOIs selected chronologically
- 90%
- EOIs selected by ballot
- 10%
- New system effective date
- 5 October 2026
- Final ballot selection
- 11 August 2026
- First new-system selection
- 10 November 2026
- Pool size (as of 5 August 2026)
- 7,931 valid EOIs representing 11,904 people