Archive · 8 Oct 2026
New Zealand Shifts Parent Visa EOI Selection to Queue-Based System
New Zealand is changing how it chooses parents waiting for a Parent Resident Visa.
Most places will go to people whose applications have been waiting the longest.
A smaller share will be chosen randomly.
The selections are expected to happen four times each year.
The first one under the new system is planned for November 10, 2026.
The country will still approve up to 2,500 visas in principle each financial year.
People with a valid application on October 5, 2026, do not need to apply again.
They must, however, tell Immigration New Zealand that they still want to stay in the pool when asked.
The rules for who can qualify have not changed.
About 90% of Parent Resident Visa EOIs will be selected by submission date, while 10% will be selected by random ballot.
Selections are expected four times a year, with the first under the new system scheduled for November 10, 2026.
The annual limit remains 2,500 approvals in principle per financial year.
Valid EOIs held on October 5, 2026, transfer automatically; applicants do not need to submit new ones.
EOIs will no longer expire automatically after two years, but applicants must confirm continued interest within six months of each two-year anniversary.
- Who
- Parents seeking a New Zealand Parent Resident Visa, including Indian parents with existing EOIs.
- What
- New EOI selection rules prioritize submission date for about 90% of selections and use a random ballot for the remaining 10%.
- When
- The first selection under the new system is scheduled for November 10, 2026; selections are expected four times a year.
- Where
- New Zealand.
- Why
- The change alters how EOIs are selected; long-standing applicants may benefit from their place in the queue, while demand remains higher than available places.
- Queue-based share
- Approximately 90% of EOIs will be considered in submission-date order.
- Ballot share
- The remaining 10% will be selected through a random ballot.
- Selection frequency
- Selections are expected four times a year.
- First selection
- Scheduled for November 10, 2026.
- Annual limit
- 2,500 Parent Resident Visa approvals in principle each financial year.
- Existing EOIs
- Valid EOIs on October 5, 2026, transfer automatically to the new pool.
- EOI confirmation
- Applicants must confirm they wish to remain in the pool within six months of every two-year anniversary.
- Eligibility
- Eligibility requirements are unchanged, including an eligible New Zealand citizen or resident child as sponsor and other visa criteria.