New Zealand student visa

Immigration New Zealand targets a 3-week average on a complete file, though you should allow up to 8 weeks in the October to March peak. The fee starts from NZD 850 (~INR 48K). The single biggest factor in a fast decision is a clean, well-documented file, which is exactly what we build with you before submitting.

You prove NZD 20,000 in living costs for one year, on top of tuition. The cleanest route is a Funds Transfer Scheme (FTS) account with ANZ New Zealand: you deposit the living costs, and it releases them to you in instalments after you land. A solvency letter is the fallback. Be warned, unclear or insufficient financial proof is the number one reason NZ student visas get refused, so we double-check every figure.

Most student visa holders can work up to 25 hours a week in semester and full-time in scheduled breaks. At the NZD 23.95 minimum wage (from 1 April 2026), 25 hours is roughly NZD 600 a week before tax, a real dent in your living costs. Your exact conditions are printed on your visa, so always read them, and we'll confirm them with you.

Unclear or insufficient financial proof, by a distance. After that: a weak Statement of Purpose, Genuine Temporary Entrant concerns about whether you'll return home, mismatched details across documents, and unexplained study gaps. None of it is about luck, it's about preparation, which is the part we obsess over. And to be plain: no consultant can guarantee a visa, and anyone who promises one is misleading you.

Masters and PhD graduates get a 3-year open Post-Study Work Visa, no employer sponsorship and no Green List restriction. Bachelor's graduates get work rights equal to their study length (so ~3 years for a standard 3-year degree), and Level 7 diploma holders get 1–2 years depending on the qualification. It's one of the most generous post-study deals going, and a big reason we rate NZ for Indian students right now.