New Zealand Sets Age Limits for Visa Dependant Children

New Zealand Immigration has announced new guidelines regarding the inclusion of children in parents' applications for visitor or student visas. A child qualifies as a dependant if they are 19 years old or younger, single, and financially reliant on the parent.

For children aged 18 or 19, an additional condition is that they must not have children of their own. Parents applying for primary or secondary student visas, or visitor visas, can include children who meet these criteria.

If a child reaches the age of 20, they can no longer be added to a parent's visa application and must apply for a visa independently, as their relationship with the parent does not provide any immigration advantage for temporary visas. This change emphasizes that financial independence disqualifies older children from being considered dependants, regardless of their age.