New Zealand has become a quite famous destination for Indian students to fulfil their dreams of pursuing a quality-rich, affordable and well recognized higher education. As of 2015, more than 30,000 Indians enrolled in the universities of New Zealand. Plenty of work opportunities along with a British-based education make the country extremely desirable for pursuing any educational program. For this, you will require a New Zealand visa for Indian students which can be readily obtained, provided you abide by all the rules.

In this article, we shall discuss the various aspects of New Zealand visa requirement for Indian students

Who needs a student visa?

A New Zealand student visa is required if you wish to pursue a full-time course in the country as an international student. Following are the education programs that require Indian to obtain a Student visa.

• Primary or Secondary school
• Higher Secondary school
• Higher Secondary school exchange programs
• Graduate and Post Graduate Coursework
• Postgraduate Research
• Vocational Education and Training
• Any English Language course
• International students sponsored by their country’s government.
• Distance learning or correspondence course (in case you want to appear for exams in NZ)

Types of Study Visas in New Zealand

1. Fee Paying Student Visa: Allows you to study full-time and work as well. It stays valid up to 4 years.
2. Exchange Student Visa: Study full-time in approved exchange programs of New Zealand, it stays valid up to 4 years.
3. New Zealand Aid Student Visa: Allows you to study full-time, but is only applicable for students who have New Zealand Aid Programme funding.
4. Student and Trainee Work Visa: Students who need to undertake practical work experience as part of their study program may do so from New Zealand. Medical, dental, religious trainees or apprentice jockeys can apply for this.
5. Pathway Student Visa: Allows you to pursue 3 consecutive courses while working on a single student visa. It can stay valid up to 5 years.
6. Foreign Government Supported Student Visa: Indians who have a government scholarship or loan can apply for this and study full-time for 4 years.

What are the documents needed?

In order to enter New Zealand as a full-time student, you will need the New Zealand visa for Indian students. To complete your visa application, you are advised to have original and copies of the following documents: -

1. Identity proof Students are required to provide an identity proof, for this two passport-sized color photographs and a valid passport is needed. The passport should have validity till 3 months after your course’s completion.
2. Health proof A medical certificate and/or chest X-ray is compulsory to be provided by Indians. This should be from an approved medical practitioner only.
3. Character proof Students who are aged 17 and over shall be needed to provide Police Clearance Certificate as a proof of their goof character. These should be issued from a region where you have resided since the past 5 years.
4. Offer of Place Offer from the university you have been admitted to is needed, it should include the duration of your course, the type of study (full time, part-time etc.) and the confirmation of the paid tuition fee.
5. Proof of funds It is required that the applicant must prove his/her financial credibility to cover all living, travel and academic expenditure. You may furnish current bank statements, mutual or provident funds, if applicable, then scholarship evidence or any other relevant documents.
6. Statement of Intent You shall be required to submit a statement explaining why you chose a particular university in New Zealand and what you plan to do on completion of your course.
7. You should have full medical and travel insurance that covers the entire duration of your stay.
8. In case you are have been sponsored by a citizen or resident of New Zealand or you have received a government scholarship, then the suitable Sponsorship Form(s) and/or proof of the same needs to submitted.
9. In order to establish your eligibility criteria for pursuing a particular course, you need to submit the certified copies of your IELTS score, GMAT Score, TOEFL score or other relevant tests.
10. Certified copies of your latest educational results, character certificates, recommendation letters, and other relevant documents.

Note: Please note that this is a standard-generalized list of documents needed by Indian students to pursue educational courses in New Zealand. You may need to furnish additional documents as per your visa type and university selection. You can go through the Checklist for Fee Paying Student Visa to get more details. For more information, visit Immigration New Zealand .

Procedure for a student visa

You need to first select the suitable visa that would be required as per your study program. Once you have understood your visa type and have gathered all the necessary documents, just follow these steps to apply for a New Zealand visa for Indian students: -

1. Once accepted in your chosen university, you will be issued an Offer Letter. You can officially begin your application process after receiving the Offer Letter.
2. After this you need to complete a medical examination, in addition to receiving a Police Clearance Certificate from the Regional Passport office or from the Deputy Commissioner of Police of your area.
3. Following this you can fill the visa application form INZ 1012, it can be done manually or online. You must attach all the relevant documents mentioned above along with your application.
4. You can pay the visa fee online or in person. Follow this link to know about the method of payment and fees (external link).
5. Once you have completed and submitted the application you can check the visa status online by registering and creating an account. Usually, the processing time is 3-4 weeks.

Things to keep in mind

Following are some aspects which you must keep in mind while fulfilling the New Zealand visa requirement for Indian students: -

1. If you apply for the visa via an immigration adviser, then make sure that the agency is licensed. The INZ may reject an application submitted on behalf of an adviser who isn’t licensed.
2. It is advisable for you to carry copies (soft copy and hard copy) of your certificates and documents, as they will come in handy in case of loss or theft.
3. If you change your course or course work provider, please ensure to inform the immigration department at the earliest.
4. You should be wary of not extending your stay in New Zealand without proper legal sanctions.
5. Please ensure that you do not cross the permitted working hours’ limit sanctioned by the INZ.

Reasons for rejection

Please ensure that you do not cross the permitted working hours limit sanctioned by the INZ. -

1. You fail to meet the character requirement set by immigration department.
2. Inability to generate proof of sufficient funds for your stay.
3. The INZ is not satisfied by the purpose of your study program.
4. Discrepancies in any other documents, such as travel or identity proof.
5. Failure of medical examination or Police Clearance Certificate.
6. If the visa office questions the credibility of your Offer Letter.

New Zealand presents various opportunities to Indian students to positively impact their academics and career. The country is highly safe as well, so do check out various programs offered by NZ’s universities or institutions. Moreover, procuring a NZ visa has become very easy due to its student-friendly application process. You can even obtain a Spanish visa for Indians or a Spanish tourist visa easily- all you need is to follow each step efficiently!