New Zealand visa resources
From resident visa to permanent residence
A resident visa carries conditions; after two years meeting them you can usually apply for an unconditional Permanent Resident Visa, then eventually citizenship.
Important
New Zealand distinguishes between a resident visa, which carries conditions, and a Permanent Resident Visa, which has none. Both let you live in New Zealand permanently, but only the Permanent Resident Visa lets you travel in and out of the country indefinitely without your travel conditions expiring.
You can generally apply for a Permanent Resident Visa after holding a resident visa for at least 2 years and meeting its conditions. Living in New Zealand as a resident for long enough - broadly 5 years with at least 1,350 days present - then opens the door to New Zealand citizenship by grant, administered through the Department of Internal Affairs and govt.nz.
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.