Status as at 22 August 2026: In force (effective 1 July 2026)
Immigration New Zealand requires student and temporary visa applicants to provide police certificates upfront upon application submission. Submission receipts or confirmation notices are no longer accepted, and incomplete applications risk being declined or granted for a shorter duration without a prior request for further information [1].
What this means in practice
Under updated immigration operational settings, police clearance documents from relevant home countries must be fully obtained and uploaded when lodging visa applications. Receipts showing that a police certificate has been requested or applied for will not be accepted by Immigration New Zealand.
If required certificates are missing at lodgement, applications may be declined or approved for a reduced duration without INZ issuing requests for further information. Specific exemptions apply for applicants from Fiji, Hong Kong, and Israel, where police certificates are sent directly by issuing authorities to INZ; applicants from these jurisdictions must upload official proof of application submission instead.
Who should check this
This update is relevant for prospective international students, temporary workers, visitors, and other temporary visa applicants, as well as immigration advisers and education providers assisting applicants with visa documentation workflows.
Practical checklist
- Obtain official police certificates from all relevant home countries prior to submitting your visa application.
- Upload complete police clearance documents directly to your application during initial lodgement.
- Provide official proof of application submission if applying from Fiji, Hong Kong, or Israel, where authorities send certificates directly to INZ.
- Verify that all necessary background check documentation is attached to avoid application declines or shortened visa durations.
Important limits or current position
This policy update applies specifically to student and temporary visa applications; permanent residence categories are governed by separate instructions.
Not sure whether this update affects your plan? Start your NZ visa assessment
This article is general information, not individual immigration advice.
Source note: Based on an official Immigration New Zealand announcement published 1 July 2026. Article status: In force.
[1] Immigration New Zealand. (2026, July 1). Police certificates required upfront for student and temporary visas. Open source on immigration.govt.nz ↗