Straight to Residence Visa processing time: current New Zealand figures
Immigration New Zealand currently reports that 50% of Straight to Residence Visa applications are processed within 53 working days, and 80% within 94 working days. These are working days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and New Zealand public holidays.
The figures are a guide based on current processing timeframes, not a deadline or promise for an individual application. Missing information, application complexity and peak demand can make a case take longer.
Which residence route this time describes
These figures belong only to the current Straight to Residence Visa entry in INZ’s processing-time tool. They do not describe the one-off 2021 Resident Visa, the Work to Residence Visa or another residence category.
GovWait keeps the 50% and 80% working-day measures separate because they describe different points in the official distribution. Neither point is a promised decision date for one application.
Route facts checked October 2, 2026 against INZ Straight to Residence Visa guidance. Eligibility and visa conditions can change; the official page controls.
History we have recorded
| Official measure | Official value | First observed | Verified on that observation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50% processed | 53 working days | October 2, 2026 | October 2, 2026 |
| 80% processed | 94 working days | October 2, 2026 | October 2, 2026 |
| 50% processed | 56 working days | September 25, 2026 | September 25, 2026 |
| 80% processed | 95 working days | September 25, 2026 | September 25, 2026 |
| 50% processed | 50 working days | September 1, 2026 | September 1, 2026 |
| 50% processed | 46 working days | August 23, 2026 | August 23, 2026 |
| 80% processed | 92 working days | August 23, 2026 | August 23, 2026 |
INZ does not provide a source update date for this tool. We therefore date a value when GovWait first observes it and add a new history row only when the official value changes.
How to read New Zealand’s 50% and 80% processing-time figures →