New Zealand Visa Fees to Increase: What Students Need to Know

The New Zealand government announced fee increases for all visas, including student visas, effective October 1, 2024. 

There are no changes at this time to visa fee waivers, so students who are US citizens will still only pay the tourism levy. That tourism levy will increase from $35 NZD (approx $22 USD) to $100 NZD (approx $62 USD). 

Students with citizenship from other countries will see increased visa application fees. The current visa fee is $280 NZD (approx. $170 USD) and it will increase to $485 NZD (approx. $295 USD) on October 1. Fees vary by citizenship, so some students may pay more. 

We encourage our home school advisors to take this fee increase into account when advising students, especially those with financial concerns. All students must be prepared to cover the following up-front out-of-pocket expenses:

• Visa fee, which will likely range from $62 USD for US citizens to $500 USD for students with citizenship from other countries
• Non-refundable program deposit of $500 USD (depending on the billing agreement with your school), and 
• The round trip flight to New Zealand, estimated at around $2,000 USD (inclusive of an international flight to Auckland for Arcadia orientation, then a domestic flight to their final destination city where applicable; i.e. Wellington, Christchurch, or Dunedin)

Despite this fee increase, the NZ student visa is still quite cost-effective compared to other countries (Australia recently raised their visa fee to approximately $1,100 USD). The cost of living will be lower in Christchurch and Dunedin so if cost is a concern, we recommend students consider the University of Canterbury or the University of Otago. 

We also encourage consideration of our programs in Namibia & South Africa, Mexico, and Costa Rica, where the cost of living is low and visa fees (where applicable) are low and built into the program’s tuition. As always, we will work closely with students to guide them through the visa application process. If there are any questions or concerns about students managing this increased out-of-pocket cost, please let us know. All students are encouraged to apply for scholarships!