A Complete Guide for New Zealand Student Visa Process

Pathway Student Visa

Students with offers from a Pathway education provider are eligible for a pathway student visa that allows students to take up to three consecutive courses on a single student visa. It will help you in saving a lot of time and energy which you would have spent if you had to apply for a separate visa for all these courses. Students must be able to pay the tuition fees for the issuance of this visa. Spouses or other dependents aren’t allowed on this visa, and they will have to apply separately if you wish to bring them with you for the duration of your studies. You must check the eligibility for the second and third courses beforehand for getting a pathway student visa. 

Most Indian students go on Fee-paying visas, as it is one of the most convenient ways to study in New Zealand. So, we will keep the focus on this visa type only, and give all the details regarding it. 

List of Documents for New Zealand Student Visa

If you are applying for a New Zealand student visa, you must keep all the documents handy, and keep them in a separate folder. You must ensure that all the documents are true to the best of your knowledge, and don’t have any discrepancy in them. Since the time window is pretty narrow, it’s better to have all the documents in place as any delay due to the rejection of the visa application will have a direct bearing on the studies. Now let’s see the set of documents needed for issuance of “Fee Paying Student Visa”. 

• A valid passport whose validity must be for at least three months after the completion of studies in New Zealand. 
• The letter of acceptance from a recognised educational institution in New Zealand. 
• The letter of acceptance or any other document substantiating all the details related to the minimum course duration, the tuition fee for the entire course, and other relevant details. 
• The university or the institution must be approved by the New Zealand qualification authority. 
• An offer of a place from a university in New Zealand that is recognised by the New Zealand qualification authority. 
• The evidence of having the financial capability of buying a return air ticket. 
• Passport-size photographs. 
• The application fees for the student visa. 
• Academic documents like transcripts, degree certificates, diplomas or any other document specified by the university. 
• A police certificate for visa applicants aged 17 or more, and the stay duration exceeds 24 months. It helps the authorities in assessing the character of the visa applicants. 
• A complete medical certificate issued by a registered practitioner in India. 
• The chest X-Ray certificate for students coming from countries with high cases of tuberculosis. 

Documents Related to Funds for Studying in New Zealand

There are two categories of countries, one that needs the transfer of funds to the educational institution before issuance of the student visa, and others that don't need the transfer of funds beforehand. New Zealand comes in the first category of countries. 

• Evidence that substantiates the financial capability of students to afford the cost of living at the time of stay. 
• Students have to show that they can afford to spend a minimum of 15000 NZD per annum on the cost of living. 
• Documents related to scholarships or any other financial assistance that the student visa applicant might have received. 
• Bank statements. 
• The undertaking of a financial sponsor to cover the cost of living and accommodation during the period of study. 

These are the broad set of documents that a student has to submit but they are not exhaustive. There are instances wherein you might have to provide additional documents if asked by the consulate or embassy officials. Do check all the documents before submitting them to avoid any instance of visa application rejection.