New Zealand announced new 2022 Special Ukraine Visa to reunite families. Applications are open for 12 months from 15 March 2022.

How to get the visa

If you are a Ukrainian New Zealander you can sponsor family members in Ukraine to apply for the new temporary visa. You first need to complete an expression of interest (EOI) and nominate them.

If you are in Ukraine, once your New Zealand family member has nominated you, you can apply for the visa. If you cannot apply yourself your New Zealand family member can apply on your behalf.

Who can apply

To be eligible to apply for the 2022 Special Ukraine Visa, you must have family members in New Zealand who are eligible to sponsor you.

You must have been living in Ukraine as at January 2022, and you must be of good health and character.

Eligible family members in New Zealand can sponsor their:

• parents
• grandparents
• siblings
• adult children.

Each of those people can include their partners and dependent children in their visa application.

Who is eligible to sponsor

To be eligible to sponsor, you must:

• be ordinarily resident in New Zealand
• be a New Zealand citizen or the holder of a current residence class visa
• have been born in Ukraine, or have held citizenship or be a permanent resident of Ukraine, and
• be an acceptable sponsor for a temporary visa.

How to apply

• A Ukrainian in New Zealand who is a citizen or permanent resident nominates a family member and their family to us.
• We will tell the sponsor the family member can apply for a visa (and will send the application form to the sponsor).
• The sponsor or the family member must send in the application within 4 months.
• We will assess the application and grant the visa.
• If the visa is granted the family member will have 9 months to travel to NZ.

INZ 1371 2022 Special Ukraine Visa Expression of interestPDF 613KB

There are no fees for the application.

If you are successful

If you are invited to apply and your application is successful, you and your wider family will be offered a 2-year visa with the ability for adults to work in New Zealand and for children aged 18 and under to study in New Zealand.

The family member in New Zealand who will sponsor your application will be responsible for your accommodation and living costs when you come here.

If granted one of these visas, you will need to travel to New Zealand within 9 months.

We are happy to provide visa assistance to you and your family. You can book a consult here.