To be able to enter New Zealand as a student, worker, or visitor we need to be assured that you and any family members with you have an acceptable standard of health. We impose this requirement to protect public health in New Zealand and to ensure that people entering New Zealand do not impose excessive costs and demands on our health and special education services. We also want to make sure that people who enter New Zealand are able to undertake the work or study for which they have been granted entry.
If you intend to give birth in New Zealand you are not considered to have an acceptable standard of health as it is likely you will impose significant costs and demands on New Zealand’s health services.
Generally, we will not approve the entry of people to New Zealand if they have:
- active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB)
- a relatively high probability of needing publicly funded health services during their stay in New Zealand, including, but not limited to:
- hospitalisation
- residential care*
- high-cost pharmaceuticals
- high-cost disability services
- applied for a student visa/permit, and are under 21 years of age and likely to qualify for ongoing and reviewable resourcing schemes (ORRS) funding.
* Residential care is long-term care provided in a live-in facility such as an aged-person’s facility or a facility for people with a physical, sensory, intellectual, or psychiatric disability.
Example
A person who requires dialysis treatment is likely to have their application to sudy, work, or visit in New Zealand declined.
Each applicant who intends to stay in New Zealand for more than six months and who has risk factors for TB is required to complete (and submit with their application) a Temporary Entry X-ray Certificate.
Each applicant who intends to stay in New Zealand for more than 12 months is required to complete (and submit with their application) a Medical and Chest X-ray Certificate.
Pregnant women and children under the age of 11 years are not required to submit the Chest X-ray certificate unless a special report is required.