Temporary Entry PDF - Immigration New Zealand

INZ Operational Manual Temporary entry
U6 OBTAINING STUDENT VISAS
U6.1 Courses of study lasting longer than 3 months
See previous instructions U6.1 Effective 29/11/2010
a. People who require a visa to visit New Zealand and who wish to come to New Zealand to
study full-time for a period longer than three months, must hold a student visa.
b. Potential students who are nationals of countries to whom a visitor visa waiver applies
(see E2.1) may enter New Zealand as visitors and apply for a student visa after their
arrival.
U6.1.1 Definition of 'full-time study'
a. For private training establishments full-time study is generally considered to be enrolment
in:
i a course of study that requires attendance for a minimum of 20 hours per week; or
ii at least three papers, or equivalent, per semester if the offered course is at Level 7 or
above on the New Zealand Qualification Framework.
b. For other tertiary institutions enrolment in at least three papers, or equivalent, per
semester is indicative of full-time study.
c. Any course of study that does not meet (a) or (b) above is usually considered to be parttime
(see U7.20).
d. The final decision on whether or not a student may be considered to be undertaking fulltime
study rests with immigration officers.
U6.5 Distance education (correspondence) students
Effective 07/11/2010
a. Distance education students may attend the New Zealand education provider at which
they are enrolled so that they can undertake practical study or sit examinations, or for any
other educational reason that requires their presence at the provider.
b. Students who apply to come to New Zealand for more than 3 months for this purpose may
be granted a student visa for the necessary period.
c. Students who wish to come to New Zealand for this purpose for less than 3 months may
do so on a visitor visa.
d. Immigration officers should sight evidence that distance students who apply for student or
visitor visas:
i are distance education students; and
ii have an offer of a place at an education provider (if they are in New Zealand for more
than 3 months); and
iii have paid the course fees or are exempt from having to pay them.
Effective 29/11/2010
U6.10 Membership of professional associations
a. Students may apply for a further student visa to undertake study towards membership of
professional associations (eg, legal professional studies).