Travelling to New Zealand

The following people will not be eligible for a Visa unless a character waiver is granted:-

• People with criminal convictions for immigration, citizenship or passport offences
• People convicted of offences for which they have been imprisoned
• People who have provided false or misleading information
• Certain excluded, deported or removed people
• People wanted for questioning, under investigation for, or charged or convicted of criminal offences over a set threshold

Under sections 15 and 16 of the Immigration Act they will not grant you a visa if:

• you have been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 5 years or more (this applies even if any of your offences have later been taken off the record)
• in the past 10 years you were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 12 months or more
• you are subject to a period of prohibition on entry to New Zealand under section 179 or 180 of the Immigration Act 2009
• you have been deported or removed from New Zealand under any enactment (whether before or after the commencement of the Immigration Act 2009)
• you are excluded from New Zealand under any enactment
• you have, at any time, been removed, excluded, or deported from another country
• you have been involved in terrorist activities, or belonged to or supported any organisation involved in terrorist activities
• it is believed you are likely to commit – or to assist others to commit – criminal or drug offences, or an act of terrorism, in New Zealand
• it is believed you are likely – due to any international circumstances – to be a danger to New Zealand’s security or public order
• it is believed you are associated with an organisation or group that has criminal objectives or is engaged in criminal activities and for that – or any other reason – you’re considered to be a threat to the public interest or public order of New Zealand.