Under the new system, which will take effect from October 5, 2026, 90 per cent of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) will be selected based on the date they were submitted, while the remaining 10 per cent will be chosen through a ballot.
The Parent Resident Visa allows eligible parents of New Zealand citizens and residents to apply to live permanently in the country. Applicants must first submit an EOI, which can lead to an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for residence if selected and if they meet the relevant requirements.
Under the revised selection model, EOIs that have been waiting the longest will generally be considered first through the date-order selection, while the ballot system will continue to give newer applicants an opportunity to be selected.
The annual allocation for Parent Resident Visas will remain unchanged at 2,500 visas per financial year, and there will be no changes to the existing eligibility requirements.
Another significant change is that EOIs will no longer expire. Applicants who have already submitted an EOI will therefore not have to worry about it expiring while they wait for selection.
However, applicants must still satisfy all Parent Resident Visa requirements before they can receive an invitation to apply for residence.
The new hybrid selection system will officially begin on October 5, 2026, with the first selection under the revised process scheduled for November 10, 2026.
The changes could be particularly important for families seeking to reunite with parents in New Zealand, especially those whose EOIs have been waiting in the selection pool.
For Nigerians with parents or children in New Zealand, the new system could make the process more predictable, although selection of an EOI does not automatically guarantee the grant of a residence visa.
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