Character Requirements for New Zealand Visas: What You Must Prove

New Zealand visa applicants must satisfy a character requirement. If you are not of good character, you can be refused entry permission as well as residence. The requirement applies at the border, during the application process, and to certain categories of visa holders, including Australian citizens and permanent residents who are granted residence on arrival. You will be asked about your character in your New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD), and you may be refused residence if you are not of good character. What counts as good character is set out by Immigration New Zealand, and you should check the specific character requirements for your visa type before you travel or apply.

What the character requirement is

The character requirement is a condition you must meet to be granted a visa or entry permission. Immigration New Zealand states plainly that you can be refused entry permission as well as residence in New Zealand if you are not of good character. This applies to people applying for visas from outside New Zealand and to people who are granted a visa on arrival.

The requirement is not limited to criminal convictions. You will be asked about your character in your NZTD, which everyone entering New Zealand must complete. The NZTD is a declaration you make before you travel, and the answers you give are part of the assessment of whether you meet the character requirement.

The character requirement applies to a range of visa categories. For example, Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents who are normally granted a resident visa on arrival must meet the character requirements for an Australian Resident Visa. If you are not of good character, you can be refused residence in New Zealand.

How character is assessed

Character is assessed through the information you provide in your application and in your NZTD. Immigration New Zealand does not publish a fixed list of offences that automatically disqualify you. Instead, the assessment considers the totality of your circumstances, including any criminal history, and whether you pose a risk to the security or public order of New Zealand.

If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, the assessment happens at the border. When you complete your NZTD, you must answer section 7 correctly — this asks if you hold an Australian passport or Permanent Residence Visa. If there are no issues, you will be given a resident visa. If there are character issues, you can be refused entry permission as well as residence.

The same principle applies to people who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents. If you apply for a visa from outside New Zealand, your character is assessed as part of the application. If you are already in New Zealand and apply for a further visa, your character may be reassessed.

Who must meet the character requirement

The character requirement applies to almost everyone seeking to enter or stay in New Zealand. It is not limited to residence applications. The following table summarises the categories where Immigration New Zealand explicitly states the character requirement applies.

Category	Character requirement	Where it is stated
Australian citizens entering New Zealand	Must meet character requirements for an Australian Resident Visa	Immigration New Zealand, Australian citizens and permanent residents travelling to New Zealand
Australian permanent residents entering New Zealand	Must meet character requirements for an Australian Resident Visa	Immigration New Zealand, Australian citizens and permanent residents travelling to New Zealand
All people entering New Zealand	Can be refused entry permission and residence if not of good character	Immigration New Zealand, Australian citizens and permanent residents travelling to New Zealand
People completing an NZTD	Will be asked about their character in the NZTD	Immigration New Zealand, Australian citizens and permanent residents travelling to New Zealand

If you are a citizen of a country that has a working holiday agreement with New Zealand, you must also meet the character requirement. Immigration New Zealand does not exempt working holiday applicants from the character requirement. The same applies to people applying for work visas, student visas, and visitor visas.

What you need to declare

You must declare any information relevant to your character in your application and in your NZTD. This includes criminal convictions, charges, and any other matters that may affect your character assessment. Immigration New Zealand states that you can be refused entry permission as well as residence if you are not of good character.

The NZTD is a mandatory declaration for everyone entering New Zealand. If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you must answer section 7 correctly. If you do not, you may be given a visitor visa at the border instead of a resident visa, and your working holiday visa may be cancelled. This is a separate consequence from the character requirement, but it shows the importance of completing declarations accurately.

If you are unsure whether a particular matter affects your character, you should declare it. Immigration New Zealand does not provide a list of matters that are automatically disqualifying, so the safest approach is to disclose anything that could be relevant and to provide supporting evidence if you have it.

Character and residence on arrival

Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents are normally granted a resident visa on arrival in New Zealand. This is called an Australian Resident Visa. To be granted this visa, you must meet the character requirements for an Australian Resident Visa. If you are not of good character, you can be refused residence.

The process for getting a resident visa on arrival is straightforward for people who meet the requirements. When you complete your NZTD, you answer section 7 correctly. When you arrive, you go to the e-Gate or SmartGate if you have a passport for these gates. If not, you go to the main customs line and explain to the Customs/Immigration Officer that you are applying for a resident visa. If there are no issues, you will be given a resident visa.

If there are character issues, the officer may refuse to grant you a resident visa. You could be refused entry permission as well as residence. This means you may not be allowed to enter New Zealand at all.

What to do if you have a character issue

If you have a criminal conviction or another matter that may affect your character, you should not assume you cannot apply. Immigration New Zealand assesses each case on its own merits. However, you should be prepared to provide evidence and to explain the circumstances.

The first step is to check the character requirements for the specific visa you are applying for. Immigration New Zealand publishes character requirements for each visa type. The requirements may differ between visa categories, so you should not rely on general information.

The second step is to declare the matter in your application and in your NZTD. Failure to declare a relevant matter can lead to a refusal even if the matter itself would not have been disqualifying.

The third step is to seek advice from a licensed immigration adviser if you are unsure how to proceed. Immigration New Zealand does not provide individual advice on character issues, and the consequences of a refusal can be serious.

What to verify on the official page

The character requirement is set out in Immigration New Zealand’s guidance on visas and entry permission. You should check the official page for your visa type to confirm the specific character requirements that apply to you.

If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, check the page on Australian citizens and permanent residents travelling to New Zealand. This page sets out the character requirements for the Australian Resident Visa and explains how character is assessed at the border.

If you are applying for a working holiday visa, check the page on who can apply for a working holiday visa. This page sets out the conditions of the visa, including the requirement to be coming mainly to holiday and the work and study conditions.

If you are applying for any other visa, check the page on visas for working in New Zealand. This page lists the different work visas and the requirements for each. The character requirement is a standard condition for most visas, but you should confirm the specific requirements for your visa type.

Immigration New Zealand also publishes a dedicated page on character requirements for New Zealand visas. You should check this page for the full list of matters that may affect your character and for the evidence you may need to provide.