Will Your Health Affect Your New Zealand Visa? Understanding the Acceptable Standard of Health

Hannah McCarthy

4 September 2025   

Get in touch now to discuss your visa application and any concerns you may have around the Acceptable Standard of Health criteria.

Your health and why it is important to Immigration New Zealand and your visa application 

Applying for a New Zealand visa isn’t just about completing forms or showing you can support yourself financially. Immigration New Zealand will also look closely at your health. 

If you are applying for a visa to live, work, or study in New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand will assess whether you meet the Acceptable Standard of Health. This is a key part of the immigration process and failure to meet it could mean your visa is declined.  

However, with the right preparation, and in some cases, a medical waiver, applicants with health conditions are still able to live, work, or study in New Zealand. Getting advice early on in the process is crucial and something our team can help with.  

What is Immigration New Zealand’s Acceptable Standard of Health?

The Acceptable Standard of Health is Immigration New Zealand’s criteria for deciding whether a visa applicant is likely to: 

• Pose a risk to public health 

• Place significant cost or demand on New Zealand’s publicly funded health or education services 

• Be unable to work or study in the role or course their visa is for. 

If Immigration New Zealand believes your health condition meets any of these criteria, your application may be declined.  

The good news is that this is not necessarily the end of the road, some applicants in limited circumstances can be considered for a medical waiver and/or for an exception to the health rules where there are compelling circumstances. This area of immigration law is complex, obtaining expert immigration advice is recommended.  

The Significant Cost Health Threshold and how it impacts your application

One of the more common reasons applicants don’t meet the Acceptable Standard of Health is the Significant Cost Threshold.  This is a benchmark used by Immigration New Zealand to decide whether your medical condition is likely to cost New Zealand’s public health system more than NZ$81,000 over five years (or for the expected duration of your condition, if shorter). 

Examples of medical conditions that might go beyond this threshold include: 

• The need for ongoing dialysis treatment 

• Chronic cardiac or respiratory diseases 

• Cancer requiring ongoing treatment  

• Medical conditions requiring regular use of very expensive medications or daily care.  

Even if your condition is costly to treat, in limited circumstances waivers may be possible. If you are unsure how your situation fits the threshold, it’s worth seeking advice before applying to increase your chances of success.  

What kind of medical evidence might I need for my visa application?

The exact medical evidence required for your visa application will depend on the type of visa you are applying for, your intended length of stay, your age, and your personal health history as well as whether you have previously provided medical information to Immigration New Zealand.  

You will likely need a medical examination, along with blood and urine tests, as well as a chest X-ray conducted by an approved medical professional for most visa applications. 

Those being treated for an illness may need to supply additional information including medical certificates or reports from treating doctors or specialists describing diagnosis, treatment, medicines, and prognosis. 

Not sure what level of medical evidence you need to supply? We can help identify what your application requires so that you can have the best chance of being approved.  

Medical waivers 

A medical waiver gives Immigration New Zealand the ability to approve your visa application even if you don’t meet the Acceptable Standard of Health requirement. You cannot directly apply for a medical waiver, Immigration New Zealand decides whether to grant one when processing a visa application.  

Different rules apply in relation to medical waivers for residence applications as opposed to temporary visa application (e.g. work visas, student visas, visitor visas).  

Overall, Immigration New Zealand will look at factors such as: 

• Which visa category you’re applying for  

• If you can meet the rest of the visa application requirements 

• What support you would need from New Zealand’s health and education services 

• How severe your condition is 

• Your ties to New Zealand such as family, or job offers  

• Your potential benefit or contribution to New Zealand 

• How long you are staying 

It is important to highlight that from 17 March 2025, New Zealand tightened the health requirements for dependent children of temporary visa holders. Under the revised rules, children of work, student, or military visa holders who have severe developmental disorders or severe cognitive impairments requiring significant support are no longer considered to meet health criteria and are thus ineligible for student or visitor visas — unless granted a medical waiver. Seeking expert advice is highly recommended in this situation and our Immigration Team at Pitt & Moore has vast experience in this area. 

When can Immigration New Zealand grant a medical waiver?

Temporary Visa Applications

You may be considered for a medical waiver if you are: 

• Applying for a work visa as a seconded businessperson. 

• A refugee or protection status claimant, or already hold refugee/protection status in New Zealand. 

• The partner or dependent child of a New Zealand citizen or resident and: 

• Your purpose is to visit your partner/parent. 

• You meet criteria for a Partnership Resident Visa or Dependent Child Resident Visa. 

• A dependent of a work, student, or military visa holder with a severe developmental or cognitive condition requiring significant support. 

Resident Visa Applications 

In most cases, a medical waiver will be granted for a resident visa application if you are: 

• the partner or dependent child of a New Zealand citizen or resident, and 

• you meet all other visa application requirements. 

However, there are instanced where your application will be declined, including if you need dialysis, have severe haemophilia or need full time care.  

What are some of the questions included in an Immigration New Zealand medical examination form?

You can expect to answer questions like the below as part of your medical assessment: 

• Have you ever had prolonged medical treatment and/or repeated hospital admissions for any reason, including a major operation or psychiatric illness? 

• Do you have diabetes? 

• Do you have any significant family health history? 

It is crucial to be honest and upfront with your answers as you are making a legal declaration that the information you provide is true and complete. 

Unsure whether your health will affect your visa? 

Contact our immigration team today for expert, confidential advice.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is of a general nature and is not intended as legal advice. It is important that you seek legal advice that is specific to your circumstances.