When will New Zealand visa service fees increase for Indian applicants?

New Zealand visa service fees will increase for Indian applicants starting January 1, 2026.

Do the New Zealand visa fee increases apply to all applicants?

No, the increase applies only to service charges at select third-party Visa Application Centres in 26 countries, not to direct visa application fees paid to Immigration New Zealand.

What types of New Zealand visas are most affected by the fee hike in India?

Indian applicants for student and temporary work visas are among the user groups most affected by the rising VAC service charges.

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NZ Visa Fees Rise for Indians from 2026

18 Dec

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Summary

New Zealand visa service fees will increase starting January 1, 2026.
The fee hike applies only to select third-party Visa Application Centres.
Indian applicants for student and work visas are significantly impacted.

Effective January 1, 2026, individuals applying for New Zealand visas from India and 25 other countries will encounter higher service fees at select Visa Application Centres (VACs). This adjustment, announced by Immigration New Zealand on December 15, 2025, pertains solely to the service charges levied by third-party vendors for tasks like biometric capture and document submission. The official visa application fees payable directly to Immigration New Zealand remain unchanged.

The rationale behind this fee revision is to address escalating overseas operational expenditures and inflation impacting the delivery of crucial visa support services. Immigration New Zealand has specified that this change is limited to applicants utilizing VACs in designated countries and will not affect those applying entirely online or in unlisted locations. Indian applicants, frequently using VACs for student and temporary work visas, constitute a significant user group impacted by this policy.