As international students prepare for New Zealand’s next mid-year intake, Immigration New Zealand has revealed a significant reduction in visa processing times, which will relieve them. 

Updates in Visa Processing 2025

• From 1 January to 31 March 2025, student visas took an average of 12 calendar days to process, compared to 24 days between the same dates in 2024, cutting the waiting time in half.
• Presently, International student visas take up to 10 days (2 weeks) on average.
• Since the tertiary mid-year intake is almost at the door, international students should apply without any further delay. 
• For real-time updates, be sure to check visa wait times on the official website
  NZ Immigration: International Student Visa Wait Times

Key Reminders from Immigration New Zealand (INZ) 2025

1. Visa Conditions Must be Met

Student Visa holders are expected to meet the following conditions:

• Attend their study programs consistently
• Be present at the place of study endorsed on their visa
• Make satisfactory academic headway

Understand that, unless there are genuine reasons, absence or poor performance can negatively impact future visa applications.

2. Poor attendance/Progress

Immigration New Zealand receives several applications from international students in New Zealand who have poor attendance and/or progress, without any explanation of why.

• If students do have poor attendance or face difficulty in progressing, it is recommended that a new visa application be lodged, and a reason should be provided to avoid the INZ requesting further information. This will help prevent delays in processing.

3. Enrolment Termination

If any student’s enrolment is terminated, providers must report a Termination of Enrolment (ToE) form to INZ.

This is necessary even if:

• The student visa is not physically sighted by the provider.
• The student’s tuition fees are being refunded by the provider.

The improvements to the visa processing align with New Zealand’s commitment to rebuilding its international education system. 

Processing is now faster than ever, and with mid-year intake fast approaching, international students are encouraged to be early movers and stay up to date.