Interim Visa — stay lawful while waiting on a new temporary visa

An Interim Visa is a temporary visa INZ usually grants automatically so you can stay lawfully if your current temporary visa expires while INZ is assessing another temporary visa (work, study, or visitor). You do not lodge a separate Interim Visa application — if you qualify, INZ grants it automatically.

A few useful points:

• Main conditions: you hold a temporary visa; you have lodged a new temporary visa; you are in New Zealand; you meet other requirements; and you have not previously held a Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa or 2021 Interim Visa.
• INZ must receive and accept your new temporary visa application for processing BEFORE your current visa expires — include the required documents.
• If you are waiting on residence and your temporary visa may expire, consider lodging another temporary visa so you can qualify for an Interim Visa if needed.
• Conditions on an Interim Visa often mirror your previous temporary visa, but check the visa label / eVisa carefully.
• An Interim Visa does not decide your new application — it only keeps you lawful while you wait.