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Extending Your Working Holiday Visa - UK & Canada

New Zealand is so jam-packed with fun stuff it is highly possible you will watch the date of your visa expiry looming and decide you're not nearly ready to go. If so, it is possible to extend your visa.

Who Can Extend Their Visa and For How Long?

You can extend your working holiday visa for another 11 months if you are a UK or Canadian passport holder with a 'Working Holiday Scheme - Second Work Visa'. If you come from any other country a 3 month extension is possible with a 'Working Holidaymaker Extension Visa' but you will need to have completed and be able to show proof of working in the horticulture or viticulture industries for a total of 3 months. Read our 'all other countries' guide if you not from the UK or Canada, to find out how you extend your visa. 

All visa extensions will offer the same conditions of work and travel as your original visa.

 

UK AND CANADIAN CITIZENS

Conditions for Working Holiday Visa Extensions for UK and Canadian Citizens

  • You must be already in New Zealand and in possession of a current working holiday visa
  • You will have to complete a manual application form before your original visa expires.
  • You must be able to prove you have enough money to support yourself.
  • You must have a ticket for onward travel or enough funds to purchase one.
  • You will have to supply medical certificates and chest x-rays (unless you provided this with your original visa application).
  • You will need to pay a fee.
  • You will need to supply various other documents which include passport, passport photographs and original visa documentation.

The Application Form Step-by-Step for UK and Canadian Citizens

You will need to complete the form INZ 1223/'Working Holiday Scheme – Second Visa - Application' before your original visa has expired. The form can be picked up from any immigration office or you can download the form from the government website – www.immigration.govt.nz.

Completion must be done manually; there is no online option. Make sure you write in capitals throughout.

Page 1 – an information only page.

Section A – 'Your application' - this part asks you about your current visa circumstances and requires two passport photographs which must have been taken in the last 6 months. 

Section B – 'Personal details' – asks for name, gender, date of birth, passport number etc

Section C – 'Contact details' – asks for your home address, your New Zealand contacts' addresses (if you have them) and an address for correspondence which will be your address in New Zealand.

Section D – 'Travel plans' – asks for the date you arrived in New Zealand, the date you intend to leave and asks about your departure plans.

Section E – 'Your character' – asks you about any criminal convictions or previous immigration issues.

Section F – 'Your health' – this asks you a couple of basic health questions and also has questions concerning the medical certificates and chest x-rays you will need to provide.

Section G – 'Declaration by applicant' – includes a written declaration which you must read and then sign and date.

Section H – 'Immigration adviser's details' - to be completed by your immigration adviser or left blank if you don’t have one. 

Section I - 'Declaration by person helping the applicant to complete this form' - if at any point you have used an immigration adviser or otherwise asked for advice, assistance or translation in the process of application this person must complete this section. If nobody has assisted you during the process you can leave this section blank.

'Application checklist' – reminds you to provide passport or travel document, the completed and signed application form, 2 passport-size photographs and the medical and chest X-ray certificates as discussed in section F.

'Returning your documents' – asks you whether you wish to collect your documents or have them sent to you.

'About the information you provide' - Deciding whether you are eligible for a visa' etc – an information only box.

Section J - 'Paying your application fee and immigration levy' - asks for details of your payment method and advises the recommended payment types. The fee you will be required to pay can be found at www.immigration.govt.nz/fees 

Supporting Documentation and Inclusions to Send with Your Application

  • 2 passport photos less than 6 months old.
  • Your passport – which will be returned complete with your visa extension. 
  • Proof that you have enough money to support you - currentlyNZ$350 for every month of your stay left. A recent bank statement is the most commonly submitted evidence.
  • Evidence of onward travel – flight tickets/details for example – or proof that you have sufficient funds to buy a ticket in addition to your other funds for living.
  • Medical certificates - 'General Medical Certificate'/INZ 1007 / 'Chest X-Ray Certificate '/INZ 1096. If you don’t have these documents at the time of your application you can submit them at anytime up to 15 days later. The certificates have to be obtained through an approved medical centre of which there are many in New Zealand. 

Submitting Your Visa Extension Application

Once you have completed the form and attached all required supporting documentation you can either send the form by secure post or deliver it in person to an Immigration New Zealand office.

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