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New Zealand · Skilled Migrant Category resident visa

The official steps, and the ordering rules INZ states

Immigration New Zealand numbers these steps itself, on one page, in its own markup — the order below is INZ’s, not our reading of a layout. All 4 rules come from that same page (1 source).

Every step below is an official page or section, in the order the immigration authority itself publishes them. What this adds is the 4 ordering rules stated in the government’s own words, each moved next to the step it governs and labelled with whether it was written as a requirement or as advice.

To be precise about how scattered they are: the 4 sentences come off 1 official page — all of them on one page, so this is a re-anchoring of rules you could also read there in one sitting, not a collection of scattered ones. 3 of the 6 steps and sub-steps have no stated timing rule at all, and say so.

Two kinds of rule, kept apart

  • 4 use “must” — stated as requirements.
  • 0 use “should” — stated as advice, and kept as advice. Presenting advice as a requirement would be us inventing one.

What this covers

This covers the Skilled Migrant Category resident visa only, in the order Immigration New Zealand numbers the steps on its own page. It does not cover other New Zealand visas, and it does not include fees — INZ publishes no fee list for this visa, only a calculator that depends on your circumstances, so the official calculator is linked instead of an amount being reconstructed here.

The official step order

  1. 1

    Submit your expression of interest

    What this step is
    Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) under one of the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) pathways.
    How the official page describes it
    INZ asks you to check you meet the requirements of at least one SMC pathway, then submit an EOI online. If your qualification needs an International Qualification Assessment, its reference number goes into the EOI.

    Ordering rules stated for this step

    Stated as “must”stated as a requirement

    Checking you meet an SMC pathway's requirements comes before submitting the EOI.

    “Before you submit an Expression of Interest (EOI), make sure you meet the requirements for at least 1 of the SMC pathways.”
    Immigration New Zealand — Skilled Migrant Category resident visa · read 2026-08-31 →
    Stated as “must”stated as a requirement

    If you need an International Qualification Assessment, its reference number is an input to the EOI — so the IQA has to be finished first.

    “If you need an International Qualification Assessment (IQA), apply for one before submitting your EOI. You will need to include the IQA reference number in your EOI.”
    Immigration New Zealand — Skilled Migrant Category resident visa · read 2026-08-31 →
  2. 2

    Receive an invitation to apply

    Done by the immigration authority, not by you

    What this step is
    Wait for INZ to tell you whether your EOI is selected and you are invited to apply.
    How the official page describes it
    INZ contacts you after you submit your EOI. The invitation to apply (ITA) starts a fixed window.

    No timing rule is stated for this step. Its position comes from the official page order, not from a published dependency.

  3. 3

    Gather your supporting documents

    What this step is
    Collect the documents INZ lists for the pathway you are applying under.
    How the official page describes it
    INZ's 'Who can apply' section sets out what is required. Medical examinations and chest X-rays, where needed, belong to this stage rather than after submission.

    Ordering rule stated for this step

    Stated as “must”stated as a requirement

    Medical examinations and chest X-rays, where required, have to be done before the application is submitted.

    “If you or anyone included in your application needs a medical examination or chest X-ray, you must have these done before submitting your application.”
    Immigration New Zealand — Skilled Migrant Category resident visa · read 2026-08-31 →
  4. 4

    Submit your application and pay the fee

    What this step is
    Apply online and pay the fee INZ quotes for your situation.
    How the official page describes it
    INZ's online application is linked from the visa page. The fee depends on circumstances and is quoted by INZ's own calculator.

    Ordering rule stated for this step

    Stated as “must”stated as a requirement

    The invitation to apply opens a 4-month window. INZ states what happens if it closes: a new EOI is needed.

    “You must submit your visa application within 4 months of receiving your ITA. If you do not apply within 4 months, you will need to submit a new EOI.”
    Immigration New Zealand — Skilled Migrant Category resident visa · read 2026-08-31 →
  5. 5

    Wait for our decision

    Done by the immigration authority, not by you

    What this step is
    Respond if INZ asks for more information.
    How the official page describes it
    INZ states it will let you know if it needs more information while the application is being assessed.

    No timing rule is stated for this step. Its position comes from the official page order, not from a published dependency.

  6. 6

    Receive our decision

    Done by the immigration authority, not by you

    What this step is
    Receive INZ's decision by email.
    How the official page describes it
    INZ states it will email you when a decision is made.

    No timing rule is stated for this step. Its position comes from the official page order, not from a published dependency.

What this page does not do

  • · It doesn’t assess whether you meet any of these requirements.
  • · It doesn’t tell you which steps apply to you or which you could skip.
  • · It doesn’t calculate any dates. The rules above are quoted; the arithmetic is yours.

immigrate.io is not a law firm and not a licensed immigration adviser.

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