Yes. For UK citizens, parents of a child who are a New Zealand citizen or resident can apply for New Zealand residence through the Parent Retirement Category or the Parent Resident Visa, both outlined above. Which one suits you depends mainly on your finances and how quickly you want to move. Talk to our immigration lawyers who will guide you through the right path for you.

The Parent Retirement Category is investment-based. You commit $1,000,000 for four years and meet the settlement funds and income criteria. The Parent Resident Visa doesn't require an investment, but your sponsoring child must meet an income threshold and commit to supporting you. You are competing for one of 2,000 places offered each year. We can help you work out which route fits your circumstances.

It depends on the pathway. The Parent Retirement Category requires a $1,000,000 investment plus $500,000 in settlement funds and $60,000 in annual income. The Parent Resident Visa has no investment requirement, but your sponsoring child needs to meet a minimum income threshold. Beyond the visa itself, it's worth budgeting for the cost of living, healthcare, and the move. Our immigration consultants and lawyers can talk you through this in more detail.

Your child needs to be a New Zealand citizen or resident and be living permanently in New Zealand. For the Parent Resident Visa specifically, they'll also need to meet the sponsoring income threshold and commit to supporting your accommodation, financial and wellbeing needs if required.

Processing times vary depending on the pathway, current place allocations, and how complete your application is. Because the Parent Resident Visa is capped at 2,000 places a year, timing can be less predictable than the Parent Retirement Category. We'll give you a realistic estimate for your situation at your consultation.

For most, the biggest draw is simple: being close to family who are already here, alongside New Zealand's safety, climate, and healthcare system. There are practical things to plan around too, the distance from the UK, the cost of qualifying for either visa pathway, and settling into a new healthcare and tax system. However, with the right guidance, most parents find these are manageable steps on the way to what they're really after, which is more time with their family in New Zealand.

Once granted residence under either pathway, you're generally free to work in New Zealand, though your circumstances and any visa conditions should be checked with an immigration lawyer before you make plans.

There may be other options worth exploring, including different family or investor visa categories, or timing your application once your circumstances change. Every case is different, so it's worth getting immigration advice from McSweeney Immigration Law early rather than assuming you don't qualify.