Generally, a student visa is needed should you decide to study in New Zealand. Navigating the student visa application process for international students can be complex, and even minor errors can lead to costly delays or outright denials. With Immigration New Zealand (INZ) tightening its scrutiny of offshore student visa applications, applications need to be decision ready when submitted. Statistics Immigration statistics show that the average student visa decline rate was around 24% for 2024 (https://www.immigration.govt.nz/assist-migrants-and-students/assist-students/international-markets/student-visa-decision-data). The percentage differs between countries of origin with some countries experiencing higher successful application percentages than others. The countries with the lowest approval rates were Nepal (62% decline), Myanmar (59% decline), Bangladesh (54% decline) and India (50% decline). These were the highest decline percentages for countries with more than 500 applications in 2024. While it is not impossible to have an application from these countries approved there may be considerably more work that goes into a student visa application from someone applying from one of these nations. Recent trends What we have noticed recently is Immigration New Zealand often declining visa’s for “Bona Fides” reasons. This is where an immigration officer believes that an applicant is going to Stay on New Zealand unlawfully, or Breach visa conditions, or Be unable to leave or be deported from New Zealand The most general reason for using the “Bona Fides” reason for declining a student visa is where the applicant is not seen to have provided sufficient evidence to show personal, financial, employment or other commitments to their home country. We have recently had some success with subsequent application for clients from Myanmar, where their initial applications were declined for bona fides reasons. We were able to draft submissions in their subsequent application to address their ties to their home country and perhaps more importantly we were able to address what we believe to have been mistakes in their previous application. We have found that when assisting in applications for clients applying from countries that have a high rate of decline that it is best to supply more information than is generally required from Immigration New Zealand especially for evidence tying the applicant to their home country. Immigration New Zealand does provide a generic non-exhaustive list of documents to show personal, financial, employment or other commitments to your home country however we have found that it is best to tailor the documents to the situation of our clients. The documents we request and use for our clients applications are tailored specifically to them. How we can help We understand that applying for a student visa can be stressful or appear to be too difficult. The statistics shows that for many countries chances of getting declined are high. We are able use the trends and patterns we have seen with our previous applications and reinforce the areas that Immigration New Zealand tend to focus on. We also tailor our submissions and our clients documents to be specific to their situation to give them the best chance of having their visa application approved. Get in touch with our experienced team today! You can find out more about student visas on the official Immigration New Zealand website. Written by Lethan Heugh.
