Parent Boost Visa, for More Than Just a Holiday

If you’ve built a life here in New Zealand - career, house, maybe a couple of kids who say “jandals” instead of “flip-flops” - you know that the hardest part isn’t the distance from your old home. It’s the distance from your parents. The grandparents who only see their grandkids through a phone screen. The Sunday dinners that happen over patchy video calls.

That’s exactly what the Parent Boost Visa is designed to fix.

It’s a new long-term visitor visa from Immigration New Zealand that lets your parents stay for up to five years at a time, with the option to apply again for a total of ten years. It’s not permanent residency, but it’s as close as you’ll get to having them here for birthdays, school concerts, and Sunday barbecues without having to reset their visitor visa every few months.

Who it’s for

The Parent Boost Visa is for parents of New Zealand citizens or residents. They’ll need to apply from outside New Zealand, and you’ll need to act as their sponsor. That means you’re the one vouching for them - financially, practically, and in spirit.

You’ll need to show that you can:

Meet minimum income requirements

Support them with accommodation and living costs if required

Cover any repatriation costs (that’s Immigration NZ’s polite way of saying “getting them home if needed”)

The financial bit

To qualify, you or your parents need to tick one of these boxes:

• Your income – You earn at least the median wage (or more if you’re sponsoring both parents).
• Their income – Your parents have a reliable income similar to NZ Super (about NZD 32,000–50,000 a year).
• Their savings – They can show personal funds of NZD 160,000 (single) or NZD 250,000 (couple).

Visa fees are expected to be around NZD 3,000, plus a small visitor levy and a health and insurance check in year three.

The insurance requirement (this is the big one)

Here’s where it gets a bit more serious - and where I come in. As an insurance adviser, I can tell you that this part is both crucial and complex.

To qualify for the Parent Boost Visa, your parents must have comprehensive medical insurance for the entire duration of their stay. That policy needs to cover:

• At least NZD 250,000 a year in medical care
• NZD 100,000 for cancer treatment
• NZD 250,000 for repatriation (medical evacuation or returning home if necessary)
• NZD 50,000 for funeral or return of remains

The policy must be issued by an insurer rated “A” or higher internationally - and it has to stay in force the whole time they’re here.

At the moment, there’s only one policy in development that will meet Immigration New Zealand’s exact requirements. It’s not available yet, but it’s expected to launch soon. Pricing will depend on age and health, but based on early estimates, it won’t be cheap. Still, it’s the key that unlocks the visa.

Why it’s worth it

Yes, it’s paperwork. Yes, it’s admin. But what you get in return is five years of your parents here — the real kind of “here.” They can help with the kids, be part of milestones, and build memories beyond video calls.

This visa gives families scattered across the world a chance to be whole again for a while — and that’s worth every form and premium.

Stay ahead of the rush

When the insurance product launches, it’s going to be in high demand. As soon as it’s available, I’ll be helping clients secure compliant cover so their visa applications can move forward smoothly.

If you’re planning to bring your parents over - or even just thinking about it - drop your details below. I’ll keep you updated the moment the policy is available and walk you through what you’ll need to get everything in place.

Because the next time your mum says, “I just want to give the kids a cuddle,” it shouldn’t be through a screen.

Cover Yours Ltd (FSP769531) and Marc Hamilton (FSP306046) are registered Financial Service Providers and you can search the register here. Marc Hamilton is a member of the FSCL Disputes Resolution Service. Cover Yours Ltd and Marc Hamilton’s disclosures can be found here or by emailing marc@coveryours.co.nz