International students whose visas are about to end must apply for a new visa before the expiry date because a visa cannot be extended, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) says. It recommends applying at least one month before the visa runs out.
Your expiry date is in your passport or in the eVisa letter INZ sent you.
A little more time from October
Many students now get slightly longer at the end of their course. From 27 October 2026, INZ says student visas that used to end one month after the course end date will end two months after it. Visas that end on 31 March are unchanged.
Staying lawful while you wait
If you apply for a new temporary visa before your current one expires, INZ says it will normally issue an Interim Visa so you can stay lawfully while it decides.
INZ also says you cannot apply for a new temporary visa such as a work, student or visitor visa from inside New Zealand if you are only on a limited, interim or transit visa. Timing matters.
Options INZ lists
INZ's page on student visa conditions says students who want to stay after their course can apply for a visitor visa if they want to stay for graduation and then leave, a Post-Study Work Visa if they plan to work, or another visa to visit, work, study, live or invest.
A variation of conditions cannot be used to change your visa's expiry date.
The new graduate visa
From 16 November 2026, graduates with a Level 5 to 7 qualification that does not lead to a Post-Study Work Visa may be able to get the new Short-Term Graduate Work Visa. It gives six months of open work rights and is one-off.
The key rule is the deadline. INZ says applications must be made within three months of the student visa expiring. If your student visa expired before 16 August 2026, you will not be eligible when applications open.
Applicants need at least NZ$5,000 in funds and must not have held a Post-Study Work Visa or Short-Term Graduate Work Visa before.
Changing to part-time study
Student visas are for full-time study. INZ says if you want to study part-time you'll need a new visa. In most cases this means applying for a visitor visa and then a variation of conditions to study part-time.
If your visa has already expired
INZ is blunt about this. If your visa has expired, you are in New Zealand unlawfully and must leave immediately. You can be detained and deported, and you can't legally work or study.
A request under section 61 of the Immigration Act 2009 does not stop deportation. INZ says it has no obligation to consider such a request.
Getting advice
Anyone unsure of their options can get help from a licensed immigration adviser or a lawyer. The Immigration Advisers Authority keeps a public register of licensed advisers at iaa.ewr.govt.nz, which also lists people whose licences have been suspended or cancelled. Lawyers are exempt from licensing and do not appear on it.
Sources
- Immigration New Zealand, "If you stay in New Zealand after your visa expires": https://www.immigration.govt.nz/process-to-apply/once-you-have-a-visa/if-you-stay-in-new-zealand-after-your-visa-expires/
- Immigration New Zealand, "Check or change your student visa conditions": https://www.immigration.govt.nz/study/once-you-have-a-student-visa/check-or-change-your-student-visa-conditions/
- Immigration New Zealand, "Changes to student visas" (27 Oct 2026): https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/news-centre/changes-to-student-visas/
- Immigration Advisers Authority, "Find a licensed immigration adviser": https://iaa.ewr.govt.nz/PublicRegister/Search.aspx
- Immigration New Zealand, "New Short-Term Graduate Work Visa launching on 16 November 2026": https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/news-centre/new-short-term-graduate-work-visa-launching-on-16-november-2026/
