How to apply for a Student Visa in New Zealand. Full Process Step by Step

New Zealand Student Visa Guide for Bangladeshi Students

In my previous newsletter I talked about different study options in New Zealand and the reasons you should  or should not think about New Zealand. Today I will try to give you a comprehensive guide on how to apply  for a student visa to New Zealand as a Bangladeshi student. This newsletter will provide you with the costs,  requirements, necessary documents, and steps to apply for your visa. All the references are taken from the  official website for NZ government.  

Costs 

The cost of a student visa application starts from NZD $375. All the application fees depend on how you  apply and where you’re applying from. 

Requirements 

The common requirements for applying to universities in New Zealand from Bangladesh are English test  scores (IELTS or TOEFL), academic transcripts, CV, letters of recommendation, personal statement. Make  sure to have all documents certified before uploading them. Get translations for any documents not in  English. You can apply directly through university websites.  

To apply for a student visa in New Zealand, several requirements must be met. First, you need an offer of  place from an approved education provider. Additionally, you must demonstrate sufficient funds to cover  tuition fees and living expenses during your stay. Good health and good character are prerequisites, and  you must genuinely intend to comply with visa conditions. Full medical and travel insurance for the entire  duration of your stay is essential. Lastly, you should have either a ticket to leave New Zealand or enough  funds to purchase one. 

Documents 

You will need to prepare the following documents for your visa application: 

1. A valid passport 

2. Admission letter from an education provider 

3. Evidence of funds for tuition and living costs 

4. Medical certificates 

5. Previous visas (if any) 

6. Other supplementary forms 

The Full Process (Before, While & After) 

• IELTS Score: A minimum score of 6.5 is required for post-graduation and a minimum of 5.5 for a  bachelor’s degree. One has to meet these minimum requirements. 

• Documents: All documents need to be photocopied and notarized by a government advocate. This  includes the IELTS result, SSC, HSC, bachelor’s certificate, job certificate, payslip from your current  job (minimum of 6-12 months) and your bank statement (minimum of 6 months to be in the safe  zone).

• Additional Documents: Passport, birth certificate, police clearance, medical certificate, an official  CV, Statement of Purpose (SOP), and a minimum of 6 months of bank statements are required. You  can create a Fixed Deposit Receipt (FDR), but loans or borrowed money are not accepted. Parents’  passports need to be notarized. A minimum balance of 30-35 lakh BDT must be maintained in the  bank account. If the sponsor is not your father or mother but someone else, then their occupation related documents will be required. If they are a businessman, then they will need to provide all the  types of legal documents that a businessman in Bangladesh would have from the government of  Bangladesh. These documents must be valid, genuine, and updated. If they are employed and a job  holder, they will need to show proof of their annual income and provide salary statements. 

• University Admission: An interview is mandatory for admission to the university. The interview will  cover topics related to the SOP, such as why you chose this university, what you plan to do after  studying at this university, and why you chose New Zealand. Emotional explanations should be  avoided. You may receive either a conditional or unconditional offer letter. 

• Visa Application: After receiving the offer letter, you will apply for the visa. At this time, you will  need to submit many additional documents that were required during the admission process. 

• Online Process: Everything is now online. You will need to open a RealMe account for New Zealand  immigration and fill out the form online. Guidelines on how to apply are provided in the INZ 1013  form. For the visa, you will need to add the offer letter, then the visa SOP, details about the maturity  of your funding (minimum 6 months, although it varies), property statement of your father, source  of income, and a declaration document. All documents need to be notarized. 

• Bank and Property Details: You will need to provide the FDR number from the bank, details about  any property sold (including the deed of the previous owner, the deed of the buyer, the sale deed,  and the real deed color print notarized). You will also need to provide the land’s Dag number, Khatian  number, and if rented, the rental agreement. All asset tax return documents need to be submitted. 

• NZ Immigration Bank Statement Verification: You will need to get permission from the bank for  NZ immigration to verify your bank statement. This will require a written statement from the bank  manager. Applications from blacklisted banks will not be accepted. A stamp paper named ‘property  detail’ is required, which costs 300 BDT. All asset deed information is required. BNZ-EF is an  organization that verifies these details. It’s better to get it verified, although it’s not mandatory. A  supplementary form with family details also needs to be submitted. 

• Pre-Visa: After applying, if everything is in order, a pre-visa will be granted. After this, you will  need to submit the following documents within a specified date: 

o Revised Offer of Place 

o Tuition Fee receipt 

o Receipt of Wire (telegraphic) transfer of Tuition Fees (swift copy of payment) o Evidence of transfer of funds from the source declared in the application as Tuition Fees o Passport (to be sent to the Indian immigration office) 

• Final Visa: These documents need to be uploaded to your Real Me (Online) Account for the student  visa to be endorsed. You will need to email AIPmumbai@mbie.govt.nz stating you have done so.  All requirements are to be sent in one email. Once the requirements have been met, the finalization  of the student applications may take up to 5 working days. If the requirements are not submitted  by the stipulated timeframe, or if they are unable to verify necessary documents, the application 

will be lapsed without any further communication being sent. If everything is in order, the final visa  will be granted. 

Finally, New Zealand can be a very good choice given the facilities that the NZ govt is offering right now. If  you have decided to study in New Zealand and you want to know the full process of how to apply, click  here.