What is a Foreign Government Supported Student Visa?

This visa is valid for up to four years. If you intend to bring your children or partner in New Zealand, you should know that you cannot include them in your visa application. They must apply for a suitable visa based on their relationship with you.

Also, keep in mind that visa holders are only allowed to study in the program specified in their visa, which includes the following:

• Schools
• tertiary (study after secondary school)
• English language study

You can apply for this visa if the country supporting your expenses has an education agreement with New Zealand.

What are the requirements for a Foreign Government Supported Student Visa?

• As a Foreign Government Supported Student visa applicant, you must provide a photograph with your other documents. If you submit a paper application, the dimensions of the photo should be 35 by 45 mm. If you submit your photo online, its size should be between 500 KB and 3 MB. The accepted format for the photo is JPG. Note that the photo should be colored, without shadows with natural skin color.
• You as an applicant for Foreign Government Supported Student Visa will also need to present a valid passport with a certified copy.
• Everyone applying for a New Zealand visa must have a medical examination to prove that they are in good health. In some cases where the applicants intend to stay in New Zealand for more than 12 months, they must also have a chest x-ray.
• You, as a visa applicant, should also provide a letter from your home government. Your government must have an education agreement with New Zealand so that you can qualify for this visa. The letter issued by your government must show:
• They will pay your tuition fee.
• They will also pay for your living and accommodation in New Zealand.
• They need to confirm that you are of good character.
• You as a visa applicant must have an offer of place from an approved educational institution. Your offer of a place must include the following:
• Name of the course and its duration
• Confirmation that your tuition is paid by your government
• It must be specified that you are going to study part-time or full-time
• If your program lasts more than one academic year, the date of all scheduled holidays must be specified
• The signature of the approved education provider must be on your offer. They should also confirm that the provided program meets your expectations.
• Your ability in English should also be tailored to the program.
• If you already have student permission and are now applying for another student visa, you must provide evidence of your previous academic progress and performance. For this purpose, you can provide the following documents:
• Academic transcripts
• A letter from your approved education provider
• Attendance records.
• The ‘Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry’ must be completed by an acceptable sponsor.
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• If you are nine or younger, you must be accompanied by a legal guardian or one of your parents; otherwise, you must stay at the NZAQ approved school hostel. If your parent or legal guardians is going to accompany you, you must provide evidence that they were responsible for your care in your home country. Therefore, they must provide the following documents:
• Birth certification, adaptation documents, or court documents
• Evidence that they are responsible for your education
• Proof that they pay for your education
• Evidence that you have lived with them in your home country

Remember that if you come to New Zealand with your parents or legal guardian, you must live with them during your stay. Also, note that your parent or legal guardian must apply for a separate visa.

• If you are going to take a practical course, you must provide documents that show that passing this course is a requirement. For this purpose, you can provide the following documents:
• A letter prepared by an approved education provider
• Course outline which shows the requirement of practical work
• If you are under 18, you should consider the following on your accommodation:
• Your approved education provider must provide a statement stating that they have signed the “Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students”.

How to apply for this visa?

The process for applying for a New Zealand visa is quite simple:

1. You must first decide whether you want to submit a paper application or submit your documents online.
2. Then you must study all the requirements mentioned in the previous section carefully and prepare the necessary documents.
3. Submit prepared documents online or in paper. If you prefer to choose the paper application, you must go to the nearest visa application center and submit your documents. Otherwise, you, as a visa applicant, will need to create an account on the New Zealand Immigration website and submit your documents through it.
4. The New Zealand Immigration Service will process your documents and process your visa application. This organization will then make the final decision on whether to grant you a visa.

Can a visa holder travel to or from New Zealand?

If you, as a visa holder, want to travel outside of New Zealand, you must first apply for the multiple entry travel conditions to be able to return to New Zealand. If you do not have multiple entry travel conditions and travel outside of New Zealand, your visa will expire, and you cannot return to New Zealand.

If you apply for this visa in New Zealand, you should know that multiple entry travel conditions are automatically issued to you. Your travel conditions will be written on your visa label or visa letter.

Is the visa holder allowed to work?

If you are 16 or 17 years old, you need the written permission to work. People 18 years and older do not need this permit. People who have the Foreign Government Supported Student Visa can work 20 hours per week as a part-time worker. They will also be allowed to work full time during their holidays. Foreign students who are less than the age of 16 are not allowed to work. Also, students cannot work as self-employed.

Do visa holders need health insurance?

Yes, all those who come to New Zealand under this visa must have full medical insurance while they are in the country.

Generally, when you apply for a student visa, you must indicate in your visa application that you arranged full medical insurance.

Let’s sum up…

In the previous sections, we reviewed the Foreign Government Supported Student visa application process, requirements, and other details related to this visa. In other sections of the Visa Library website, you can find other types of New Zealand visas as well as visas from other countries.

If you have experience in obtaining a visa, share it with other readers through the comments section so that they can use your experience and make a better decision. You can also ask your questions through this section. We will respond as soon as possible.