Immigration New Zealand announced that, from 16 November 2026, temporary visa applications for spouses of New Zealand citizens must be submitted through its upgraded Immigration Online platform.

The new system provides personalised forms, step‑by‑step document guidance and an autofill function that pulls passport details from uploaded scans, aiming to reduce data‑entry errors.

Dynamic application fields will adapt to each applicant’s circumstances and clearly indicate the supporting evidence required for the spouse visa category.

The move is part of a broader digital expansion that began in 2021 and has already been rolled out to several of New Zealand’s most common visa types.

Family residence visa applications are excluded from this change and will continue to use the existing submission process.

Alongside the online shift, Immigration New Zealand will amend related immigration instructions, extending visitor visas for children of citizens or residents from nine to twelve months and clarifying partnership‑visa durations for couples cohabiting under twelve months.

Applicants are advised to review the official guidance on the Immigration New Zealand website, prepare required documents and verify which visa category applies before the 16 November deadline.

Immigration New Zealand said further details would be published in the weeks leading up to the transition.