Guide on Variation of Conditions

If your circumstances have changed, you may need to apply to change the conditions of your visa.
If you want to learn about Variation of Conditions, you've come to the right place.
This guide has everything you need to understand the basics of Variation of Conditions. You'll also find links to useful resources from our blog and video throughout, so you can plan your next steps.

What is it?

Variation of Conditions: When you have been granted a visa, it would be most likely that it will be subject to certain conditions, especially if you are not a permanent resident.

For example, for a person holding a work visa that allows that person to work for an employer, the work visa will normally have three conditions:

  • the name of the employer whom you are working for;
  • the job position that you are working as, and
  • the city that you are working in.

If the specified conditions need to be changed, you will need to alert Immigration New Zealand and seek its approval by lodging a variation of conditions application.

In the case of a work visa granted under Essential Skills policy, variation of conditions cannot be used if you are seeking to change more than one condition (exception is if your job is in the skill shortage list). In that situation a fresh work visa application will need to be made.

author headshot Michael Yoon
Guide last modified on 9 September 2023 by
Michael Yoon
Michael has been working as a lawyer in New Zealand since 2006. Over the years, he has successfully helped thousands of clients to get their desired outcome. Clients find Michael knowledgeable, approachable and professional — a trusted expert.

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