Campaigning for the fair treatment of New Zealanders living in Australia

RRV or the NZ 189 visa?

Australian Kangaroo road sign (Photo: Google Images)
Australian Kangaroo road sign (Photo: Google Images)

Closure of New Zealand stream 189 visa

22 April 2023

The New Zealand stream 189 visa closed to new applications on 10 December 2022 while the Government considered future migration and citizenship pathways for New Zealand citizens in Australia. The visa will close permanently from 1 July 2023. Applications already submitted will be finalised in the coming months.

New direct citizenship pathway

Following a review of New Zealanders rights in Australia the Albanese Labor Government announced that non-protected Special Category Visa-holders who have resided in Australia for at least the past four years can apply directly for citizenship from the 1 July 2023 without needing to apply for a permanent visa.


RRV or the NZ 189 visa?

Before applying for a Resident Return Visa (RRV), or the NZ 189 visa, you must to consider your family situation, cost and processing times for each visa and citizenship. Citizenship applications take 20 to 24 months to be processed, including attending your ceremony.

Do you need to sponsor family members? Are your children about to start university?

New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa (461)

Family relationship 461 visas are only granted to family members of Special Category Visa-holders. Once you become a permanent resident you cannot renew a 461 visa. You will need to sponsor your partner or dependent children for a permanent visa when their current 461 visa is due to expire.

HELP loans

If your child is due to begin university in the next couple of years bear in mind that becoming a permanent resident means they cannot access a HELP loan until they become a citizen.

You must decide what is best option for your family given the cost, time taken to process the new visa, be granted citizenship including attending a citizenship ceremony.

Resident Return Visa

If you entered Australia as a New Zealand citizen prior to 1 September 1994 you are eligible to apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) provided you are now residing in Australia.

It takes 1 to 4 days to be processed.

You cannot include your family on your RRV application, they can submit their own application if eligible. Otherwise, you'll need to sponsor your partner or dependent children for a permanent visa.

Fees for RRV and sponsorship at July 2023:

NZ Stream 189 visa

The New Zealand Stream 189 Visa It was closed to new applications in October 2022 and closed permanently on 1 July 2023.

In July 2022 Australian PM Anthony Albanese has committed to reviewing New Zealanders rights, including the path to citizenship.

The Albanese Labor Government announced that non-protected Special Category Visa-holders who have resided in Australia for at least the past four years can apply directly for citizenship from the 1 July 2023 without needing to apply for a permanent visa.

Processing times

The Department of Home Affairs reports processing times on their website.

Have a question?

See our citizenship application troubleshooting information or click the Ask a Question box at the bottom of the Home Affairs website to use the digital assistant. It may not work with Mozilla Firefox in private browsing mode.

Alternatively, phone the Department of Home Affairs on 13 18 81.

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