New Zealand to Increase Visa Application Centre Fees in India and 25 Other Countries from January 2026
📰 New Zealand to Raise Visa Application Centre Fees From January 2026
Reporting from Wellington — December 16, 2025
By TGV World News Correspondent
TGV World News Desk
Wellington:
New Zealand has announced that it will increase Visa Application Centre (VAC) service fees in India and 25 other countries starting January 2026, a move that will affect thousands of visa applicants each year.
Immigration New Zealand said the revised fees are intended to reflect rising operational and service delivery costs associated with processing visa applications through external service providers. The fee hike will apply to a wide range of visa categories, including visitor, student and work visas.
According to a report by The Economic Times, applicants in India — one of New Zealand’s largest source countries for students and temporary workers — will see higher service charges when submitting visa applications at VACs.
🔗 Source:
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📌 What Is Changing?
Visa Application Centre fees are separate from visa application charges paid directly to Immigration New Zealand. These VAC fees cover services such as:
Document collection and submission
Biometric enrolment
Application tracking and customer support
Officials clarified that the visa decision fees themselves are not being changed under this update.
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🌏 Countries Affected
The fee increase will apply across multiple regions, including:
🇮🇳 India
🌏 Parts of Asia
🌍 Africa
🌎 The Middle East
Immigration authorities said the adjustments will be implemented uniformly to maintain service standards across global locations.
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🇳🇿 Government Explanation
New Zealand’s immigration authorities said the revision reflects increased costs related to staffing, security, technology upgrades and inflationary pressures faced by outsourced visa service operations.
In a public notice, Immigration New Zealand stated that VAC services are delivered under commercial contracts and must remain financially sustainable while meeting customer service expectations.
🔗 Source:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications
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📈 Impact on Applicants
Education consultants and travel advisors say the higher VAC fees could slightly increase overall application costs, particularly for students and families applying together. However, they noted that New Zealand remains a competitive destination due to its education quality, employment opportunities and post-study work options.
India continues to be a key market for New Zealand’s international education sector, with thousands of students enrolling each year in universities and vocational institutions.
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🌐 Broader Immigration Context
The announcement comes as New Zealand continues to fine-tune its immigration framework amid post-pandemic recovery, labour shortages and growing international demand for study and work visas.
According to official data, visa processing volumes have steadily increased over the past year, prompting authorities to focus on efficiency and service quality across overseas application centres.
🔗 Source:
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/
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📌 Conclusion
New Zealand’s decision to raise Visa Application Centre fees from January 2026 marks a technical but important change for international applicants. While the increase adds to upfront costs, officials insist it is necessary to maintain reliable and secure visa services worldwide as demand continues to rise.
