Tutorial: How to extend your Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand

The SSE/WHE Work Visa Application (INZ 1153) form, which you can download from the immigration website, is used for two different types of visa application. In your case, you are applying for the Working Holiday Extension (WHE). You will only need to complete sections A, B, D, E, F and G on the form.

We advise you to fill in the form electronically before printing it. If you decide to fill it in by hand, make sure you write in capital letters using black ink.

Complete the “Working Holiday Extension” form

The first two pages of the document remind you of the visa conditions and give you the information needed to fill in the form correctly. You need to tick the“Working Holiday Extension” box on the first page.

Section A – Personal details

In this section, you will need to fill in your personal details and attach your passport photos to the printed form. You must write your first and last name in capital letters on the back of each photo.

Section B – Contact details

This section will enable immigration to contact you using the provided contact details.

Section D – Working holidaymaker extension visa

This section is in regards to your current WHV and your work in horticulture or viticulture.

Complete as follows:

• D1: your WHV start date in New Zealand. For most of you, this will be your arrival date in New Zealand. If you had applied for your WHV while already in New Zealand, this is the date your WHV application was accepted, not the date you arrived in the country.
• D2: a summary of your seasonal work. Provide the company contact information, their business number (which you can find on the New Zealand Business Number website), your role, and your start and end dates. If you have been hired by contractors, list their company as your employer.
• D3: confirm whether you have an exit ticket or the funds to buy one.

In this section (or at the end of your application), you will also need to attach proof of your 3 months of seasonal work and your proof of funds/onward plane ticket.

Section E – Character details

As with your initial WHV application, you must provide information on your immigration and criminal history.

Section F – Health details

Once again, just like when you applied for your initial WHV, the “Health” section enables Immigration New Zealand to assess whether your physical and mental condition allows you to live in New Zealand according to their regulations.

For question F4, you do not need to provide a general medical certificate unless requested by an immigration officer once the application has been submitted. You must provide a chest X-ray certificate if you have spent more than a total of 3 months in the last 5 years in a country, area or territory not listed as a low incidence TB country, or if you have spent 6 consecutive months in a place not listed as a low TB incidence country since a previous visa application in New Zealand. If this is the case, answer “Yes” and proceed to question F5. If not, go directly to question F8.

Section G – Declaration

In this section, take the time to read the declarations for which you will need to tick “Yes”. These are sworn declarations that you make to the New Zealand government. Sign and date your application.

Checklist

The checklist helps you check that you have completed each section of the application. You must then choose which postal address your documents should be returned to if necessary.

Section J – Paying your application fee and levies

Finally, you must write down your card details so that the authorities can deduct your visa fee from your bank account.

Do not forget to write down the visa cost (check how much it will cost here) and the currency (NZD).