If you are studying as an international student for full-time study
Dependent Child Student Visa Assistance — New Zealand
You're in New Zealand. Your child can study here too.
Lets your child enrol in a New Zealand school based on your own valid visa.
The basics
What is the Dependent Child Student Visa?
A temporary visa from Immigration New Zealand that allows the dependent child of a qualifying work or student visa holder to live in NZ and attend primary or secondary school — generally as a domestic student for fee and enrolment purposes.
Purpose
Allows the dependent child of a qualifying work or student visa holder to attend a NZ primary or secondary school.
Eligibility
"Dependent child" per INZ Operational Manual E4.1.10: broadly, a child aged 19 or younger, single, with no children of their own, and financially dependent on the parent.
Dependency
Not a standalone visa — contingent on the parent retaining qualifying status.
Length of stay
The visa is tied to the supporting parent's visa. It is granted for a period that aligns with the parent's visa and generally ends when the parent's visa ends.
Study
Permits enrolment at primary or secondary school. Does not cover tertiary study.
Work rights
Limited and conditional. Do not apply to children under 16.
Not sure if this is the right child visa?Different ages and study levels go to different visas — Visitor Visa for under-fives or children of Level 9-10 master's students, Fee Paying Student Visa for tertiary, Guardian Visitor Visa where a guardian needs to accompany the child. Talk to us first.
Your child settled into a local state school, lunchboxes out the door, the family together in one country, and no quiet worry in the background about whether their visa lines up with yours.
When our help makes a difference
Where we step in — and what we do
Some immigration processes are approved without much friction. Some situations carry real risk of delay, hard pushback or decline.
Real cases · Illustrative
Situations we've helped with
Every case is different. These are illustrative and don't guarantee a particular outcome.
Avoidable problems
Common risks — and how to reduce them
Visitor Visa applications can be declined or delayed for reasons that are sometimes avoidable with better preparation.
- 01High impact
Genuine intentions assessment
Weak ties to a home country, inconsistent travel history, or vague explanations of the purpose of a visit can raise concerns. A well-prepared application addresses these points directly with supporting evidence.
- 02High impact
Insufficient financial evidence
Bare-minimum bank balances, unclear income sources, or missing sponsorship documentation can lead to requests for further information or decline.
- 03Medium impact
Health and character flags
Applicants from countries without a low TB incidence may need a chest X-ray. Those with criminal history may need police certificates. Out-of-date evidence delays processing.
- 04Medium impact
Passport validity
Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure date. Travelling on a passport close to expiry can result in being refused boarding or refused entry at the border.
- 05High impact
Misrepresentation
Providing false, misleading, or incomplete information — even unintentionally — can result in decline, and may affect future visa applications.
- 06Manageable
Timing
Applying too close to your intended travel date, or failing to apply for an extension before your current visa expires, creates complications that are difficult to resolve.
Important constraints
What the Dependent Child Student Visa doesn't cover
The Dependent Child Student Visa permits primary or secondary school study tied to a parent's visa. If your child's situation sits outside that, a different visa applies.
Not permitted
The Dependent Child Student Visa is the wrong fit if any of these applies.
Lodging under the wrong visa wastes time and money. We'll tell you up front if a different pathway fits your child's situation better.
Study at university or a private training establishment
Tertiary study isn’t covered. See Fee Paying Student Visa.
Apply for a child under 5
Children under 5 are generally placed on a Visitor Visa.
Apply where the parent is a Level 9 or 10 master's student
A General Visitor Visa is usually the correct route.
Work rights for a child under 16
No work rights apply. Limited and conditional rights apply for older children only.
Get residence on this visa
Not a residence pathway. Downstream pathway includes Dependent Child Resident Visa.
Find the right pathway
Other options we can also help with
If a different immigration process fits your situation, we can take you there directly.
Working with us
What the process looks like
We will guide you step by step on your Dependent Child Student Visa process, from start to finish.
Initial enquiry
Short discussion to understand the parent's visa status, the child's age and school plan, and any custody or family situation. We'll tell you up front whether this visa is the right route or another visa applies.
Service engagement
Letter of engagement signed, invoice paid. We open the file and map the timeline against the parent's visa, the school enrolment date, and any visa-transition timing.
Evidence preparation
We work through the parent's visa documentation, dependency evidence, school enrolment, any custody or consent documents, and translations where needed — so the application is filed complete.
Lodgement
We file the application on your behalf and confirm receipt with Immigration New Zealand.
Monitoring & response
If INZ requests further information mid-process, we draft the response with you — promptly, in the right form.
Decision & next steps
We walk you through the outcome. If granted, we explain the conditions, including the tie to the parent's visa and the school-only study scope. If declined, we work through reasons and your realistic options.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Dependent-child status is defined at E4.1.10 and broadly covers children aged 19 or younger who are single, have no children, and are financially dependent on the parent. A child who turns 18 may still meet the definition, but the situation can change as they approach tertiary-study age or consider independent work. We can review the position as it approaches.
Yes. Many Dependent Child Student Visa matters are started before the family is all in New Zealand, and we are set up to work with clients remotely — secure document exchange, video meetings, and written scopes of work. Where a New Zealand signature, certification, or in-person step is required, we coordinate that where possible rather than leaving it for you to source a local option.
We can still help. Where a previous application has been declined, we start by reviewing the decline letter and the file as it was lodged, identifying the specific grounds the case officer relied on, and assessing whether a fresh application, a reconsideration request, or a different visa pathway is the right next step. The options depend on the reasons for the decline and on the family’s current circumstances, and we will be direct about whether a further attempt is likely to add value.
No. A Dependent Child Student Visa is a temporary visa and does not lead directly to residence. Where a parent eventually transitions to residence, separate residence-class pathways may apply to the child — for example, the Child of a Worker Resident Visa or the Dependent Child Resident Visa — assessed on their own criteria.
No. No lawyer or licensed adviser can guarantee a visa outcome, and anyone who does should be treated with caution. Immigration New Zealand applies its own policy and exercises its own discretion. What we offer is a carefully prepared file, a clear explanation of the risks in your particular situation, and management of the process from start to finish. Our accountability is to the quality of the preparation and the advice, not to a result that is not ours to deliver.
Get the family settled. We'll handle the visa.
Whether your immigration process is straightforward or involves complicating factors, we can help you understand your options and put your best case forward.
About MyLaw
MyLaw is a New Zealand law firm with a focus on immigration law.
Our team is led by Michael Yoon, a New Zealand lawyer and member of the New Zealand Law Society.
He holds a current practising certificate and works across a range of immigration matters, from Dependent Child Student Visa matters to complex cases involving prior refusals, character issues, and multi-visa strategies.
Get in touch.
If you are weighing up a Dependent Child Student Visa application — straightforward or complicated — we are happy to have an initial conversation about your situation before you commit to anything.
