New Zealand will increase Visa Application Centre (VAC) service fees in 26 countries from January 1, 2026, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has announced, citing rising operational costs and inflation.
The fee hike applies only to VAC service charges and does not affect the main visa application fee paid directly to Immigration New Zealand. VAC service fees cover document handling and customer support provided by centres such as VFS Global.
INZ said the adjustment is necessary to maintain smooth operations following recent system upgrades. Applicants have been advised to check the updated service fee for their country before submitting applications.
The revised fee will apply in many places across Asia, the Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. Some of the main countries include:
Meanwhile, INZ acknowledged temporary technical issues affecting access to some online documents and said teams are working to resolve them.
Travellers planning to apply for a New Zealand visa should verify fees on the INZ or VFS Global websites, allow extra processing time, and plan to avoid delays.