New Zealand Working Holiday Visa for Malaysians : Step-by-Step Online Application Guide

Each year, 1150 places are available under the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa (NZWHV) scheme for young Malaysians to stay and work in New Zealand for up to six months. What more, the NZWHV is extendable for another 3 more months should one completed seasonal work in the horticulture or viticulture industries. 👏

Many people have asked me how to apply for the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa and I have promised to share the information on my travel blog. So, here is my Step-by-Step Guide on How to apply for the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa for Malaysians. 😉

New Zealand Working Holiday Visa for Malaysians : Basic Information & Requirements

The New Zealand Working Holiday Visa (NZWHV) for Malaysians opens its application each year in January on a specific date and time which is announce on the Immigration New Zealand’s official website. For example, the 2018/2019 quota will open on 23 January 2019 at 10am New Zealand Time or 5am Malaysia Time.

In order TO SUCCESSFULLY APPLY FOR A NEW ZEALAND WORKING HOLIDAY VISA, ONE MUST FULFIL THESE BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

• Have a Malaysian passport that’s valid for at least three months after your planned departure from New Zealand
• Be at least 18 and not more than 30 years old (before you reach your 31^st birthday on the application day in January)
• Be able to show that you have sufficient funds to support yourself (at least NZD 2,250 in cash, travellers cheques, bank draft or bank statement)
• Have a return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase one*
• Have no dependent children with you
• Meet our health and character requirements
• Main reason you’re coming to NZ is to holiday; with work or study being secondary intentions for your visit
• Not have been approved a visa or permit under a Working Holiday Scheme before

*You are required to hold sufficient funds for the duration of your visit and for the purchase of an outward ticket from New Zealand. Such evidence may be requested upon your arrival in New Zealand and Immigration New Zealand reserves the right to decline your entry into the country should you fail to produce the evidence or do not meet the requirements

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New Zealand Working Holiday Visa for Malaysians : Online Application Information & Tips

To be honest, the online application process for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa (NZWHV) is pretty simple and straightforward. In fact, it is easier to apply for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa than an Australian Working Holiday Visa! 😂 Plus, the odds of getting a place among 1150 people is higher than 1 in 100, isn’t it? In case you do not know, Australia allocates 100 working holiday places for Malaysians each year and the competition is super stiff!! 😅

Good news is…there is no appointment to book, interview to attend or even documents to submit when applying for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa. All you need is a laptop or mobile phone with EXCELLENT HI-SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION, a valid Visa/Mastercard credit card (please do not take risks by attempting to use a debit card/Amex/etc! 😒) to pay the processing fee (NZD 208) and a HUGE STREAK OF GOOD LUCK to successfully submit and pay for your NZWHV application before the 1150 quota runs out (usually in the matter of minutes) – no kidding!! 😱

In 2015 and 2016, the 1150 quota was filled up within 10-15 minutes! And in 2017 and 2018, huge traffic flow crashed Immigration New Zealand’s website and the date was postponed to another date. For my NZWHV, I spent a total of 5 hours patiently sitting in front of my laptop (I never left the computer throughout the entire time!) to successfully submit and pay for my application. I received good news the day after – finally, after 2 unsuccessful attempts and the fact that it was my last chance at it too. Phew!! 😥

Useful tips:

1. It helps if you have a friend or even a team to help you fill in, submit and pay for your NZWHV application. I have heard stories of how people engage a team of professionals/booking agents to help them secure a place. The length some people go to make sure they get a place is amazing! 😮
2. Somehow, applying for the NZWHV from New Zealand is more successful than applying it in Malaysia. It could be that the NZ internet server is faster than Malaysia’s, hence the success rate is higher. After all, it is a race against time to fill in the form, hit the submit button and pay the fees for your application before the quota runs out
3. If you do not own a Visa/Mastercard credit card, just borrow one from your family members or friends. You just need the credit card to make payment for the NZWHV application processing fees of NZD 208. Also, avoid using a debit card to avoid encountering problems during payment. Remember, your mission is to fill in the form ASAP, click submit and make payment ASAP to secure a place within the allocated quota. Another important and helpful tip: Enabling auto-fill helps! 😉 The whole of Malaysia will be competing with you for a place on that significant day, so make a mistake and you can kiss goodbye to your NZWHV chance. You have been warned!

New Zealand Working Holiday Visa for Malaysians : Online Application Process & Step-by-Step Guide

Things to Do BEFORE the NZWHV Quota/Application Date Opens in January

1. First of all, before you can apply for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa (NZWHV), you need to create an account and register yourself with Immigration New Zealand on their official website

P.s. Unsuccessful applicants from the previous year(s) can use their existing accounts, but their old NZWHV application form will be automatically deleted before the quota/application date opens to give way to a new submission/application

2. When you login into your Immigration New Zealand’s account, under the “Online Services“ column, be sure to add the “Malaysia Working Holiday Visa” page/link to your “Favourites” column for quick access on the day of the application
3. Please renew your old passport, identification card (IC) and driver’s license to guarantee a smooth and successful application, and travel to New Zealand once your application is approved 😊

Things to Do ON THE DAY of the NZWHV Quota/Application Date in January

1. Login into your Immigration New Zealand account
2. In your account, go to ONLINE SERVICES and click on WORKING HOLIDAY
3. In the pop-up window, SELECT YOUR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN and click on CREATE NEW WORKING HOLIDAY APPLICATION
4. You will see a status informing whether the “Scheme is available” or “Scheme is unavailable”
5. If the quota has been filled, you will not be able to proceed to the next step/page
6. If the Scheme is available, click on APPLY NOW and proceed to the next step/page
7. At the “Working Holiday Schemes Online” page, you will see 4 main sections:

• Personal – Personal Details, Identification & Occupation Details
• Health
• Character
• Working Holiday Specific

8. Complete each and every section as soon as possible, clicking on the “Next” button as you go. Remember, *indicates a mandatory field that must be filled or else you will not be able to move to the next step!

FYI, completed sections with no errors will be labelled with a green ✔ marker whereas incomplete sections will be labelled with a red ❌ marker. Remember, you are chasing time. Every second spent is precious as it will determine whether you will be the first 1150 people to submit and successfully pay for their NZWHV application

9. Once you have completed all the sections, click on the “Submit” button to submit your NZWHV application, agree/tick “Yes” with all the T&C of your NZWHV application and proceed to pay the processing fee of NZD 208 using a valid Visa or Mastercard credit card. You will receive an application number and receipt of your payment for safekeeping

Things to Note

A successful NZWHV application means you have…

1. i) Submitted your application form = [Status: Application Received] AND
2. ii) Paid the processing fee of NZD 208 = [Payment Status: Received]

An unsuccessful NZWHV application is when you have…

1. i) Completed your form but pending submission = [Status: Completed Pending Submission] OR
2. ii) Submitted your application form = [Status: Application Received], but did not manage to pay the processing fee of NZD 208 [Payment Status: Pending]
3. Check your Immigration/Online Applications status/result between 1-20 working days after your date of application. Immigration New Zealand will make a decision on whether to approve or disapprove your NZWHV application based on the information you have submitted.

Things to Note

1. Bear in mind that a successful application submission does not necessarily guarantee an approved application. 🙅 Immigration New Zealand reserves the right to decline, suspend or terminate your NZWHV application should you fail to meet their requirements, provided false information or intend to misuse your NZWHV for illegal activities when in New Zealand
2. You will receive and be able to view your e-visa if Immigration New Zealand approves your application, usually between 1-20 working days  😊

In a Nutshell

As mentioned earlier, the online application for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa (NZWHV) is a pretty simple and straightforward process. Be among the first 1150 applicants to fill up the application form, submit and successfully pay the processing fee as soon as possible and you are halfway through to stepping foot into spellbinding New Zealand! 😉

And if you are unsuccessful in the first attempt, do not give up and try, try again. Sometimes, some applications will be rejected during the first round and places will become available again on a later date in the same year, so keep visiting Immigration New Zealand’s website for the latest updates. Keep trying to submit your NZWHV form and/or make payment until it goes through.

My sister, Eva, took my advice and she was successful on her very first attempt. 😎👍 Lucky her! The main things are to be patient and do not give up. With that, I wish you  all the best and good luck! 🍀🌈🎉

Up next: A quiet and relaxing 2D/1N Christmas getaway at The White House in Kinloch, Taupo (via Airbnb)