Can I bring my husband and children as dependents when I move to New Zealand for a master's program?

Your husband and children do not get added to your student visa itself. Each family member applies separately for their own visa based on their relationship to you, and what they are eligible for depends heavily on the exact level of your master's programme.

Your Husband's Visa Route

For a standard master's degree, which sits at NZQCF Level 9, your husband can generally apply for a Partner of a Student Work Visa. This visa allows him to work in any job in New Zealand, normally for the same period as your own student visa, and importantly it does not require him to already hold a job offer before applying.

Your Children's Visa Route

• Age and dependency rules: Immigration New Zealand generally treats a child as dependent if they are 19 or younger, single, and financially dependent on you.
• Direct visa options: Dependent Child Student Visas are specifically available to PhD students and certain scholarship students, so a master's alone does not always guarantee this route directly.
• The workaround: once your husband holds the Partner of a Student Work Visa, he may be able to support your children's visa applications, including Dependent Child Student Visas, subject to the usual requirements.

Children accepted this way commonly get access to studying at New Zealand schools, though whether they are treated as domestic or international fee-paying students depends on the specific visa route and school.

This Information Is Also Available On

Immigration New Zealand.

My Advice

Gather your marriage certificate, birth certificates, and evidence of your family living together, such as joint bank accounts or a shared address history, well before you apply, since Immigration New Zealand specifically checks for a genuine and stable relationship. I would also confirm your master's programme's exact NZQF level with the university in writing before assuming your husband qualifies for the work visa, since some postgraduate qualifications sit at Level 8 rather than Level 9.