Source-backed scope
Adult Indian resident applying from India, age 55 or younger, principal applicant alone, claiming six points through a recognised overseas doctoral degree and a genuine accredited-employer employee offer at ANZSCO skill level 1–3. At least 30 guaranteed hours weekly, permanent or fixed term at least 12 months, current required wage (NZD35/hour when checked). Use the invitation-date threshold. No NZ experience points or contract-for-services branch. Submit EOI, receive invitation, apply within four months. Qualification must be recognised as a doctoral degree, not merely Level10. Family, regulated-occupation, other points and work-experience pathways need separate assessment.
- Jurisdiction
- New Zealand
- Purpose
- Immigration / permanent residence
- Destination
- New Zealand
Build your personal checklist
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Use this guide in the plannerRoute scope
Adult Indian resident applying from India, age 55 or younger, principal applicant alone, claiming six points through a recognised overseas doctoral degree and a genuine accredited-employer employee offer at ANZSCO skill level 1–3. At least 30 guaranteed hours weekly, permanent or fixed term at least 12 months, current required wage (NZD35/hour when checked). Use the invitation-date threshold. No NZ experience points or contract-for-services branch. Submit EOI, receive invitation, apply within four months. Qualification must be recognised as a doctoral degree, not merely Level10. Family, regulated-occupation, other points and work-experience pathways need separate assessment.
Immigration New Zealand requirements checked 2026-10-26. Only the category and stage stated above are covered.
How to use this checklist
Start with the route facts first: citizenship, residence, application country, destination and purpose. Then review the document rows and order processing only where the row says it is required or optional.
Document requirements
| Document | Status | Scope | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approved EOI and unexpired invitation to apply | required | visa application | Complete the residence application within four months of invitation. Update changed EOI information and follow the current generated upload requirements. |
| Current passport identity-page copy | required | visa application | Provide the principal applicant identity and nationality document. Follow current upload instructions and any later request for originals. |
| Acceptable applicant photograph | required | visa application | Upload JPG/JPEG; other requested documents are PDF under current application help. |
| Employment agreement and job description | required | visa application | Identify applicant, employer legal entity, occupation, guaranteed hours and remuneration. Employer must be accredited and not suspended when application is made or decided. Meet the genuine permanent/12-month employee-offer conditions. |
| Evidence that offer meets the applicable SMC wage threshold | required | visa application | For this ANZSCO1-3 six-qualification-point route without NZ experience, current threshold is NZD35/hour. Apply the threshold in place when invited; do not select an older experience-based threshold. |
| Overseas doctoral qualification certificate | required | visa application | Provide the doctoral degree certificate and evidence needed for recognition. A Level10 assessment without the specified doctoral qualification type gives five points, insufficient for this six-point/no-NZ-experience scope. |
| Completed NZQA assessment unless exact LQEA exemption applies | required | visa application | Provide completed IQA recognising the doctoral degree unless the exact qualification is on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment. No particular Indian university exemption is promised. An IQA application receipt does not establish six recognised points. |
| Accepted principal-applicant English evidence | required | visa application | Use accepted test-centre results normally within two years, such as IELTS overall6.5 or accepted equivalent. Indian English-medium PhD alone is not an exemption. Principal applicants cannot substitute family English-tuition arrangements. |
| Medical examination evidence | required | visa application | First-application medical certificate under three months old; doctor may submit electronically, otherwise upload. No previous-medical reuse is assumed in this first-application scope. |
| Chest X-ray evidence, subject to pregnancy exception | conditional | visa application | Adult applicants ordinarily provide X-ray evidence; pregnancy exception follows INZ medical instructions. New evidence under three months. Arrange through the instructed physician. |
| Completed police certificates | required | visa application | For this adult scope, obtain certificates from citizenship countries and countries with 12 months or more residence in the last ten years. Provide completed certificates normally under six months; Indian application receipt is insufficient. |
| Resident Visa Declaration if another person submits for you | conditional | visa application | Complete the applicable INZ1242 authorisation/declaration when someone submits on your behalf. This principal-alone guide does not add adult-dependant documents. |
Processing route
- Approved EOI and unexpired invitation to applyComplete the residence application within four months of invitation. Update changed EOI information and follow the current generated upload requirements. The cited source does not specify a general translation, notarisation or apostille rule for this item. Confirm any additional language or authentication instructions with the receiving authority; no processing service is selected automatically. 1. Prepare Approved EOI and unexpired invitation to apply in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Current passport identity-page copyProvide the principal applicant identity and nationality document. Follow current upload instructions and any later request for originals. The cited source does not specify a general translation, notarisation or apostille rule for this item. Confirm any additional language or authentication instructions with the receiving authority; no processing service is selected automatically. 1. Prepare Current passport identity-page copy in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Acceptable applicant photographUpload JPG/JPEG; other requested documents are PDF under current application help. The cited source does not specify a general translation, notarisation or apostille rule for this item. Confirm any additional language or authentication instructions with the receiving authority; no processing service is selected automatically. 1. Prepare Acceptable applicant photograph in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Employment agreement and job descriptionIdentify applicant, employer legal entity, occupation, guaranteed hours and remuneration. Employer must be accredited and not suspended when application is made or decided. Meet the genuine permanent/12-month employee-offer conditions. For any non-English supporting document provide a certified full English translation and readable source scan. Competent independent translator certifies accuracy and signs/stamps; business letterhead if applicable. Applicant, family and assisting adviser cannot translate under A13.5. This is the residence rule, not the ordinary visitor rule. Certification of a translation does not establish blanket notarial, apostille or certified-source-copy requirements; originals can be requested. 1. Prepare Employment agreement and job description in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Evidence that offer meets the applicable SMC wage thresholdFor this ANZSCO1-3 six-qualification-point route without NZ experience, current threshold is NZD35/hour. Apply the threshold in place when invited; do not select an older experience-based threshold. For any non-English supporting document provide a certified full English translation and readable source scan. Competent independent translator certifies accuracy and signs/stamps; business letterhead if applicable. Applicant, family and assisting adviser cannot translate under A13.5. This is the residence rule, not the ordinary visitor rule. Certification of a translation does not establish blanket notarial, apostille or certified-source-copy requirements; originals can be requested. 1. Prepare Evidence that offer meets the applicable SMC wage threshold in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Overseas doctoral qualification certificateProvide the doctoral degree certificate and evidence needed for recognition. A Level10 assessment without the specified doctoral qualification type gives five points, insufficient for this six-point/no-NZ-experience scope. For any non-English supporting document provide a certified full English translation and readable source scan. Competent independent translator certifies accuracy and signs/stamps; business letterhead if applicable. Applicant, family and assisting adviser cannot translate under A13.5. This is the residence rule, not the ordinary visitor rule. Certification of a translation does not establish blanket notarial, apostille or certified-source-copy requirements; originals can be requested. 1. Prepare Overseas doctoral qualification certificate in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Completed NZQA assessment unless exact LQEA exemption appliesProvide completed IQA recognising the doctoral degree unless the exact qualification is on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment. No particular Indian university exemption is promised. An IQA application receipt does not establish six recognised points. For any non-English supporting document provide a certified full English translation and readable source scan. Competent independent translator certifies accuracy and signs/stamps; business letterhead if applicable. Applicant, family and assisting adviser cannot translate under A13.5. This is the residence rule, not the ordinary visitor rule. Certification of a translation does not establish blanket notarial, apostille or certified-source-copy requirements; originals can be requested. 1. Prepare Completed NZQA assessment unless exact LQEA exemption applies in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Accepted principal-applicant English evidenceUse accepted test-centre results normally within two years, such as IELTS overall6.5 or accepted equivalent. Indian English-medium PhD alone is not an exemption. Principal applicants cannot substitute family English-tuition arrangements. For any non-English supporting document provide a certified full English translation and readable source scan. Competent independent translator certifies accuracy and signs/stamps; business letterhead if applicable. Applicant, family and assisting adviser cannot translate under A13.5. This is the residence rule, not the ordinary visitor rule. Certification of a translation does not establish blanket notarial, apostille or certified-source-copy requirements; originals can be requested. 1. Prepare Accepted principal-applicant English evidence in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Medical examination evidenceFirst-application medical certificate under three months old; doctor may submit electronically, otherwise upload. No previous-medical reuse is assumed in this first-application scope. For any non-English supporting document provide a certified full English translation and readable source scan. Competent independent translator certifies accuracy and signs/stamps; business letterhead if applicable. Applicant, family and assisting adviser cannot translate under A13.5. This is the residence rule, not the ordinary visitor rule. Certification of a translation does not establish blanket notarial, apostille or certified-source-copy requirements; originals can be requested. 1. Prepare Medical examination evidence in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Chest X-ray evidence, subject to pregnancy exceptionAdult applicants ordinarily provide X-ray evidence; pregnancy exception follows INZ medical instructions. New evidence under three months. Arrange through the instructed physician. For any non-English supporting document provide a certified full English translation and readable source scan. Competent independent translator certifies accuracy and signs/stamps; business letterhead if applicable. Applicant, family and assisting adviser cannot translate under A13.5. This is the residence rule, not the ordinary visitor rule. Certification of a translation does not establish blanket notarial, apostille or certified-source-copy requirements; originals can be requested. 1. Prepare Chest X-ray evidence, subject to pregnancy exception in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Completed police certificatesFor this adult scope, obtain certificates from citizenship countries and countries with 12 months or more residence in the last ten years. Provide completed certificates normally under six months; Indian application receipt is insufficient. For any non-English supporting document provide a certified full English translation and readable source scan. Competent independent translator certifies accuracy and signs/stamps; business letterhead if applicable. Applicant, family and assisting adviser cannot translate under A13.5. This is the residence rule, not the ordinary visitor rule. Certification of a translation does not establish blanket notarial, apostille or certified-source-copy requirements; originals can be requested. 1. Prepare Completed police certificates in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Resident Visa Declaration if another person submits for youComplete the applicable INZ1242 authorisation/declaration when someone submits on your behalf. This principal-alone guide does not add adult-dependant documents. The cited source does not specify a general translation, notarisation or apostille rule for this item. Confirm any additional language or authentication instructions with the receiving authority; no processing service is selected automatically. 1. Prepare Resident Visa Declaration if another person submits for you in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
Official citations
- Immigration New ZealandImmigration New Zealand: India to New Zealand skilled residence: overseas PhD and employee-offer pathwaywww.immigration.govt.nzLast checked 2026-10-26; evidence version india-new-zealand-immigration-smc-overseas-phd-2026-10-26
Current directly readable application help and operational instructions establish invited application, identity, health, character, English, employee-offer and doctoral-qualification evidence. PhD recognition and actual employment conditions remain essential.
- Immigration New ZealandImmigration New Zealand official instructionswww.immigration.govt.nzLast checked 2026-10-26; evidence version smc-phd-points-20261026
SR3.25: overseas doctoral degree six points with certificate and IQA unless LQEA; a Level10 assessment without the required qualification type gives five points. No NZ experience points needed when one skill category gives six.
- Immigration New ZealandImmigration New Zealand official instructionswww.immigration.govt.nzLast checked 2026-10-26; evidence version smc-employee-offer-20261026
SR3.15 effective 24 August 2026: genuine employee offer, accredited employer, thirty guaranteed hours, permanent or at least twelve-month fixed term; agreement/job description. Contract-for-services branch requires NZ experience.
- Immigration New ZealandImmigration New Zealand official instructionswww.immigration.govt.nzLast checked 2026-10-26; evidence version smc-residence-translation-20261026
A13.5 residence applications require certified English translations of non-English supporting documents; accuracy certification/signature/stamp by competent independent translator, with source evidence, not blanket notarisation/apostille.
- Immigration New ZealandImmigration New Zealand official instructionswww.immigration.govt.nzLast checked 2026-10-26; evidence version smc-no-experience-wage-20261026
Six qualification points without NZ experience: invitation-date wage threshold, currently NZD35/hour for ANZSCO1-3. Do not use an older work-experience threshold.
- Immigration New ZealandImmigration New Zealand official instructionswww.immigration.govt.nzLast checked 2026-10-26; evidence version smc-english-20261026
Principal applicant English requirement: accepted test-centre results normally no more than two years old; IELTS overall6.5 or accepted equivalent. Indian English-medium degree alone is not a citizenship/study exemption.
Exceptions
- Requirements and accepted document formats can change. Follow the linked authority for your exact purpose and application stage.
- Use row-level processing labels: translation, notarisation, apostille, embassy attestation and MEA or HRD attestation are not interchangeable.
Relevant Enuncia services
- Certified translation for the applicable document rows
- Document checklist review
FAQs
Are all documents for New Zealand immigration / permanent residence automatically translated?
No. Translation is shown per document row because official sources may accept some documents as issued while requiring translation for others.
Can I order document processing from this checklist?
Build your checklist using the route facts first. A processing option can be selected only where supported by the document row. Rows needing language or authentication confirmation remain under review before pricing.
Related guides
- New Zealand destination guide
Destination overview for all published source-backed routes.
- Certified translation service
Service page for the applicable certified-translation document rows.