Immigration New Zealand has announced an increase in Visa Application Centre (VAC) service fees, effective January 1, 2026, which will impact applicants from 26 countries and territories, including India. The revision applies to service charges levied by VACs such as VFS Global, while official visa application fees charged by Immigration New Zealand will remain unchanged.
The revised VAC fees will raise the overall cost of submitting visa applications, as they cover services including application handling, document verification, and biometric collection. According to Immigration New Zealand, the increase is necessary due to rising operational costs and is aligned with inflation.
India is among the key markets affected by the change, alongside countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, and Vietnam, among others.
Applicants are advised to review the updated VAC fee structure and consider submitting their applications before January 1, 2026, to avoid higher service charges once the new fees come into effect.
Countries and territories where VAC service fees will increase from January 1, 2026 include Australia, Bangladesh, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Nepal & Bhutan, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.