India, China and Pakistan accounted for a large share of rejections.
In 2025, more than 18,000 applications from India were declined – down sharply from just over 38,000 in 2023.
India still made up the largest share of rejections, accounting for about 28.5% last year.
China recorded just over 8000 declined applications in 2025, down from a peak of more than 13,000 in 2024, while Pakistan’s numbers continued to rise, reaching almost 5000 declined applications last year.
Pakistan’s share of total rejections has grown steadily, increasing from 4.5% in 2023 to around 7.5% in 2025.
Overall, the top three countries accounted for about two-thirds of all visa rejections in 2023, but less than half by 2025.
Visitor visas far outnumbered other types.
Visitor visas made up the majority of declined applications across all three countries, far outnumbering student, work and residence visa refusals.
Immigration NZ’s acting deputy chief operating officer, Jock Gilray, said the rejection rate isn’t a major shift, but reflects the system stabilising after the post-pandemic surge.
“Things have been settling since 2023, after borders reopened mid-2022,″ he said.
“We’re seeing steadier numbers and more consistent outcomes.”
Gilray said shifts in application patterns were influencing the figures, including changes to visa settings.
Visa waivers introduced last year for travellers from China and Pacific countries travelling via Australia mean they no longer need to apply for visitor visas, reducing the number of applications entering the system.
He said application quality had also started to improve.
“Incomplete applications have always been a challenge, but we’re now seeing more complete applications submitted with the right evidence, which can be processed much more quickly,” Gilray said.
Kate Rickard is an Auckland-based multimedia journalist for Newstalk ZB covering tourism, immigration, and general news. She previously studied journalism at AUT before joining ZB full-time in April 2025.