New Zealand to Hike Visa Application Centre Service Fees in 26 Countries from January 2026

New Zealand has announced that visa service fees at Visa Application Centres (VACs) in 26 countries, including India, Australia, the UK and the US, will increase from 1 January 2026 to offset rising operational costs and inflation. This change applies only to the VAC service component—covering document handling and basic in-person support—and does not affect the core visa application fee paid to Immigration New Zealand. For example, the VAC service fee in India will rise from INR 1,250 to INR 1,400, while in the United States it will increase from USD 25 to USD 28. Travellers planning to apply for a New Zealand visa in the new year are strongly advised to check the latest service fee on the official Immigration New Zealand or VFS Global websites before submitting their applications, and to allow extra time in case of any online disruptions linked to recent system upgrades.