Question
Will being HIV positive impact me getting a student visa for NZ?
5 December 2022. Related: All topics, Travel.
I’d like to ask some questions related to study visa. I found that there was an announcement of removal of HIV infection from the list of high-cost medical condition. Therefore, This means that HIV is no longer automatically considered not to meet the Immigration New Zealand acceptable standard of health. The individual health circumstances of each visa applicant living with HIV will now be assessed on a case-by-case basis. This removes a significant formal obstacle in the immigration process for many applicants.
I want to apply to study Master degree of TESOL in New Zealand at Victoria University Wellington. But I’m concerned if there are any real situations related to my case. Because I’m positive with HIV, but I have been treated for 4 years, and my polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is undetectable?
So can you give me some information to help me answer this situation. Does it affect my visa.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
You are correct in your information. HIV is no longer considered a barrier for entry to NZ. As you have understood, each visa is now assessed individually based on cost to healthcare in the country. Being on ARVs with an undetectable viral load is not considered a high enough cost to prevent entry.
As i-base is a treatment charity for HIV, rather than travel/visa, I am unaware of cases similar to yours. Not because it is not common, rather because we do not have the information.
Josh.
Thank you Mike for sharing your experience and congratulations for your acceptance to New Zealand and the University!
I have cut down your text a bit to ensure you are not recognised and to preserve confidentiality
I am really happy to hear you are doing so well
February 2026
Hi Josh! I’m from the Philippines. I hope my comment is still relevant — if not for the original poster, then for people living with HIV (like me) who are planning to apply for a student visa in New Zealand and are currently searching online for answers about NZ visa approval for PLHIV.
I’m happy to share that I was granted a student visa after my case was assessed and found to fall under New Zealand’s “acceptable standard of health” requirements.
To answer this straightforwardly, based on my experience: Immigration New Zealand (INZ) only considers applications from PLHIV to meet the acceptable standard of health if the applicant is currently taking Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).
I hope this helps anyone going through the same situation. Being diagnosed was overwhelming, especially during the visa process, but starting treatment and complying with the medical requirements made all the difference.
Hi Surbhi, I am sorry but i-base is an HIV treatment focussed charity. I am unaware of the regulations for travel visas to NZ in regards to Hep B. The only information we have is found on this website: https://www.hivtravel.org/Default.aspx?PageId=143&CountryId=133 Do you have a local NZ embassy that you would be able to contact and enquire about this visa requirements?
I’m indian citizen. My husband work in newzealand country. He have work visa in newzeland . We are trying to apply for partnership work visa. I want to know if my hepatitis b positive will affect my visa…or i will get the visa. ? Kindly reply back as i’m really broken knowing that i’m hepatitis b positive and i’ll not be able to have visa. And didn’t have chance to have family with my husband.
My doctor di my elisa test it came 20. DNA report is 341 ul/ml report…my mother have it. But she also don’t know about…and don’t have any knowledge about it. I don’t know if i have vaccination of Hepatitis b in childhood.
Thank you