Hepatitis B & C Removed From NZ Visa Health List

Immigration New Zealand has removed hepatitis B and hepatitis C from the list of high cost health conditions used to assess resident visa applications. The change took effect for applications submitted on or after 3 August 2026, and it ends a long standing position under which either diagnosis led automatically to a finding that an applicant did not meet the acceptable standard of health.

Advisers at New Zealand Shores have been tracking this update closely, as it affects a meaningful number of skilled migrant and family category applicants from countries where hepatitis B and C are more prevalent. Our licensed immigration advisers can confirm how the change applies to a specific case and prepare the medical evidence needed to support an application.

In short: applicants with hepatitis B or hepatitis C are no longer automatically treated as failing New Zealand’s health requirement. Each case is now assessed on its own medical circumstances, though a medical examination is still required and referral to a medical assessor remains possible.

What the high cost health conditions list does

New Zealand’s resident visa instructions require every applicant to meet an acceptable standard of health. Part of that assessment considers whether an applicant is likely to impose significant costs or demands on New Zealand’s health or education services. Immigration New Zealand maintains a list of conditions presumed to meet that cost threshold, currently set at NZD 81,000. Historically, a diagnosis on the list meant an applicant would be assessed as not meeting the health requirement unless a medical waiver was granted.

Because hepatitis B and hepatitis C have now been removed from that list, a diagnosis of either condition no longer triggers that automatic outcome. Immigration New Zealand’s medical assessors instead consider the applicant’s individual treatment needs, prognosis and expected costs.

Why hepatitis B and hepatitis C were removed

Immigration New Zealand said the decision reflects the reduced cost of treating both conditions, with expected treatment costs now well below the NZD 81,000 significant cost threshold. Modern antiviral treatments have substantially lowered the long term cost of managing hepatitis B and hepatitis C compared with when the conditions were first added to the list.

The agency worked with the Ministry of Health on the review, and Pharmac also supported removing both conditions following its own assessment of current treatment costs. This mirrors the approach taken in October 2021, when HIV infection was removed from the high cost list for the same reason: falling treatment costs and improved long term health outcomes.

Other changes to the high cost health conditions list

Immigration New Zealand made three further wording changes as part of the same review:

• Major psychiatric illness and addiction will now only be included on the list where an applicant requires significant support services, rather than for the condition alone.
• The wording for severe autoimmune disease has been updated to recognise the wider range of lower cost treatment options now available.
• The wording for renal and hepatic disorders has been clarified so the list better reflects the conditions it is intended to capture.

Immigration New Zealand said the aim of these updates is to keep the high cost health conditions list focused on conditions genuinely likely to place significant costs or demands on New Zealand’s health services.

Health condition category	Previous position	Position from 3 August 2026
Hepatitis B	Automatically assessed as failing the acceptable standard of health	Assessed on individual medical circumstances; no automatic fail
Hepatitis C	Automatically assessed as failing the acceptable standard of health	Assessed on individual medical circumstances; no automatic fail
Major psychiatric illness or addiction	Included on the high cost list	Included only where significant support is required
Severe autoimmune disease	Narrower treatment wording	Wording updated to reflect wider range of lower cost treatment options
Renal and hepatic disorders	General wording	Clarified to better reflect the conditions intended to be captured

 

What this does not change

The update does not remove health requirements for applicants with hepatitis B or hepatitis C, and it is not a blanket exemption. Every resident visa applicant must still meet the acceptable standard of health, and standard medical examination requirements, including the General Medical Certificate, remain in place.

Where a medical examination raises a concern, Immigration New Zealand can still refer the case to a registered medical assessor for an opinion on whether the applicant meets the health requirement. Applicants with more complex or advanced disease, or with related complications, may still be assessed individually as posing significant costs.

Who this change is likely to help

The change is most relevant to skilled migrant, family, and employer sponsored resident visa applicants who have previously disclosed a hepatitis B or hepatitis C diagnosis, or who are preparing a General Medical Certificate as part of a new application. It removes a hurdle that in the past could require a costly and time consuming medical waiver process even where the applicant’s condition was well managed.

New Zealand Shores recommends that any client with a hepatitis B or hepatitis C diagnosis planning to apply, or reapply, for a resident visa speak with a licensed immigration adviser before lodging their medical examination, so the application is framed correctly from the outset.

How New Zealand Shores helps

We are a specialist New Zealand immigration services provider with licensed advisers ready to help clients navigate updates like this one. Our team can:

• Confirm whether the updated high cost health conditions list applies to your application date
• Review your medical history and treatment records against the current instructions before you submit a General Medical Certificate
• Prepare supporting medical evidence if your case is referred to a medical assessor
• Advise on options if a previous application was declined on health grounds before this change took effect

Working with a licensed immigration adviser reduces the risk of a health related decline on technical or evidentiary grounds. New Zealand Shores has helped applicants across a wide range of medical circumstances prepare resident visa applications that meet the acceptable standard of health requirement.

Frequently asked questions

Does removing hepatitis B and C from the high cost health conditions list mean any applicant with the condition will pass the health requirement?

No. Applicants with hepatitis B or hepatitis C must still meet the acceptable standard of health. The change means the presence of either condition no longer automatically leads to a finding that the applicant is likely to impose significant costs or demands on health services. Immigration New Zealand still assesses each case on its individual medical circumstances.

When does the updated high cost health conditions list apply from?

The updated list applies to resident visa applications submitted on or after 3 August 2026. Applications submitted before that date are assessed against the instructions that were in force when they were accepted.

Why were hepatitis B and hepatitis C removed from the list?

Immigration New Zealand said the expected cost of treating both conditions is now well below the significant cost threshold of NZD 81,000, reflecting advances in treatment. Pharmac supported the removal following a review of current treatment costs, and Immigration New Zealand worked with the Ministry of Health on the change.

Will I still need a medical examination if I have hepatitis B or hepatitis C?

Yes. Standard medical examination requirements for resident visa applications remain in place, including the General Medical Certificate. Where results raise a concern, Immigration New Zealand can still refer the case to a medical assessor for an opinion on whether the acceptable standard of health is met.

What other health conditions were affected by this update?

Immigration New Zealand also revised the wording for major psychiatric illness and addiction, so these are only included on the high cost list where significant support is required, updated the wording for severe autoimmune disease to recognise a wider range of lower cost treatment options, and clarified the wording for renal and hepatic disorders.

What should I do if I was previously refused a resident visa because of hepatitis B or hepatitis C?

The change is not retrospective and does not automatically reopen previous decisions. If your circumstances have changed or you are considering a new application, New Zealand Shores can review your case against the current instructions and advise on your options.