Big Change Alert: New Rules for Indian Police Clearance Certificates for NZ

If you are an Indian planning to apply for a New Zealand visa anytime after 1 December 2025, there is an important update you really need to know. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is making a change in how they accept Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs) from Indian nationals and it’s all about who issues them.

What’s Changing?

Up until now, Indian visa applicants could submit police clearance certificates from local police stations, the Office of the Deputy Commissioner or even the Superintendent of Police.

But starting December 1st, 2025, those certificates will not be accepted anymore.

From then, only PCCs issued by the Regional Passport Office (RPO) under India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will be considered valid by Immigration New Zealand.

Why the New Rule?

Being realistic, paperwork from local offices often comes in all shapes and formats, but verifying them can be a bit of a problem.

So to make things more standardized (and easier to verify), INZ now wants all PCCs to come straight from one reliable source: the Regional Passport Office.

New Requirement for Indian Police Clearance Certificates

Here’s the key thing to remember: If you're applying from India, your Police Clearance Certificate must come from the Regional Passport Office and nowhere else.

That means:

• No certificates from local police stations

• No documents from the Superintendent of Police

• And definitely nothing handwritten or unofficial-looking

This rule applies to any type of New Zealand visa, whether you are going for studies, work or just a visit.

Who’s not affected?

• Indian nationals living outside India

• Non-Indian citizens who are current or former residents of India

If you belong in one of those categories, the process stays the same for you (for now).

Plan Ahead – It Takes Time!

Dealing with government paperwork rarely happens overnight. Getting your PCC from the Regional Passport Office can involve:

• Booking an appointment

• Submitting ID and address proofs

• Waiting for police verification

• And then waiting again for the final document

Give yourself some prep time. One missing or invalid document can delay your application or worse, leading to a rejection.

Thoughts..

Visa stuff can get tricky, even when the changes seem small. If you are applying from India for a New Zealand visa after 1 December 2025, make sure you are following the new rules. Do not go by what worked for someone else last year, things keep changing. A wrong document can slow down or even worse, rejected!

Start early, double-check the requirements and give yourself plenty of time. No one wants last-minute visa stress! For more updates and detailed guidance on New Zealand student and visitor visas, stay connected with Student Herald.