Reviews collected under Lending Room - the team behind Payday Advance NZ.
Visa Holder Loans NZMany NZ lenders decline visa holders outright. We work with lenders on our panel who specifically cater for employed visa holders with stable NZ income and a good credit history. One application, one soft credit check.
We work with lenders who specifically cater for visa holders. Here is what you need to qualify.
Open work visas accepted. Your visa must have at least 13 months remaining at the time of application.
Employer-specific work visas accepted. Minimum 13 months remaining required. NZ-based employment income required.
Full-time or part-time employment with verifiable income paid into a NZ bank account. Self-employment income is not accepted.
We work with borrowers who have a clean or near-clean credit record. Apply and our team will confirm what is possible for your situation.
Terms from 6 to 84 months depending on lender and circumstances. The exact amount available depends on your income and credit profile.
Student visas, visitor visas, working holiday visas and any visa with less than 13 months remaining are not accepted at this stage.
Visa eligibility at a glance
We work with lenders who understand the visa holder market and are willing to lend where most banks will not.
Lenders who say yes to visa holders
Most mainstream NZ banks decline visa holders outright. Our panel includes lenders who specifically accept open and employer-specific work visas and understand the circumstances of skilled workers in NZ.
One soft check only
We run one soft credit check that does not affect your score. Once matched some lenders accept our check while others may run their own. We always tell you before we submit anything.
Competitive rates from 8.99% p.a.
Some lenders charge visa holders higher rates simply because of their visa status. Our panel includes lenders who assess visa holders on their income and credit profile - not just their residency status.
Same-day assessments
In most cases you will hear back the same day you apply. Same-day funding is possible for applications approved before 12pm on business days.
Any loan purpose
Personal loans, car loans, debt consolidation, home renovation, medical costs and more. We match you to the right lender for your specific need - not just a generic personal loan.
Why most banks say no to visa holders
Most NZ banks
Decline visa holders
Policy-based refusal regardless of income or credit.
Payday Advance NZ
Specialist lenders
Assessed on income and credit profile.
One short form. We handle the matching, the follow-up and the hard work - you just wait for your best deal.
Takes about 5 minutes. Tell us your loan amount, purpose and basic situation including your visa type and expiry date. Have your passport and bank statements handy.
We run a soft credit check and match you to the lender on our panel who specifically accepts visa holders and is most likely to get you the best deal. No credit score impact from our check.
Our team contacts you with your approval and walks you through to settlement. Funds go straight to your NZ bank account. Same-day funding possible for applications approved before 12pm.
Having these on hand will speed up your assessment considerably. Visa holder applications require a passport - a NZ driver licence alone is not sufficient.
Your passport
A valid passport is required for all visa holder applications. A NZ driver licence alone is not sufficient as identification for this loan type.
Your visa details
Your visa type, visa number and expiry date. Your visa must have at least 13 months remaining at the time of application.
3 months of bank statements
Showing your regular income paid into a NZ bank account. Most major NZ banks allow you to export these as PDFs from your online banking.
Details of any existing loans or debts
Current balances and repayment amounts for any existing credit cards, personal loans or other finance you currently hold.
Visa types - what we accept and what we don't
Accepted
Not accepted
If you are renewing your visa, apply once the renewal is confirmed and your new expiry date is at least 13 months away.
See My OptionsEstimate your repayments below. Actual rates and fees depend on your profile and the lender.
Calculator is a guide only. Actual rates, fees and repayments depend on your profile and lender. Rates from 8.99% to 29.95% p.a. (AIR). Broker fee of up to $1,500 applies on successful funding.
Rated 5 out of 5 on Trustpilot
Common questions from visa holders applying through Payday Advance NZ.
Can't find what you're looking for? Contact our team
We accept open work visas and employer-specific work visas. Your visa must have at least 13 months remaining at the time of your application. Student visas, visitor visas and working holiday visas are not accepted at this stage.
We run a soft credit check during our assessment which does not appear on your credit file or affect your score. Once we match you to a lender some accept our soft check while others may run their own standard credit check as part of their process. We will let you know before we submit anything.
Yes. You must have regular NZ-based employment income paid into a NZ bank account. We are not able to help visa holders who are self-employed, on a benefit or without verifiable NZ income. Full-time and part-time employment are both accepted.
Personal loans for visa holders can be used for most purposes including car purchase, home renovation, debt consolidation, medical and dental costs, travel and more. Tell us what you need the loan for and we will match you to the most suitable lender on our panel.
The minimum is $3,000 and the maximum is $250,000 depending on the lender and your personal circumstances. Loan terms range from 6 to 84 months. The exact amount available depends on your income, credit profile and visa type.
Unfortunately not at this stage. Lenders on our panel require a minimum of 13 months remaining on your visa at the time of application. If you are in the process of renewing your visa, apply once the renewal is confirmed and your new expiry date is at least 13 months away.
Most mainstream NZ banks have blanket policies that decline non-residents and visa holders regardless of their income, credit history or employment stability. This is a policy decision rather than an assessment of individual risk. Our panel includes specialist lenders who take a different approach and assess visa holders on their actual income and credit profile.
A broker fee of up to $1,500 applies when your loan is successfully funded. This fee is added to your loan amount and is GST inclusive. It is disclosed clearly before anything is finalised. Lender establishment fees may also apply depending on the lender.
Getting a loan on a work visa in New Zealand is more difficult than it should be. Most mainstream NZ banks have blanket policies that decline non-residents and temporary visa holders regardless of their income, employment history or credit profile. This leaves thousands of skilled workers - many of whom have been in NZ for years, earning good incomes and paying their bills on time - without access to the finance they need.
Payday Advance NZ works with a panel of 20+ vetted NZ lenders including specialist lenders who specifically accept open and employer-specific work visa holders with stable NZ income and a good credit history. One application, one soft credit check that does not affect your score, and we match you to the lender most likely to approve your application at the best available rate.
Not all visa types qualify for personal lending in New Zealand. Lenders on our panel accept two specific visa categories - open work visas and employer-specific work visas - provided there are at least 13 months remaining on the visa at the time of application.
An open work visa allows you to work for any employer in New Zealand. Common examples include the Post Study Work Visa, the Partner of a New Zealand Resident Visa and various skilled migrant pathway visas. Open work visa holders with at least 13 months remaining and stable NZ employment income are eligible to apply.
An employer-specific work visa ties your right to work to a particular employer. Common examples include the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). Employer-specific visa holders with at least 13 months remaining and verifiable NZ employment income from that employer are eligible to apply.
Student visas, visitor visas and working holiday visas do not qualify at this stage. These visa types either restrict the ability to work full-time or have short maximum durations that make long-term lending impractical. If you hold one of these visa types we are unfortunately unable to help at this time.
If your visa has less than 13 months remaining but you are in the process of renewing, wait until the renewal is confirmed and your new expiry date is at least 13 months away before applying. Our team can advise on timing if you are unsure.
Most NZ banks decline visa holder applications as a blanket policy rather than as an individual assessment. The reasoning from the bank's perspective is that temporary residents present a higher perceived risk of leaving the country before the loan is repaid - regardless of the actual individual's income, credit history or ties to NZ.
This is a frustrating experience for skilled workers who have been in NZ for years, have clean credit histories and earn stable incomes. Specialist lenders take a different approach. They assess visa holders individually based on their income, employment stability, credit profile and visa duration - rather than applying a blanket policy based on residency status alone.
Applying directly with multiple banks when on a work visa is particularly damaging to your credit score. Every declined application leaves a hard check on your file. Applying through Payday Advance NZ means one soft check that does not affect your score while reaching lenders who specifically accept your visa type.
Visa holder loans through Payday Advance NZ can be used for most personal lending purposes. The loan purpose does not need to be travel-related or connected to your visa status. Common uses include car loans for visa holders who need a vehicle for work or daily life, debt consolidation for visa holders looking to simplify multiple debts into one lower-rate loan, home renovation for those renting or leasing and wanting to improve their living situation, medical and dental costs and general personal lending for any legitimate purpose.
Car loans are one of the most common requests from visa holders in NZ. Public transport can be limited outside major centres and a reliable vehicle is often essential for employment. Our panel includes lenders who accept visa holders for vehicle finance with rates from 8.99% p.a. and terms from 6 to 84 months.
Visa holders with multiple debts at high interest rates can consolidate them into a single lower-rate personal loan through our panel. This is particularly useful for those who arrived in NZ with limited credit history and built up debt at higher rates in the early years of their stay.
Before applying confirm your visa expiry date and calculate how many months remain. If you have less than 13 months remaining wait until your visa is renewed before applying. Applying with an insufficient visa duration will result in a decline regardless of your income or credit profile.
Most mainstream NZ banks will decline you on visa status alone and leave a hard credit check on your file. Apply through Payday Advance NZ first - one soft check reaches lenders who specifically accept your visa type without damaging your credit score.
Lenders who accept visa holders pay particular attention to income verification. Having three months of payslips and bank statements showing consistent regular income paid into your NZ account will significantly speed up the assessment process.
Clearly stating the purpose of the loan helps us match you to the most appropriate lender. Some lenders on our panel specialise in specific loan types - vehicle finance, debt consolidation, personal loans - so knowing your purpose helps us find the best match for your situation.
Consumer lending in New Zealand is regulated under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA) which requires lenders to assess affordability, disclose all fees clearly and treat borrowers responsibly. As a licensed financial services broker registered on the FSPR, Payday Advance NZ operates in full compliance with these regulations.
When you apply through our platform we assess your situation using a soft credit check that does not affect your score. We then match you to the lender on our panel most likely to approve your application at the best overall rate across rate, fees, term and fit for your visa type and situation. You receive one clear offer explained in full before anything is finalised.
Payday Advance NZ is operated by the same team behind Lending Room - one of New Zealand's most trusted loan brokers with over 1,030 five-star Trustpilot reviews. The same lender panel, the same service standards and the same commitment to finding you the best deal.
Apply in 5 minutes. One soft credit check. We match you to lenders on our panel who specifically cater for open and employer-specific work visa holders in NZ. Our team will walk you through everything before anything is finalised.
