Published: 15.10.2026
From July to September, Immigration New Zealand declined 70% of applications from Bangladesh and 39% from India. The overall refusal rate for full-fee student visas rose to 34%, up from 13% in the 2025–26 financial year, amid fraud detection and targeted assurance checks of some master’s-level applications.
According to the source, Immigration New Zealand has tightened scrutiny after identifying altered, reused or inaccurate documents, particularly in some master’s-level applications. For prospective students, this means a higher refusal risk and greater importance of carefully substantiating financial information and document authenticity. Applicants from India and Bangladesh are most directly affected, although the refusal rate increased across the broader full-fee student visa stream. Anyone planning to study in New Zealand should treat this as relevant when preparing an application and choosing an education agent.