Do I need to submit medical exams for the New Zealand working holiday?

Volare Editorial | April 10, 2026

Compliance with health standards is a critical component in the evaluation process of the Working Holiday Visa (WHV). Immigration New Zealand classifies countries according to their epidemiological risk level, specifically regarding tuberculosis, which determines if an applicant must undergo medical testing before receiving visa approval.

Requirements by Risk Level and Nationality

New Zealand regulations require citizens from countries considered to have an active presence of tuberculosis to undergo preventive health procedures. Conversely, those from low-risk nations are exempt from these tests, unless their recent travel history indicates otherwise.

Nationalities / Situation	Health Requirement	Technical Observations
Argentina, Brazil, China, South Korea, Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam	Mandatory	A chest X-ray must be performed with an authorized physician.
Germany, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United States, Estonia, Finland, France, Netherlands, Hungary, Ireland (Republic), Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Sweden, Turkey, and Uruguay	Not required	Applicable if considered a low-risk country and has not traveled to risk areas recently.

Protocols and Submission Deadlines

For nationalities where the exam is mandatory, it is imperative to visit one of the Panel Physicians authorized by the New Zealand government. Once the online visa application is completed, the applicant has a maximum period of 15 days to have the X-ray taken. Results are sent electronically directly to Immigration by the medical center.

It is essential to consider that even if your country is low-risk (such as Chile, Spain, or Uruguay), the requirement becomes mandatory if you have spent more than 3 months in any high-risk country during the last 5 years.

Specialized Information and Resources

To find the updated list of authorized medical centers in your city and receive technical assistance on your application, we invite you to consult the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa page by Volare. Here you will find the necessary tools to manage your health requirements successfully.