New Zealand Immigration Minister David Cunliffe has announced that from November a new visa for parents and grandparents of New Zealand residents will effectively loosen immigration requirements to make it easier for permanent residents to have overseas family members visit.

Mr Cunliffe said the new visa would allow people to make multiple trips without having to apply for a new visa each time. The new rules will also establish a quota of places for parents, adult children, and adult siblings to come to New Zealand as permanent residents.

But the new policy also tightens some criteria, people looking to sponsor partners to come to New Zealand will face tougher character tests.

There will also be a new minimum income requirement of about $NZ30,000 for those wishing to sponsor parents, and this group must guarantee support for their parents for five years.