70pc of Bangladeshi Student Visa Applications Rejected by New Zealand

More than half of student visa applications from India are being rejected, while the rejection rate for Bangladeshi applicants is nearly 70%, according to Immigration New Zealand (INZ).

Celia Coombs, INZ’s visa services director, told Radio New Zealand (RNZ) that false employment histories and fraudulent educational certificates were among the main reasons for the high rejection rates.

According to RNZ, the rejection rate for Bangladeshi applicants seeking fee-paying student visas reached nearly 70% over the past three months. The rate for Indian applicants stood at 39%.

New Zealand has seen an increase in student visa applications as other countries tighten their admission policies. Bangladesh, previously outside the top 10 source countries, became the third-largest source of international students in April and May 2026.

Coombs said immigration officials had identified cases in which multiple applicants submitted identical bank statements and property documents. Around 85 applications were found to contain the same documents.

Similar cases of suspected document fraud have also been identified among applicants from India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Some applicants reportedly submit false work experience to explain gaps in their education or make their study plans appear more credible. INZ has also raised concerns about diploma mills in Bangladesh, as well as fabricated income sources and rental receipts.

However, Coombs stressed that not all rejected applications involved fraud.

When fraudulent applications are identified, INZ alerts the relevant educational institutions and urges them to strengthen their screening procedures. Institutions are also encouraged to monitor education agents more closely and conduct video interviews where necessary.

INZ is preparing for the early 2027 student intake and wants educational institutions to exercise greater scrutiny when assessing applications.

Source: Radio New Zealand (RNZ)