🇱🇰 Sri Lankan citizens · 🇳🇿 New Zealand · Business
New Zealand business visa for Sri Lankan citizens: requirements, cost and odds
We do not publish a Sri Lankan-specific approval rate for a business visa to New Zealand, because we do not yet hold a figure from New Zealand for this category broken down by nationality. Rather than estimate one and format it like a statistic, we leave it out. For background, the published figures that do exist for Sri Lanka are a 33.4% US visitor-visa refusal rate in FY2025 and a 29.1% Schengen short-stay refusal rate in 2025 — different countries and a different visa class, so treat them as context rather than as your odds. What is documented is the decision itself — officers assess whether your trip is a genuine, short business visit, and the single biggest lever is a credible invitation and ties. The estimator below weighs your own finances, ties, travel history and refusal record instead.
Last reviewed July 2026 per our editorial standards.
For Sri Lankan citizens applying, a business visa to New Zealand is decided mainly on whether your trip is a genuine, short business visit. Public statistics point to an approximate base approval of around 77% for this route — but your own profile can move that figure a lot in either direction. Sri Lankan applicants see elevated refusal rates; documented ties, funds and travel history move the needle most.
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Where Sri Lanka sits in the official data
Two governments publish visa outcomes broken down by country. Neither predicts an individual decision, but together they show how Sri Lankan applicants fare relative to everyone else, and which of the destinations we cover currently refuses the fewest applications from Sri Lanka.
US visitor visas — FY2025
A 33.4% adjusted refusal rate places Sri Lanka 106th of 199 nationalities the State Department publishes — a lower refusal rate than 47% of them. The median nationality sits at 31.8%, so Sri Lanka is 1.6 points above it.
Schengen short-stay visas — 2025
Across all Schengen consulates in Sri Lanka, 29.1% of short-stay applications were not issued — 89th of 127 countries with a meaningful application volume, and 13.5 points above the 15.6% median.
| Destination | Refused | Issued | Decided |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 13.6% | 86.4% | 4,435 |
| France | 30.2% | 69.8% | 9,116 |
| Italy | 38.5% | 61.5% | 5,065 |
Among Schengen states, applications lodged in Sri Lanka were refused least often by Germany at 13.6% and most often by Italy at 38.5% — a gap of 24.9 points on a like-for-like basis. That gap reflects who applies where as much as how strictly each state decides, so it is a starting point for choosing a main destination, not a ranking of leniency. You must still apply to the state where you will spend the most nights.
Demand and outcome moved together for Sri Lanka between 2024 and 2025. Schengen consulates there decided 25,552 short-stay applications, against 25,497 the year before — up 0.2% — while the refusal rate went from 35.4% to 29.1%. That easing meant roughly 1,614 more applicants were issued a visa than 2024's rate would have produced.
Sources: U.S. Department of State — Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas Only, by Nationality and European Commission — Schengen short-stay visa statistics for consulates . Schengen figures are grouped by the country an application was lodged in, not by passport.
What actually moves the needle
A clear invitation and business purpose
This is the heart of business decisions for New Zealand. Make it concrete and documented rather than assumed.
A stable employer and role at home
Officers weigh this alongside everything else — gather clear evidence before you apply.
Funds and ties that show you will return
Officers weigh this alongside everything else — gather clear evidence before you apply.
Context for Sri Lanka applicants
Sri Lankan applicants see elevated refusal rates; documented ties, funds and travel history move the needle most. Your personal profile matters far more than any nationality-level pattern, so focus on the levers above.
Avoid the common pitfall
The most frequent reason this route fails is a weak invitation or unclear ties to your home employer. Address it directly and you remove the biggest doubt.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official New Zealand business visa success rate for Sri Lankan citizens?
Not one we currently carry. We only print a rate when we hold the publisher's own figure for this nationality and this visa category, and we do not hold one for New Zealand business visas. The figure shown on this page is a modelled estimate built from published route-level data and your answers — we label it as such rather than presenting it as a government statistic. What you can act on is the documented requirement set below, which is what the decision actually turns on.
What matters most for a New Zealand business visa?
Officers focus on whether your trip is a genuine, short business visit. In practice the single biggest lever is a credible invitation and ties, so make that part of your application as strong and well-documented as possible.
Does a previous visa refusal affect my chances?
Yes. A prior refusal weighs on new applications until its underlying reason is addressed. Find out exactly why you were refused, fix what caused it, and clearly show what is different this time.
Is this a guarantee of approval?
No. GetVisaOdds is an educational planning tool, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Only a consular or immigration officer can decide your application. We show approximate odds and the reasons behind them so you can prepare better.
Is my information private?
Completely. The estimate runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are never sent to a server or stored — there is no sign-up and nothing to leak.
