The 5 Best Immigration Lawyers in Queenstown to Make Your Move Easy
David Sims
| Last Updated: September 2025 Moving to another country comes with a lot of little details to sort out. And in Queenstown, there is a set of rules you need to follow.
So before you start dreaming about a new life here, it’s smart to get your immigration sorted first.
You don’t have to go through it all alone—having a good immigration lawyer makes things way easier. Here are some of the best ones our team has found.
How much do immigration lawyers charge in Queenstown?
1. Lane Neave Lawyers
Address: Level 1, 2 Memorial Street
Phone: +64 3 409 0321
Business hours: Contact for more info
Lane Neave Lawyers offers a lot of legal services, but we were impressed that their immigration law service helps both individuals and families, as well as companies.
For individuals and families, they seem really good at handling tricky cases. They do routine visas, medical or character issues, and appeals. They can also handle special requests to the Minister of Immigration.
We noticed that they use a team approach, sometimes working with employment law specialists. This helps make their process smoother.
For companies, their approach is very smart and practical. They understand the needs of both the employer and the employee, which is important.
They have experience with large global mobility programs, relocating many employees to New Zealand, but they also handle small or unusual cases with a customised approach. Their advice is practical and efficient, which is an advantage for businesses.
On the downside, their services might be a bit pricey compared to smaller consultancies. Also, while their team approach is a strength, it might feel less personal to someone who prefers working with a single point of contact throughout the process.
2. Goldman Legal
Address: #13 Village Works Lofts, 175 Māori Jack Road, Jack’s Point
Phone: +64 3 441 2141
Business hours:
- Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM – 5 PM
- Saturday to Sunday: Closed
Goldman Legal can cover pretty much everything you might need in immigration—skilled migrant, work, student visas, appeals, and even tricky cases like Section 61 requests or priority processing.
What’s impressive is that even if they can handle different immigration issues, they don’t give standard advice. They tailor solutions to each person’s situation. It’s very important if your case is complex.
Clients seem to really appreciate how caring the team is. One memorable story involved a Ukrainian family during the 2022 crisis. Elliot and the team guided them through getting residency and even offered help without charging.
For us, it’s clear they genuinely care about their clients, not just the paperwork.
The big pros are obvious: over 20 years of experience, a wide range of immigration services, and a team that combines expertise with a personal touch.
On the flip side, because they don’t just solely focus on immigration law (they cover other areas too), some people might prefer a firm that specialises just in this area. Their personalised approach also means responses take a little longer.
3. Duncan Cotterill
Address: Level 1, Building 8/36 Grant Road, Frankton
Phone: +64 3 428 2050
Business hours:
- Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday to Sunday: Closed
We noticed that Duncan Cotterill combines their immigration knowledge with the support of a full-service law firm. This lets them cover everything from visas to business and personal legal matters.
For businesses, their work with the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) process is very practical. They help employers every step of the way—checking eligibility, managing job requirements, and preparing visa applications.
From what we saw, they understand how to balance staying compliant with making it easy for companies to hire international staff smoothly.
This makes them especially handy for businesses wanting to bring key overseas employees to New Zealand without hassle.
For individuals, they also support all types of visas and can handle tough cases. They even connect their immigration services with other legal areas, like employment law, property, and investments.
Their multiple offices also give them both local knowledge and national reach. Their Queenstown office, for example, combines regional insights with broader expertise. It’s great for clients in the Southern Lakes region.
That said, their fees may be higher than smaller boutique immigration firms.
4. The Visa Shop
Address: 85 Beach Street
Phone: +64 21 208 5894
Business hours:
- Monday to Friday: 8 AM – 5 PM
- Saturday to Sunday: Closed
The Visa Shop is one of the few firms in Queenstown that focus specifically on both New Zealand and Australian immigration, which makes them stand out for us.
Alexandra Janetoo (the founder) has over 15 years of experience across private practice, NGOs, and legal aid. It really shows in the way the firm handles applications.
They’re very modern and flexible with their services. Everything is done virtually, so clients don’t need to visit their office to get expert advice.
The fixed-fee pricing also caught our attention. It’s clear and predictable, which makes budgeting a lot easier compared to traditional hourly-fee lawyers.
Clients also consistently highlight Alexandra’s patience and professionalism. They say she makes complicated visa applications feel straightforward. We saw multiple examples of families being reunited, thanks to her guidance.
The only drawback we spotted is that Alexandra is the only lawyer in the team. This can sometimes make scheduling tricky, especially if you have an urgent timeline.
5. Anderson Lloyd
Address: Level 2, 13 Camp Street, Tāhuna
Phone: +64 3 450 0700
Business hours:
- Monday to Friday: 8 AM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday to Sunday: Closed
Anderson Lloyd balances their support for both individuals and businesses. For employers, they go beyond just filling out paperwork. They provide immigration audits and advice to make sure companies stay compliant and avoid potential penalties.
They also handle complex cases like partnership-based visas, medical and character waivers, and special direction requests.
Their network across Queenstown, Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin is also a plus. Their Queenstown office has been around since 1978 and combines strong local knowledge with the resources of a bigger firm.
We also noticed their practical and clear advice. They explain schemes like the AEWV in a way that actually makes sense and helps clients anticipate challenges ahead of time.
This guidance can save a lot of headaches, especially for businesses moving multiple employees.
Of course, no firm is perfect. Their immigration team is on the smaller side, so response times can be slower during busy periods, and complex cases might require a bit of patience.
