New Zealand Visa Policy

Familiarize yourself with the visa policy of New Zealand and check requirements for your nationality.

Visa Policy for New Zealand

On this page, you can check the New Zealand visa policy and discover the requirements to travel to New Zealand for your nationality.

The NZ visa policy determines the requirements which a foreign citizen wishing to visit New Zealand must meet to travel to, enter, and remain within the country.

The immigration policy of New Zealand varies depending on the traveler’s nationality, so you should check the New Zealand visa requirements for your country of passport before planning a trip.

Passport holders from over 190 countries around the world are able to travel to New Zealand visa-free for stays of up 90 days. However, although an embassy visa is not required, all citizens of these countries must pre-register for a NZ eTA, a multiple entry electronic Travel Authority, and receive approval before traveling to New Zealand.

The only exception is citizens of Australia, who do not need to obtain travel authorization or an embassy visa in advance and are deemed to hold resident status in New Zealand upon arrival, under the Trans-Tasman travel arrangement.

Foreign citizens not eligible for the online travel authority, or travelers who wish to visit New Zealand for periods of stay or purposes other than those permitted with an eTA, need a visa for New Zealand, from an embassy or consulate.

Other nationalities not exempt from a visa are required to apply for one of the types of visa for New Zealand from a NZ embassy or consulate.

No New Zealand visa bans for any nationalities are currently in place.

Discover the NZ travel visa restrictions for your nationality below, and don’t forget to check this page regularly for any New Zealand immigration policy changes in the future.

Tourist Visa Policy for New Zealand

The New Zealand tourist visa policy depends on the nationality of the traveler and the length of the intended stay in the country.

Over 190 nationalities are visa-exempt for short stays for tourism and therefore must apply online for an eTA for New Zealand in advance. The eTA (electronic Travel Authority) must be approved before boarding transportation to New Zealand, with the exception of Australian citizens.

Those not eligible for the NZ eTA program are required to apply for a New Zealand visa for tourism from a NZ government diplomatic office in their country of residence. Citizens of China are also able to submit an application for a New Zealand visitor visa online.

Regardless of whether they require a visa to visit New Zealand or not, all foreign travelers to the country are required to have a passport valid for at least 3 months beyond the period of intended stay. They are also expected to hold proof of sufficient funds to cover the entire duration of the trip.

Find out if you need to apply for one of the New Zealand visa options by browsing the content below.

New Zealand eTA Required

The visa policy of New Zealand states that citizens of around 190 visa-exempt countries are required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authority (eTA) in order to board transportation bound for New Zealand and gain entry upon arrival.

A New Zealand eTA is a multiple entry electronic visa waiver which became mandatory for visa-exempt citizens, as well as airline and cruise line crew of all nationalities, in October 2019.

The eTA for New Zealand is available through a simple online application, and once approved, is electronically linked to the traveler’s passport, eliminating the need to apply for a travel authority in person.

An approved eTA New Zealand permits a stay of up to 90 days from the intended date of arrival, however British nationals are allowed to stay for a period of up to 6 months, with each entry. A NZ eTA is valid for a total of 2 years from the date of issue. It grants travel authorization to visit the country for purposes of tourism, business, or transit.

The Electronic Travel Authorization for New Zealand for airline and cruise crew is valid for 5 years from the date of approval.

NZ eTA is mandatory for eligible passengers who are in transit, on the way to a third destination, through Auckland Airport.

Below you can find a full list of nationalities for which an eTA is needed to visit New Zealand.

Apply Online

Mandatory New Zealand IVL

Since July 2019, it has been necessary for all citizens requiring an NZ eTA to pay a small tourist tax, the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), to enter New Zealand.

The IVL has been introduced by the NZ government as a way for foreign visitors to directly contribute to protecting the unique nature of New Zealand and the infrastructure they will enjoy during their visit.

The money raised by the levy will be used to invest in sustainable tourism and conservation projects in the country. The cost is 35 NZD, which is approximately $22 USD.

The tax will automatically be added to the existing NZeTA fee during the application process and is valid for the duration of the travel authorization.

All foreign citizens not eligible for the eTA who are traveling to New Zealand on consular tourist visas, student visas, or work visas must also pay the New Zealand IVL fee.

All ship and airline crew, including those with an eTA, as well as Australian citizens and permanent residents, are not required to pay the IVL for New Zealand.

Embassy or Consular Visa Required

New Zealand immigration requirements state that there are over 50 nationalities for which an embassy visa is required to travel to New Zealand, no matter the duration and purpose of the intended stay in the country.

The protocol for obtaining an embassy visa for New Zealand involves making an appointment at a NZ government diplomatic office. It is then necessary to submit an application alongside a range of different supporting documents depending on the type of visa requested.

When applying for a New Zealand embassy visa, it is necessary to indicate which of the visa options the traveler requires, whether for tourism or business, to study or work, or to transit through New Zealand to an onward destination.

Although eTA applicants do not need to apply for a visa for short stays for tourism, business, or transit, New Zealand visa waiver citizens are required to obtain an embassy visa for longer stays or for other purposes. Nationals of eTA visa waiver countries are able to submit an application for a student, work, or visitor visa.

The validity period of an approved NZ embassy visa depends on the purpose of the intended stay.

Browse the list below to discover if you require an embassy visa to travel to New Zealand for your nationality.

Get Embassy Info

Visa Not Required

New Zealand visa laws state that a visa is not required for citizens of Australia who wish to visit the country, nor is an electronic travel authority (eTA), under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement.

Australian citizens do not need a visa for New Zealand no matter the duration or purpose of the intended stay in the country. This is because of laws established under the 2009 Immigration Act, which permits a person to reside in New Zealand if they hold a residence class visa.

Under the Act, all Australian permanent residents and Australian citizens are considered to hold a residence class visa for New Zealand.

Therefore, Australian passport holders are automatically granted a free electronic visa on arrival for New Zealand to facilitate their entry to the country, without having to fulfill any formalities such as completing a visa application form.

The only restrictions to entry to New Zealand for an Australian national are if the traveler has certain criminal convictions with jail time served, if they have been removed or deported from any country, or if they are a member of a group designated as a terrorist entity.

An Australian citizen may also be denied a visa for New Zealand on arrival if they are deemed by the Minister of Immigration to be likely to commit an imprisonable offense or to be a threat or risk to the security or public order.

Australia

Get Embassy Info

Transit Visa Not Required through Auckland Airport

Some foreign citizens do not need a visa to transit through New Zealand if they are passing through Auckland Airport for less than 24 hours and do not leave the transit area of the airport.

Citizens of the following countries also have exemption from New Zealand transit visa requirements: Bahamas, Bermuda, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Indonesia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu and Venezuela.

Nevertheless, all foreign citizens who intend to transit through New Zealand at Auckland airport for more than 24 hours or leave the transit area, or who intend to transit through another airport in New Zealand, are required to obtain either an eTA online or a consular NZ transit visa in order to do so.

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