New Zealand sorts visitors into three broad groups: visa-waiver travellers who request an NZeTA, people who need a visitor visa in advance, and Australian citizens, who do not need a visa at all. Most short trips for tourism fall into the first two.
NZeTA for visa-waiver visitors
If your passport is on the visa-waiver list, which includes most of the EU, the UK, the US, Canada and Japan, you do not apply for a visa. Instead you request an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) online or in the official app before you travel.
- It usually comes through quickly, but allow up to 72 hours to be safe.
- An NZeTA is valid for up to two years and covers multiple visits.
- You can normally stay up to 90 days per visit (180 days if you hold a UK passport).
The International Visitor levy (IVL)
Most NZeTA and visitor-visa holders also pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. It is collected alongside the NZeTA request or visa application, not on arrival. The amount has changed before, so check the current figure rather than relying on an old quote.
Who needs a visitor visa
If your country is not on the visa-waiver list, you apply for a visitor visa before you travel. This takes longer and costs more than an NZeTA, and you may be asked for proof of funds, onward travel and accommodation. Apply well ahead, because processing times vary by season and by where you apply from.
Length of stay and conditions
- A visitor visa or NZeTA is for tourism, visiting family, or short business meetings, not paid work.
- You must hold a passport valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure.
- Border officers can ask to see return or onward tickets and evidence you can support yourself.
If you want to stay longer or work
A visitor visa is strictly for tourism, so do not plan to take paid work on one. If you want to combine travel with casual work, look at the Working Holiday Scheme, which is open to young travellers from many countries and has its own age limits, quotas and conditions. People who want to study, volunteer in certain roles, or stay beyond the visitor limits need the matching visa category, and switching once you are in the country is not guaranteed. Sort out the right visa before you travel rather than hoping to change it later.
Transit and connecting flights
Most visitors fly in via Australia, Asia, North America or the Middle East. Check whether your connecting country needs its own transit visa, because some do even for a short stop. An Australian transit, for example, often requires a separate authority. Getting the New Zealand side right does not cover you for the airport you change planes at.
Before you book
Decide which category you fall into, request the NZeTA or visa, and keep the confirmation with your travel documents. Print or save a copy, because you may be asked for it at check-in as well as on arrival. Immigration rules, fees and the visa-waiver list change from time to time, sometimes at short notice. Treat this page as background and confirm the current requirements on the official Immigration New Zealand site before you pay for flights.