People travelling on a passport from some countries must apply for a Visitor Visa to visit New Zealand. You can stay for up to either 6 months (multiple entry) or 9 months (single entry). You cannot work, but you can study for up to 3 months.
If you are planning to travel to New Zealand for Christmas it is important that you apply for your Visitor Visa by 15 October so that your application can be processed in time.
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Provide your country to make the experience more relevant to you.Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide.
You must provide proof of your identity
If you apply online, you must upload a copy of your passport when you apply. We will let you know if you need to send your passport after you have applied.
If you submit a paper application, provide your original passport or a certified copy. We can usually process your application faster if you provide your original passport.
If you are a citizen of China and you submit a paper application form in China, you must also complete a supplementary form.
If you are submitting a paper application form, you must provide a supplementary form for Hong Kong and Macao visitors, workers and students.
Also provide a copy of your Identity card.
Also provide your:
Check that you enter your details correctly when you apply. If there are any errors or mistakes your application will be delayed. We also may decline your application or refuse you entry to New Zealand.
You must be in good health
We may ask you to have a chest X-ray, a medical examination or both as proof of your good health.
If you are staying less than:
When we process your application we let you know if we need you to have a chest x-ray or medical examination.
You must provide a chest x-ray completed in the last 3 months, even if you've provided one to us previously, if:
You must be of good character
If you have a criminal conviction or are a security risk to New Zealand we may not be able to grant you a visa.
You must provide police certificates if your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer across all visits. This includes any time you have spent in New Zealand in the past on other visas, even if you have been out of the country since then.
You also must provide police certificates if we ask for them.
If you are 16 years old or younger you do not need to provide police certificates.
If you have already sent us Police Certificates with a previous visa application and they are less than 24 months old, you do not need to send them again.
Police certificates must be less than 6 months old when you submit your application. They must be from any country you are a citizen of, or have spent more than 5 years in since you turned 17.
You must be a genuine visitor to New Zealand and intend to leave at the end of your visit
When we decide if your intentions are genuine, we consider all the information:
If you will return to a Schengen member state after your visit, but are not a citizen of a member state, you should provide evidence of your right to return to that country.
Evidence of your right to return to that country is a current copy of your Schengen visa.
You may need to apply for a different visa if you are coming to New Zealand:
You can include your partner and any dependent children up to the age of 19 in your application
To bring family:
A family can include yourself, your partner, and dependent children 19 and under.
You should provide copies of family members Hukou (household registration book) included in your application.
You should provide copies of identity cards for family members included in your application.
You must have enough money to live on while you are in New Zealand or have an acceptable sponsor
You must have at least NZD $1,000 per month, or NZD $400 per month if you have already paid for your accommodation.
To prove this, you can include:
We may also ask for information about the source of your money that you will use for travelling.
Your sponsor must provide evidence that they meet the criteria, and can look after you while you are in New Zealand.
Evidence they can provide includes:
You must have your sponsor's Sharing ID to complete your online application.
You may be eligible for streamlined visa processing arrangements.
If you are pregnant, there are additional requirements.
You must agree to pay your own health care costs
You must declare in your visa application that you will pay the costs of any health care or medical assistance you receive in New Zealand.
We recommend that you have full medical insurance for the length of your visit.
You must leave New Zealand at the end of your stay
When you arrive in New Zealand you may be asked to show that you intend to leave the country — for example, a return ticket or proof you have enough money to buy a ticket out of New Zealand. This is in addition to the funds you have to live on.
If you are sponsored and you do not have a return ticket your sponsor can provide recent bank statements to show they have enough money to buy you a ticket out of New Zealand.
If you are not a citizen of the country you will return to after your visit, you must provide evidence of your legal right to enter that country.
If you will return to Schengen member state after your visit, but are not a citizen of a member state, evidence of your right to enter that country is a current copy of your Schengen visa.
If you buy your ticket before we have processed your visa application, you risk losing the fare if we do not grant you a visa.
You must provide certified full English translations of any documents that are not in English
Documents must be translated by someone who meets our requirements for providing English translations.
The information below will help you understand the process, timeframes and costs involved in applying for this visa, so you can plan ahead and have the best chance of submitting a complete application.
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Payment methods and receiving centre details if applicable.
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These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa.
You must apply for entry permission when you arrive in New Zealand. You can do this by completing a digital New Zealand traveller declaration (NZTD), or an NZTD paper declaration.
New Zealand Customs and Biosecurity also check that you meet their entry requirements.
You can be refused entry permission if you:
Before you travel make sure you carry all the documentation you need with you.
You may not be allowed to check in to your flight if your passport is close to expiring. Check that it will not expire while you are in New Zealand or close to when you plan to leave New Zealand.
How long you can stay depends on if you have a multiple entry or a single entry visa.
If you have a multiple entry visa, you can visit New Zealand as a tourist as many times as you want and stay for a total of up to 6 months in a 12-month period.
The 12-month period is calculated back from the last day you intend to be in New Zealand (your intended departure date).
For example, if the last day you intend to be in New Zealand is 1 December 2024, then your 12-month period will begin on 1 December 2023.
To be eligible, you must have been out of New Zealand for at least 9 months in the 18-month period before you apply.
If you want to visit New Zealand for more than 6 months or extend your current 6-month stay in New Zealand, we consider issuing you a single entry visa. This lets you enter New Zealand once and stay for up to 9 months in an 18-month period.
The 18-month period is calculated back from your intended departure date.
For example, if the last day you intend to be in New Zealand is 1 December 2024, then your 18-month period will begin on 1 June 2023.
If you have a single entry Visitor Visa and you leave the country, your visa will expire.