New Zealand Tourist & Visitor Visa
The type of visitor visa you may apply for depends on your purpose for visiting
Visit, travel, and holiday in New Zealand
The type of visitor visa you may apply for depends on your purpose for visiting
If you are looking to holiday in New Zealand, wish to visit family and friends, or travel and be a digital nomad, then you can do so on a visitor visa.
A visitor visa to New Zealand does not permit you to work but allows you to stay in the country for a limited time for purposes such as tourism, visiting friends or relatives, participating in unpaid sports or cultural events, getting married, or undertaking short-term studies.
The type of Visitor Visa you apply for is dependent on your reasons for visiting New Zealand. Some visitors (visa waiver countries) do not need to apply for a visa, most will apply for a General Visitor visa. If you are a Grandparent of a New Zealand citizen or resident you can apply for a Grandparent’s Visa which allows you to stay in New Zealand for a total of 18 months over a 3-year period.
Do I need a visa or an NZeTA to visit New Zealand?
New Zealand has agreements with a number of countries, called ‘visa waivers’. Certain groups of travelers, such as Australian permanent residents and citizens of specific visa-waiver countries, do not need a visa to travel to New Zealand for short stays.
People who are not from a ‘visa waiver country’ need to apply for a visa to be able to travel to New Zealand. To obtain a New Zealand Visitor Visa you must provide Immigration New Zealand with certain information relating to your character and your stay in New Zealand.
Visa-waiver visitors include citizens from countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and many European countries. If you are entering from one of these countries, you may be granted a visitor visa and entry permission as you arrive in New Zealand, allowing you to visit for up to 3 months (6 months for British citizens). You may also study for up to 3 months. You will still need to apply for a NZ Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA).
Do I need to show money?
It is expected that you will be able to demonstrate evidence of sufficient funds available during your stay, if requested at the border (or as part of your visitor visa application). How much you must show depends on the number of travellers, and if accommodation is already provided or pre-arranged in New Zealand. You will also be expected to have a ticket to travel out of New Zealand, or sufficient funds to purchase one.
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Who can be included in a visitor visa application?
You can include your partner and dependent children in your visitor visa application and their visas will have the same conditions as yours. If they wish to study or work in New Zealand, they will need to apply for a student or work visa separately, as per the principal applicant.
Your partner can be of the same sex or opposite sex and can be your spouse, civil union partner, or partner in a de facto relationship. You do not have to be married but evidence of a genuine, sustainable relationship is required. To be included in a visitor visa application, dependent children must be aged 19 or younger, be single, and if they are aged 18-19, they must not have any children of their own, and they must be totally or substantially reliant on you or your partner for financial support, regardless of whether they live with you.
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}Interim visas
In certain cases, such as having an application for a further visitor visa under consideration while holding a valid temporary visa, you may be granted an interim visa. This is decided by Immigration New Zealand close to the expiration of your current visa. Interim visas do not have travel conditions and are valid for up to six months or until a decision is made on your application.
Can I work or study while on a Visitor visa?
If you wish to study, you can enrol in courses for up to three months within each 12-month period of your visa’s validity. School-aged children can attend primary, intermediate, or secondary school for a single period of up to three months per calendar year, provided it does not span into the next calendar year. This cannot include consecutive school terms, meaning they cannot study in the first term if they studied in the fourth term of the previous year. Courses and education providers must be approved by the Ministry of Education and adhere to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students. Young children (under 13) studying for up to three months at a Private Training Establishment must also meet specific guardianship requirements.
You cannot work for a NZ employer while on a visitor visa. You may only work remotely as a ‘digital nomad’.
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How long can I stay in New Zealand for?
Generally speaking, visitor visas are granted for 3 months. You may also be granted multiple entry visas that allow stays of up to 6 months in any 12 months period. Once onshore, your visitor visa may be extended, allowing for a stay of up to 9 months preceding the expiry date of your last visa (12 months in special cases). After spending a total of 12 months in New Zealand on a visitor visa, you must leave the country for 12 months before applying for another visitor visa.
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}If you plan to stay for longer periods, work, or study for more than three months, you will need to apply for a work visa or student visa. Visitor visa holders are generally not eligible for publicly funded health services, except for emergency treatment under New Zealand’s reciprocal health agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom. Therefore, it is highly recommended to arrange comprehensive health insurance for the duration of your stay.
Eligibility for medical and accident care while visiting
Generally, visitor visa holders in New Zealand are not eligible for publicly funded health and disability services. However, individuals covered by New Zealand’s reciprocal health agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom are entitled to publicly funded healthcare for certain medical treatments only. It is strongly advised that you arrange comprehensive health insurance for your stay.
While you are not covered for medical care, you are covered for any accidents under New Zealand’s ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) scheme. All persons physically in New Zealand, regardless of their nationality or visa status, will be treated in case of accident.
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}The New Zealand Working Holiday Visa
New Zealand has working holiday scheme agreements with many countries, allowing the applicant to work in and explore New Zealand.
Almost 50 countries have a working holiday visa agreement with New Zealand, and every year hundreds of young travellers come and discover our amazing country under this scheme. This visa option is available to young people, usually aged 18-30, but up to 35 in a select few countries. It allows travel and work in New Zealand for up to 12 months (extendable to 15 under certain conditions or up 23 months if you’re from Canada, or 36 months if you’re from the UK).
To be eligible for a working holiday visa, you must hold a passport from a country that has an agreement with New Zealand, and you also need to have a return ticket, or enough funds to pay for one, and be coming mainly to holiday, with work or study being a secondary intention. You cannot undertake permanent employment while on a working holiday visa and certain schemes have a restrictions in terms of how long you can work for a single employer.
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}Visiting New Zealand for Business
If you are visiting New Zealand regularly for business, you may be able to apply for a business visitor visa, which allows multiple entry for no longer than 3 months in any one year.
You may be eligible if you are a:
representative on official trade missions;
sales representatives of overseas companies;
overseas buyers of New Zealand goods or services;
people undertaking business consultations or negotiations in New Zealand on establishing, expanding, or winding up any business enterprise or carrying on any business in New Zealand.
If you are doing work in New Zealand outside of the cases mentioned above, you will most likely need a work visa.
The cases above are by far the most frequent. There are a number of highly specific visitor visas catering for all types of applicants. Contact us now to find out your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a visa to visit New Zealand?
It depends on your passport. New Zealand operates a visa waiver system covering more than 60 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and most EU member states. Citizens of those countries do not need to apply for a visitor visa in advance; instead, they can enter New Zealand under the visa waiver arrangement and are typically granted entry permission for up to three months (or six months if travelling on a British passport). However, even visa waiver travellers must obtain a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before boarding their flight, unless they are Australian citizens or hold an existing New Zealand visa.
If your country is not on the visa waiver list, you must apply for a visitor visa before you travel. New Zealand Shores can confirm your country’s status and assist with your application: [email protected].
How long can I stay in New Zealand on a visitor visa?
Standard visitor visas allow a stay of up to three months per visit. INZ may grant a multiple-entry visitor visa that allows stays of up to six months in any 12-month period. Once in New Zealand, you may apply to extend your visa, with extensions possible up to a total of nine months of continuous stay (or 12 months in certain exceptional circumstances). After reaching 12 months total in New Zealand on visitor visas, you must leave and remain outside New Zealand for 12 months before applying for another visitor visa.
British citizens are an exception under the visa waiver arrangement and may stay for up to six months on arrival without a prior visa application.
Can I extend my visitor visa while I am already in New Zealand?
Yes. You can apply to extend your visitor visa from within New Zealand, provided you apply before your current visa expires. Extensions are granted at INZ’s discretion and are not automatic. If you apply for a further visitor visa while your current visa is still valid and a decision is not made before it expires, INZ will normally grant you an Interim Visa to cover the gap. Interim visas do not carry travel conditions and remain valid for up to six months or until a decision is made on your extension application.
Can I work or earn money while on a visitor visa?
No. Visitor visa conditions do not include work rights. You cannot take up employment, work for a New Zealand business, or perform services in exchange for payment or other benefit. Doing so is a breach of your visa conditions and may result in visa cancellation and removal from New Zealand.
If your intention is to work in New Zealand, you need a work visa. The most common pathway for skilled workers is the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). Visit www.newzealandshores.com or email [email protected] to explore your work visa options.
Can I work remotely for my overseas employer while visiting New Zealand?
Yes, with limits. Immigration New Zealand allows visitor visa holders (including those entering under the visa waiver programme) to work remotely for an overseas employer or client for up to 90 days during their stay. If you plan to work remotely for longer than 90 days, you may need to register for tax purposes in New Zealand. Freelancers or contractors providing services to New Zealand-based clients are not covered by this provision and generally require a work visa.
Can I study while on a visitor visa?
Yes, within limits. Visitor visa holders may enrol in courses of up to three months’ duration within each 12-month period of visa validity. School-aged children accompanying a visitor visa holder may attend primary, intermediate, or secondary school for a single period of up to three months per calendar year, provided this does not span consecutive school terms across calendar years.
Courses must be offered by providers approved by the New Zealand Ministry of Education and must comply with the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students. If you wish to study for longer than three months, you need a student visa.
How much money do I need to show for a New Zealand visitor visa?
INZ expects you to demonstrate that you have enough money to cover the cost of your stay. The accepted benchmark is approximately NZD $1,000 per person per month of your intended stay. If your accommodation is pre-paid or hosted, the required amount reduces to approximately NZD $400 per person per month. You must also hold a return ticket or have sufficient funds to purchase one. Evidence can take the form of bank statements, payslips, or a sponsor’s letter supported by their financial documents.
Can I visit New Zealand for business on a visitor visa?
Yes. New Zealand has a specific Business Visitor Visa category for people who travel regularly to New Zealand for business purposes. It allows multiple-entry visits of no longer than three months in any one year. To qualify, you must be visiting as a representative on an official trade mission, a sales representative of an overseas company, an overseas buyer of New Zealand goods or services, or someone undertaking legitimate business consultations or negotiations in New Zealand.
Business visitor visa holders cannot perform work in New Zealand beyond the activities described above. If you are carrying out tasks that constitute employment or contracted services for a New Zealand business, you need a work visa. Contact New Zealand Shores to determine the correct pathway: [email protected].