How to visit New Zealand in a Visa-Free way

Updated on Feb 25, 2023 | Online New Zealand Visa

Since 2019, NZeTA or New Zealand eTA has been made a necessary entry document needed by foreign citizens on arrival to New Zealand. New Zealand eTA or electronic travel authorisation would allow you to visit the country with the help of an electronic permit for a given period.

Long gone are the days when you were supposed to wait for a good length of time just to get your visa to visit New Zealand. 

If visiting New Zealand is among your travel plans or a trip to the country for any other specific purpose, then your wait to get an authorisation to visit New Zealand could be simply a matter of a few minutes. 

New Zealand eTA or electronic travel authorisation would allow you to visit the country with the help of an electronic permit for a given period. 

If you belong to one of the visa waiver countries of New Zealand, then you would be eligible to travel with a New Zealand eTA. 

Since 2019, NZeTA or New Zealand eTA has been made a necessary entry document needed by foreign citizens on arrival to New Zealand. 

New Zealand Visa (NZeTA)

New Zealand eTA Application Form now allows visitors from all nationalities to obtain New Zealand eTA (NZETA) by email without visiting New Zealand Embassy. New Zealand Visa application process is automated, simple, and completely online. New Zealand Immigration now officially recommends Online New Zealand Visa or New Zealand ETA online rather than sending paper documents. You can obtain New Zealand eTA by filling out a form on this website and making the payment using a Debit or Credit Card. You will also require a valid email id as New Zealand eTA information will be sent to your email id. You do not need visit an embassy or consulate or to send your passport for Visa stamping. If you are arriving to New Zealand by the Cruise Ship route, you should check the New Zealand ETA eligibility conditions for Cruise Ship arrival to New Zealand.

Who needs an eTA for New Zealand?

It would be necessary for you to carry a New Zealand eTA on arrival to New Zealand in all of the following cases:

  • If you are a citizen of one of the visa waiver countries of New Zealand, then travelling with an electronic travel authorisation would be an obligatory condition. 
  • For cruise travellers wanting to visit New Zealand, an eTA for New Zealand would be mandatory whether you belong to any nationality. 
  • For visitors belonging to listed 191 countries, any traveller visiting New Zealand for transit related purposes would also be required to carry an eTA for New Zealand. 

How will I get my eTA for New Zealand?

Contrary to the official visa application process, the procedure to apply and receive your eTA for New Zealand is tremendously simple and quick. 

An online process would save loads of your time from avoiding visits to any consulate or embassy. 

In case you are eligible to apply for eTA for New Zealand as mentioned above then you will only have to fill an online application form to get your NZeTA or travel authorisation to New Zealand through email. 

You can apply for electronic travel authorization to New Zealand here

Why should I travel with New Zealand Business Visa or NZeTA to New Zealand? 

Apart from an online easy application process, travelling with an eTA to New Zealand could be the best option for you given the following reasons: 

  • Your NZeTA would allow you to visit New Zealand for the purpose of tourism. As a short-term traveller to New Zealand, you will not have to wait long to get your authorization to visit New Zealand. An eTA would be a much simpler way to travel than applying for an official visa. 
  • If you want to expand your business visits to New Zealand, then eTA for New Zealand could be one other way of travelling to the country. An eTA for business trips to New Zealand would be valid for a specific period allowing you to visit New Zealand for business related trips. 
  • If you are a traveller transiting to another destination from New Zealand, then you must travel with an electronic travel authorisation/ eTA. 

Here you can easily find if your country is one of the 60 visa-waiver countries eligible for NZeTA. 

Children are also required to apply for an eTA to visit New Zealand.  

READ MORE:
From October 2019 New Zealand Visa requirements have changed. People who do not require a New Zealand Visa i.e. formerly Visa Free nationals, are required to obtain New Zealand Electronic Travel Authorization (NZeTA) in order to enter New Zealand. Learn more at Online New Zealand Visa Eligible Countries.

Why New Zealand Business Visa or NZeTA is the best way to visit New Zealand? 

Travelling with NZeTA to New Zealand is not only the easiest way to travel but also comes with many other benefits which will attract travellers to visit New Zealand using eTA. 

  • If you want to visit New Zealand for tourism or any other short-term visit, then an eTA could be the best for you. An eTA is valid for 2 years from its date of activation or before the expiry of your registered passport, whichever is earlier. 
  • As an eTA holder, you will be allowed to visit New Zealand at multiple times within 2 years. Each visit would allow you to stay and travel within the country for 30 days. 
  • Applying for eTA is an easy application process that comes in an all-online format, saving you the time for frequent visits to the embassy. 
  • Unlike a regular visa, eTA for New Zealand would take less than 72 hours to process your application. 
  • To get your approved eTA for New Zealand, you will not have to physically visit any consulate or embassy. An applicant for eTA New Zealand will receive travel authorisation through email. 

Can I visit New Zealand without a New Zealand Business Visa or NZeTA? 

If you are visiting New Zealand without an eTA, then you must belong to one of the following categories: 

  • You must be a citizen of New Zealand with a valid passport of New Zealand. You also may be a citizen of another country with your passport with an endorsement from the New Zealand government. 
  • A traveller to New Zealand with a valid visa.
  • If you are an Australian citizen wanting to go to New Zealand. It would be best if you carried an Australian passport in this case. 

Things to Remember Before Applying for New Zealand Business Visa or NZeTA

Since the eTA application process is straightforward, you must ensure that you carry the right documents at the point of arrival. 

It is essential to check the below guidelines if you are planning to travel to New Zealand with an eTA: 

1. Foreign Nationals who are permanent residents of Australia: Although Australian citizens are not required to carry an eTA to visit New Zealand, before travelling, you need to keep in mind that if you are a foreign national permanently residing in Australia, then you will need an eTA to visit New Zealand. A visitor with eTA will not be charged the associated tourist levy in such a case. 

2. Passenger Airline and cruise ship crew:  If you are visiting New Zealand as a crew member of a passenger Airline or cruise ship, then as staff of the airline or cruise, you would need to carry a Crew eTA for New Zealand. A crew eTA is not the same as the general NZeTA and is needed to be presented to the employer at the point of arrival. 

3. Other categories exempted from eTA New Zealand: There are other cases under which you may not be required to present an eTA on arrival to New Zealand. 

In such case, you must belong to one of the following categories: 

  • Crew and passengers of a non-cruise ship
  • A foreign ship carrying cargo
  • Citizens travelling under The Antarctic Treaty 
  • Participants of a visiting force or its associated crew members 

What are the different types of NZeTA? 

A simple process of an eTA application is one way to go forward to fulfil your travel plans to New Zealand hassle-free.

Know more about different types of eTA for New Zealand or NZeTA before travelling so that you know which eTA you need for your visit to New Zealand. 

NZeTA for Tourism 

A general NZeTA would be an electronic travel authorisation to visit New Zealand. As a traveller with NZeTA, you can visit the country without a tourist visa and stay up to 3 months in New Zealand. 

Your eTA will allow you to visit New Zealand multiple times over a period of 2 years, allowing a stay of up to 90 days on each visit. 

A tourist eTA is most used by travellers wanting to visit New Zealand for a short period of time and those who want to get away from the time procedure of applying for a regular visa to New Zealand. 

READ MORE:
Frequently Asked Questions about the New Zealand eTA Visa. Get answers to the most common questions about the requirements, important information and documents required to travel to the New Zealand. Learn more at New Zealand eTA (NZeTA) Frequently Asked Questions.

Business Trips with NZeTA 
Want to visit New Zealand for business-related purposes? 

An official Business visitor visa is one way to travel and an easy-to-apply NZeTA is another way using which you can visit New Zealand for a business trip for a certain period of time. 

Should I get a business visitor visa or an NZeTA for my Business trip? 

If you think NZeTA is the right option for your business-related visit to New Zealand, then you would need to know specific vital details before travelling for your business trip. 

If you belong to one of New Zealand's visa waiver countries, getting an NZeTA for business-related visits to New Zealand is a mandatory requirement from October 2019 onwards. 

Getting NZeTA is the most uncomplicated application process in an online format. Hence, you would save tremendous time by avoiding any visits to the New Zealand embassy or consulate.  

All you need is to check your eligibility before travelling. You must be a citizen of a visa waiver country as listed by the New Zealand government to avail the benefit of travelling with NZeTA. 

Benefits of NZeTA for Business

  • Your NZeTA for business remains valid for 2 years from its issue date. 
  • Multiple-entry travel authorisation- Under a multiple-entry travel authorisation, a visitor for a business-related visit to New Zealand would be allowed to visit New Zealand at multiple points within a period of two years. At each visit within this period, visitors would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 90 days. 
  • If you are a UK citizen wanting to visit New Zealand with a business NZeTA, then you would be allowed multiple entry authorisation for a stay of up to 6 months on each trip within 2 years. 

Am I Eligible to travel with NZeTA for Business? 

With an easy online process, getting an NZeTA to visit New Zealand couldn't be simpler.

As a first-time traveller with NZeTA, you only need to make sure that you are eligible to travel with an eTA to New Zealand. 

In case you are not eligible for NZeTA, you would have to apply for a business visitor visa to travel to New Zealand for a specific business-related purpose. 

You can quickly check your country's eligibility here.

Crew NZeTA

You may not be travelling to New Zealand for tourism or business-related purposes but rather as crew or staff of an airline or cruise. 

If you are a passenger Airline or cruise ship crew member arriving in New Zealand, then it would be mandatory for you to present an eTA to your employer at the point of arrival in New Zealand. 

A crew NZeTA is different from a general NZeTA or NZeTA for business and is valid up to 5 years from its date of issue. 

As a crew of a passenger airline or cruise ship, you would need a Crew NZeTA before leaving for New Zealand, which is to be presented by the employer upon arrival. 

READ MORE:
Are you looking for Online New Zealand visa from United Kingdom? Find out the requirements of the New Zealand eTA for United Kingdom citizens and the eTA NZ visa application from United Kingdom. Learn more at Online New Zealand Visa for United Kingdom Citizens.

NZeTA for Transit Passengers 

You could be a passenger transiting through New Zealand on your way to a third country. In such a situation, you must present an eTA of New Zealand at the airport. 

When can I get NZeTA for Transit from New Zealand? 

  • If you are from a transit visa waiver country of New Zealand. 
  • If you are travelling to New Zealand from Australia, even if you started your journey from a third country. 
  • A visitor travelling with an Australian permanent residence visa. 

In all the above cases, you would be eligible to get an eTA for transit through New Zealand. 

However, if none of the above applies to you, you must apply for a transit visa to New Zealand. 

A transit visa would only allow you to stay within the premises of Auckland International Airport for a period not exceeding 24 hours. 

As a transit passenger, you must remain on the plane while transiting through New Zealand.

Types of Visa to visit New Zealand

Your purpose for visiting New Zealand could vary depending on various situations. There are many visa categories which you might find best suitable to use while travelling to New Zealand. 

  • Tourist visa 
  • Medical visa 
  • Business visa 
  • Work visa 
  • Student visa 
  • Transit visa 
  • Visa to join family staying as permanent residents in New Zealand. 

Things to Know Before Visiting New Zealand 

As a first-time traveller to New Zealand, you must ensure your journey remains hassle-free.

The presence of security and document checks on arrival should be an easy process for you as that is the first point of experience while entering a country. 

Make sure you meet all the official guidelines of New Zealand declared for foreign tourists.

  1. It would be best if you carry a valid passport while travelling with an expiry of more than 3 months before departure. 
  2. If you are eligible for NZeTA, you must carry your New Zealand eTA before travelling. Otherwise, passengers must hold a visitor visa to New Zealand on arrival. 
  3. Evidence or permission for onward travel should also be presented on arrival. 
  4. Passengers must prepare a list of items in their luggage while travelling to New Zealand for customs and immigration security checks. 

Hopefully, the above article resolved all your queries regarding the eTA to travel to New Zealand. 

After considering your eligibility for NZeTA, you will find it reasonably easy to apply for electronic authorization to visit New Zealand on your next trip.

READ MORE:
Get Online New Zealand visa for US citizens, with new-zealand-visa.org. To find out the requirements of the New Zealand eTA for Americans (USA Citizens) and the eTA NZ visa application learn more at Online New Zealand Visa for US Citizens.


Ensure that you have checked the eligibility for your Online New Zealand Visa. If you are from a Visa Waiver country then you can apply for an Online New Zealand Visa or New Zealand eTA regardless of the mode of travel (Air / Cruise). United States citizens, European citizens, Canadian citizens, United Kingdom citizens, French citizens, Spanish citizens and Italian citizens can apply online for New Zealand eTA. United Kingdom residents can stay on New Zealand eTA for 6 months while others for 90 days.

Please apply for an Online New Zealand Visa 72 hours in advance of your flight.