New Zealand visa and entry requirements

Citizens of New Zealand's visa waiver countries and territories can visit for up to 3 months — 6 months for UK citizens — but must have an NZeTA before they travel, and most international visitors also pay the NZD 100 International Visitor Levy. Australian citizens need neither a visa nor an NZeTA, travellers on passports from some countries must apply for a Visitor Visa, and everyone travelling into New Zealand must complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration; the declaration site suggests doing it before the flight, and for air travellers it needs to be submitted by the time they reach passport control.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Sep 26, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

Visas & entry authorisations

New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)

Fee
17 NZD
Processing
—
Validity
730 days
Stay per entry
90 days

From NZD 17, according to Immigration New Zealand, which explains how to request it using the online form or the app. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment says most international visitors also pay the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) when applying for an NZeTA. Immigration New Zealand says to allow 72 hours for processing.

Documents the application asks for

  • Passport — The passport you will travel on, valid for at least 3 months after the date you intend to leave New Zealand.
  • Photo — One acceptable photo, or a device that can take one.

Visitor Visa

Fee
441 NZD
Processing
—

Immigration New Zealand gives the cost as from NZD 441. It says 80% of applications are processed within 2 weeks; processing is busiest between September and March.

Documents the application asks for

  • Copy of passport or certificate of identity — Valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave New Zealand.
  • Photo — One acceptable photo.
  • Police certificates — If required.
  • Chest X-ray or medical examination evidence — If required; less than 3 months old when Immigration New Zealand receives it.
  • Proof of funds — Proof you have enough money to live on.
  • Proof of your plans — Proof of your plans in New Zealand, to show you are a genuine visitor.
  • Proof of onward travel — Proof you can leave New Zealand at the end of your stay.
  • Partner and children's documents — If you include them: proof of the relationship, proof of identity and acceptable photos.
  • Additional Dependants for a Visitor Visa form (INZ 1205) — If required.
  • Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) — If you have a sponsor, together with your sponsor's sharing ID.
  • English translations — Of any document that is not in English.

Entry requirements

Passport validity

Immigration New Zealand says your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave New Zealand.

Vaccinations

Not officially stated

No official source we read lists a vaccination certificate required for entry.

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

No official source we could read makes travel insurance an entry requirement. Immigration New Zealand says visitors will need to pay for any health care or medical assistance they need in New Zealand, and recommends full medical insurance for the stay.

Onward or return ticket

Required

Immigration New Zealand says visa-waiver visitors must be able to show they plan to leave at the end of their stay, with a paid ticket out of New Zealand to a country they have the right to enter, or a craft owner's letter or cruise itinerary if leaving by private craft or cruise ship; airlines may ask to see the ticket at check-in. To apply for a Visitor Visa, it says, you must have plans to leave New Zealand at the end of your stay.

Proof of funds

Required

Immigration New Zealand says visitors must have at least NZD 1,000 a month, or NZD 400 a month if accommodation is already paid for, and may be asked to show it at check-in or on arrival.

Arrival cards & declarations

Required
  • New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) — Everyone travelling into New Zealand, including New Zealand passport holders, must complete the free New Zealand Traveller Declaration (website or app), which collects travel, customs, immigration and biosecurity information. Air travellers can submit it from 24 hours before they start their trip, and it needs to be submitted by the time they reach passport control in New Zealand; New Zealand Customs suggests doing it before the flight to make arrival easier. It is linked to your passport and checked at the eGate or by a border officer; you do not need to print anything. (by air: from 24 hours before you start your trip until you reach passport control in new zealand. by sea: from 24 hours before departing the vessel’s last foreign port until it berths at its first new zealand port.) travellerdeclaration.govt.nz (opens in a new tab)

Staying past your permitted stay

Once a visa expires, the person is in New Zealand unlawfully, must leave immediately and is liable for deportation. A person deported for being unlawfully in New Zealand may not return for 2 years if deported not more than 12 months after becoming unlawful, and for 5 years if deported 12 months or more after, or if it is the second or subsequent time. No prohibition on entry applies to a person who leaves voluntarily before being served with a deportation order. Immigration New Zealand says a person may be banned from returning if they stay unlawfully for 42 days or more.

Other compulsory government charges

  • International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) — 100 NZD per person per trip. Paid online before travelling.

    Immigration New Zealand says many tourists, people on working holidays and some students and workers must pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy of NZD 100 each time they request an NZeTA or apply for a visa that includes it. It is not refunded if the application is declined.

    Exemptions: Holders of Australian, New Zealand and many Pacific Island passports, transit passengers arriving at and leaving from Auckland International Airport, holders of a New Zealand or Australian resident visa, and holders of a Business Visitor Visa or APEC business travel card.

    Pay on the official site (opens in a new tab)

  • Border processing levies (Customs levy and biosecurity levy) — Arriving by air: Customs levy NZ$13.04 and biosecurity levy NZ$12.03. Departing by air: Customs levy NZ$3.62. Arriving by cruise ship: NZ$27.14 and NZ$10.58. Departing by cruise ship: NZ$0.68. Rates exclude GST. Included in the air ticket.

    New Zealand Customs says travellers arriving or departing by air or cruise ship pay a Customs levy and, on arrival, a biosecurity levy, at the rates in force from 1 February 2026 to 30 June 2027, excluding GST. The levies are included in the ticket when air or cruise travel is booked.

    Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: customs.govt.nz (opens in a new tab)

Customs & currency

New Zealand Customs says you must complete a Border Cash Report if you carry NZ$10,000 or more in cash (or foreign equivalent) into or out of New Zealand.

  • The UK says it is illegal to import most food products into New Zealand and that you must declare anything that may be prohibited; breaking the rules can mean a fine of up to NZ$100,000 or a prison sentence.
  • Wood and leather products, golf clubs, tents and fishing equipment can carry pests or diseases, the UK says: if in doubt, declare them to a Biosecurity New Zealand official or put them in the marked bins at the airport.

Country in a nutshell

Currency
New Zealand dollar (NZD, $)
Safety — Generally safe
The UK FCDO says crime levels are generally low, but street crime happens in major towns and cities and thieves may target unattended vehicles, especially hire cars and camper vans in tourist areas. It says New Zealand is in a major earthquake zone, that tsunamis can happen along the coastlines, and that weather can quickly become dangerous in some coastal and exposed areas.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Power plugs
I · 230V 50Hz
Emergency numbers
General emergencies: 111
Languages
English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Time zone
UTC+12 (UTC+13 in summer); Chatham Islands UTC+12:45 (UTC+13:45 in summer)
Driving side
left
International Driving Permit

New Zealand is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says you can currently drive using an overseas car licence for up to 18 months from your last date of entry into New Zealand, and that from 1 November 2026 this will be reduced to 12 months from the day you last arrived. It says you can use an overseas motorcycle or truck licence for up to 12 months, that if your overseas licence isn't in English you must also have an accurate English translation or an international driving permit (IDP), and that you must also carry your current overseas licence.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic Compare every country

Best time to visit

No official source we could read gives seasonal guidance for visitors. Canada's travel advice says New Zealand is prone to floods, landslides and avalanches.

Tips & warnings

New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries says some foods, drinks, sports and outdoor equipment can carry harmful pests and diseases, and that if you're unsure you should declare your items when you arrive or put them in the bin, otherwise you can get a fine. The UK says it is illegal to import most food products, that tents, fishing equipment and golf clubs can carry pests, and that breaking the rules can mean a fine of up to NZ$100,000 or a prison sentence.

Complete the free New Zealand Traveller Declaration online or in the NZTD app: the declaration site suggests doing it before your flight to make arrival easier, says everyone travelling into New Zealand must complete one, and says it needs to be submitted by the time you reach passport control.

Canada says traffic drives on the left. The UK notes that highways can be narrow, winding and hilly, and Canada warns that rural railway crossings may have no barriers and that dairy herds often cross main roads at milking time.

Budget for the NZD 100 International Visitor Levy on top of the NZeTA fee (from NZD 17): the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment says most international visitors pay it when applying for a visa or NZeTA, and that it funds conservation, infrastructure used for tourism and other initiatives related to tourism.

Visa requirements by nationality

Visa requirements by nationality. Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AfghanistaneVisa—
AlbaniaeVisa—
AlgeriaeVisa—
AndorraETA90 days
AngolaeVisa—
Antigua and BarbudaeVisa—
ArgentinaETA90 days
ArmeniaeVisa—
AustraliaVisa-free—
AustriaETA90 days
AzerbaijaneVisa—
BahamaseVisa—
BahrainETA90 days
BangladesheVisa—
BarbadoseVisa—
BelaruseVisa—
BelgiumETA90 days
BelizeeVisa—
BenineVisa—
BhutaneVisa—
BoliviaeVisa—
Bosnia and HerzegovinaeVisa—
BotswanaeVisa—
BrazilETA90 days
BruneiETA90 days
BulgariaETA90 days
Burkina FasoeVisa—
BurundieVisa—
Cabo VerdeeVisa—
CambodiaeVisa—
CamerooneVisa—
CanadaETA90 days
Central African RepubliceVisa—
ChadeVisa—
ChileETA90 days
ChinaeVisa—
ColombiaeVisa—
ComoroseVisa—
Costa RicaeVisa—
Côte d'IvoireeVisa—
CroatiaETA90 days
CubaeVisa—
CyprusETA90 days
CzechiaETA90 days
Democratic Republic of the CongoeVisa—
DenmarkETA90 days
DjiboutieVisa—
DominicaeVisa—
Dominican RepubliceVisa—
EcuadoreVisa—
EgypteVisa—
El SalvadoreVisa—
Equatorial GuineaeVisa—
EritreaeVisa—
EstoniaETA90 days
EswatinieVisa—
EthiopiaeVisa—
FijieVisa—
FinlandETA90 days
FranceETA90 days
GaboneVisa—
GambiaeVisa—
GeorgiaeVisa—
GermanyETA90 days
GhanaeVisa—
GreeceETA90 days
GrenadaeVisa—
GuatemalaeVisa—
GuineaeVisa—
Guinea-BissaueVisa—
GuyanaeVisa—
HaitieVisa—
HonduraseVisa—
Hong KongETA90 days
HungaryETA90 days
IcelandETA90 days
IndiaeVisa—
IndonesiaeVisa—
IraneVisa—
IraqeVisa—
IrelandETA90 days
IsraelETA90 days
ItalyETA90 days
JamaicaeVisa—
JapanETA90 days
JordaneVisa—
KazakhstaneVisa—
KenyaeVisa—
KiribatieVisa—
KosovoeVisa—
KuwaitETA90 days
KyrgyzstaneVisa—
LaoseVisa—
LatviaETA90 days
LebanoneVisa—
LesothoeVisa—
LiberiaeVisa—
LibyaeVisa—
LiechtensteinETA90 days
LithuaniaETA90 days
LuxembourgETA90 days
MacauETA90 days
MadagascareVisa—
MalawieVisa—
MalaysiaETA90 days
MaldiveseVisa—
MalieVisa—
MaltaETA90 days
Marshall IslandseVisa—
MauritaniaeVisa—
MauritiusETA90 days
MexicoETA90 days
MicronesiaeVisa—
MoldovaeVisa—
MonacoETA90 days
MongoliaeVisa—
MontenegroeVisa—
MoroccoeVisa—
MozambiqueeVisa—
MyanmareVisa—
NamibiaeVisa—
NaurueVisa—
NepaleVisa—
NetherlandsETA90 days
New ZealandFree movement—
NicaraguaeVisa—
NigereVisa—
NigeriaeVisa—
North KoreaeVisa—
North MacedoniaeVisa—
NorwayETA90 days
OmanETA90 days
PakistaneVisa—
PalaueVisa—
PalestineeVisa—
PanamaeVisa—
Papua New GuineaeVisa—
ParaguayeVisa—
PerueVisa—
PhilippineseVisa—
PolandETA90 days
PortugalETA90 days
QatarETA90 days
Republic of the CongoeVisa—
RomaniaETA90 days
RussiaeVisa—
RwandaeVisa—
Saint Kitts and NeviseVisa—
Saint LuciaeVisa—
Saint Vincent and the GrenadineseVisa—
SamoaeVisa—
San MarinoETA90 days
São Tomé and PríncipeeVisa—
Saudi ArabiaETA90 days
SenegaleVisa—
SerbiaeVisa—
SeychellesETA90 days
Sierra LeoneeVisa—
SingaporeETA90 days
SlovakiaETA90 days
SloveniaETA90 days
Solomon IslandseVisa—
SomaliaeVisa—
South AfricaeVisa—
South KoreaETA90 days
South SudaneVisa—
SpainETA90 days
Sri LankaeVisa—
SudaneVisa—
SurinameeVisa—
SwedenETA90 days
SwitzerlandETA90 days
SyriaeVisa—
TaiwanETA90 days
TajikistaneVisa—
TanzaniaeVisa—
ThailandeVisa—
Timor-LesteeVisa—
TogoeVisa—
TongaeVisa—
Trinidad and TobagoeVisa—
TunisiaeVisa—
TurkeyeVisa—
TurkmenistaneVisa—
TuvalueVisa—
UgandaeVisa—
UkraineeVisa—
United Arab EmiratesETA90 days
United KingdomETA180 days
United StatesETA90 days
UruguayETA90 days
UzbekistaneVisa—
VanuatueVisa—
Vatican CityETA90 days
VenezuelaeVisa—
VietnameVisa—
YemeneVisa—
ZambiaeVisa—
ZimbabweeVisa—

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

Australia2 of 199 passports visa-free · 197 eVisa/ETAIndonesia20 of 199 passports visa-free · 94 eVisa/ETAThailand79 of 199 passports visa-free · 117 eVisa/ETASingapore164 of 199 passports visa-free

Frequently asked questions

Do US citizens need a visa for New Zealand?

Citizens of visa waiver countries need no visa, but must have an NZeTA before they travel (from NZD 17), and most international visitors also pay the NZD 100 International Visitor Levy. Immigration New Zealand says the NZeTA is valid for 2 years and allows stays of 3 months each visit. No official source we could read lists the visa waiver countries.

How much does the NZeTA really cost?

Immigration New Zealand gives the NZeTA cost as from NZD 17 and explains how to request it using the online form or the app. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment says most international visitors also pay the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), when applying for a visa or NZeTA.

Do Australians need an NZeTA or visa for New Zealand?

No. Immigration New Zealand says Australian citizens need neither a visa nor an NZeTA. It lists Australian permanent residents among the travellers who can visit New Zealand on an NZeTA.

What is the New Zealand Traveller Declaration?

The NZTD is a free declaration that everyone travelling into New Zealand must complete, online at travellerdeclaration.govt.nz or in the NZTD app. It collects travel, customs, immigration and biosecurity information and replaces the old Passenger Arrival Card. New Zealand Customs suggests doing the digital declaration before your flight instead of filling in a paper declaration onboard; for air travellers it needs to be submitted by the time you reach passport control.

How long can I stay in New Zealand as a visitor?

Immigration New Zealand says NZeTA visitors can stay up to 3 months each visit (6 months for UK citizens), and no more than 6 months within any 12-month period. It says a Visitor Visa lets you stay for up to either 6 or 9 months, with a maximum of 9 months in an 18-month period.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source