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, or wish to visit family and friends, 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 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. These 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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 while on a visitor visa
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.
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).
Certain countries have a quota per year, while others allow unlimited applications.
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.
The Working Holiday Visa
Explore New Zealand
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.
