New Zealand Travel Without a Visa

By Andrew Lewis on 25 Sep 2023

Tourist visas are constantly evolving and changing to meet the needs of modern travelers and a fast-paced, interconnected world. Whereas it used to take weeks to months to process, now most travelers can get tourist visas within days or minutes. Some countries have even eliminated tourist visas for official passport holders to make visiting more accessible and straightforward.

If you’re planning a trip to New Zealand, you may be wondering if you can get a visa on arrival or how to travel visa free. Not to worry: We’ve got the answers you’re looking for about visa-free entry to New Zealand. Here are some visa requirements you should know.

Can I Travel to New Zealand Without a Visa?

Technically, there is no New Zealand “travel without visa” offering for non–New Zealand passport holders.

If you are from a visa-waiver country or territory, a permanent resident of Australia, or a cruise-ship passenger, you need to acquire an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) before you travel to New Zealand. You can then be granted a visitor visa on arrival in New Zealand by presenting your arrival card and passport at airport immigration and requesting permission to enter.

If you are able to travel on a New Zealand visa waiver, there are still requirements you must meet to be granted entry. They include:

  • A valid passport
  • A return ticket to a country you are allowed to enter (a one-way ticket will not be acceptable)
  • Sufficient funds to support your stay in New Zealand
  • A completed arrival card, obtainable at the airport, declaring good character and an acceptable standard of health

If you cannot meet any or all of these requirements, you should apply for a visitor visa before you travel to New Zealand, as you may not be allowed to enter with a visa waiver (even if you have an NZeTA).

Which Countries Don’t Need Visas for New Zealand?

If you are passing through Auckland International Airport on your way to another country, you do not have to apply for a visa if you are from a transit visa waiver country.

Those countries include: Bahamas, Bermuda, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Federated States of Micronesia, Indonesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Venezuela.

New Zealand Visa on Arrival

It’s not always possible to obtain a visa on arrival in New Zealand, but passport holders from visa-waiver countries and territories can apply in advance for the NZeTA.

The following is a list of eligible visa-waiver countries and territories:

  • Andorra, Argentina, and Austria
  • Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, and Bulgaria
  • Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, and Estonia (citizens only)
  • Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (residents with HKSAR or British National–Overseas passports only), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, and Italy
  • Japan, Korea, South Kuwait, Latvia (citizens only), Liechtenstein, Lithuania (citizens only), and Luxembourg
  • Macau (only if you have a Macau Special Administrative Region passport), Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, and Monaco
  • Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal (if you have the right to live permanently in Portugal), Qatar, and Romania
  • San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland
  • Taiwan (if you are a permanent resident), United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom (if you are traveling on a UK or British passport that shows you have the right to reside permanently in the UK),
  • United States of America (including USA nationals), Uruguay, and Vatican City.

Entering as a New Zealand Citizen With a Foreign Passport

If you are a New Zealand citizen traveling on a foreign passport, you’ll need an endorsement of your New Zealand citizenship. It’s a record that allows passport holders who are New Zealand citizens to enter New Zealand as citizens although they are traveling on a foreign passport.

How Do I Get a New Zealand Visa?

There are different types of New Zealand visas depending on your reason for visiting.

If you are a citizen of a country that has a visa-waiver agreement with New Zealand and plan to visit for a short period, you need to request a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (also known as an NZeTA or New Zealand ETA) before you travel. An NZeTA permits travelers to stay up to three months.

If you don’t meet the above criteria, you’ll need to apply for a New Zealand visitor visa, be it a single or multiple-entry visa. Make sure to apply well in advance as processing times can vary. You can apply online and pay with a credit or debit card.

Be Visa-Ready for New Zealand

Obtaining a valid visa is an essential part of planning your trip. At Entriva, we can easily and efficiently help with every aspect of getting a New Zealand visa. Start your visa application process.

For more information on other aspects of travel to New Zealand, including local laws, health and safety, and banking, money, and currency, visit our New Zealand content hub.