What are the New Zealand Visa Requirements?

The country of New Zealand is a destination sought after by many travelers, be they young backpackers, families or couples. Regardless of the traveler you are, the country you come from or the reason for your visit, there are a series of requirements that, as a foreigner, you must abide by.

New Zealand’s visa system is quite comprehensive and offers different types of permits. Each type of visa includes its own conditions, duration, relevant documentation and specific requirements. Therefore, before buying a ticket to New Zealand, it is important to know what type of visa suits your trip and what are your obligations and rights.

Basic Entry Requirements to New Zealand

Before boarding a flight or boarding for New Zealand , the carrier sends information about the traveler to the New Zealand immigration authorities through what is known as PNR (Passenger Name Registry). This information is checked against New Zealand’s own immigration records to ensure that such traveler has no restrictions on traveling to New Zealand. As part of the border crossing procedure, apart from checking the traveler’s visa and passport, immigration agents ask the traveler about their reasons for coming to New Zealand. This is a general procedure and is done with everyone arriving in New Zealand territory., regardless of whether or not they are in possession of a valid visa or only in transit.

In addition, there are a number of points that border agents must examine to determine whether or not the traveler is granted the right to enter New Zealand, such as:

Proof of continuation of travel: travelers will be required to show confirmation of the ticket back home or going to a third country of destination where they have a visa or are exempt from it.
Proof of Sufficient Funds: New Zealand border agents may also require visitors to provide financial evidence (bank statements, credit cards, travelers checks, etc.) demonstrating that they are able to support themselves financially for the entire duration of your stay in New Zealand.
Proof of character: If deemed necessary, the authorities at the ports of entry may ask you a number of questions about previous convictions and / or deportations from another country.
Current health status: To ensure that there is no medical risk to New Zealanders or financial burdens on the New Zealand Health Service , border authorities may request to know your health status and, if necessary, request a medical waiver.

In addition to complying with the aforementioned, travelers arriving in New Zealand must possess the following:

A travel document or passport in perfect condition and valid for at least 3 months past the date of departure from New Zealand.
A completed and signed Passenger Arrival form
If required, a valid New Zealand visa
A return ticket from New Zealand prior to the expiration of your visa and to a destination where your entry is accepted.

Visa Types – New Zealand

Whether it is for study, work, business or seeing the family, there is a visa for New Zealand that adapts to each case. The country is considered slightly less bureaucratic than Canada or Australia, for example, but immigration requirements must still be met. The biggest advantage in the case of New Zealand is that you can make most visa applications online and speed up the whole process. So before packing, it is important to know the different types of visas for New Zealand, as well as who should apply for them, what documents are needed and what are the costs. The main New Zealand visa categories are discussed below .

New Zealand Study Visa

Anyone who intends to study in New Zealand for a period of up to 3 months can do so as a tourist, as long as the requirements of the category are met. If the period or course you are studying is longer than 90 days, it will be necessary to request an appropriate visa for that purpose.

There are different categories of student visa for New Zealand, each with its own specific conditions and restrictions. For example, there is a visa for people who have obtained a scholarship or for refugees who wish to study in New Zealand . Still, the most common type is the Fee-Paid Student Visa, which includes everyone who wants to study in New Zealand – whether it’s a language school, a technical course, or higher education. In addition to being able to study, those with a valid New Zealand student visaThey may have a part time job (20 hours a week) during the course period and work full time (40 hours a week) during the holidays. In most cases, the visa is granted for the same duration of the course.

The basic documentation required for a New Zealand student visa is:

1 Passport if you request it online, 2 if the process is done in person
A valid passport and in perfect condition
A medical certificate attesting that the student is in good health
A criminal history certificate from the applicant’s country of origin and the other countries in which he has lived for more than 5 years after turning 17, if necessary
Documents from educational institutions demonstrating membership or attendance enrollment during the course duration
Proof that you need to stay in the country during the course period
Visa procedural fee paid
Full coverage health insurance

New Zealand Work Visa

If your intention is to work in New Zealand, you will need an official visa for this particular purpose. Whether temporary or long-term employment, appropriate authorization is required and in most cases the offer must be made in advance. The company must justify why it chooses a foreign candidate for the job instead of someone from New Zealand, and demonstrate its added value for the position it will occupy. Only after successfully completing this first phase will the work visa begin.

When applying for a New Zealand work visa , the following documents are required:

Standard passport photographs
Valid passport
Criminal history certificate from all countries where you have resided for more than 5 years
Medical certificate attesting to good health
Copy of the employment contract
Fee paid for New Zealand work permit
Copies of resumes and other proofs of professional experience in the area where the job offer has been received

Foreigners who have the skills requested by the New Zealand government can complete an Expression of Interest. There is a system of points for abilities, which if they were attacked or exceeded, would give the candidate the possibility of being invited to reside permanently in the country for that purpose.

New Zealand Work Holiday Visa

Within the category of work visas, there is the possibility of trying it with a Work Holiday Visa. This authorization focuses on young travelers, mainly from visa-exempt countries, who are between the ages of 18 and 30, and who want to spend 12 months in New Zealand studying and working. Registration for this program is normally opened once a year and there are usually a series of vacancies according to the applicant’s country of origin. The process is completely online and you can only participate in it once. Those selected must have sufficient financial funds to live in New Zealand during this time and cannot work on permanent vacancies.

New Zealand Entrepreneur Visa

For those who wish to work in their own business in New Zealand, an Entrepreneur Visa must be applied for. With it, it is possible to start a company and develop it for 3 years. Then, once the business has been established, you can apply for permanent residence. Entrepreneur candidates must have a detailed business plan and financial means with which to invest. This requirement may be exempted if the company is within the framework of innovation and high technology. The New Zealand government has a list of criteria for entrepreneurs, and a score of at least 120 is required to be considered.

New Zealand Tourist Visa

A tourist visa guarantees its holder the right to enter and travel in New Zealand for a period of time, as long as a series of requirements are met. Many foreign nationals who want to travel to New Zealand for tourism or visit family / friends must obtain a holiday visa before arrival. To do this, they must first complete and submit an application form, attaching all relevant documents and responding to a questionnaire as detailed and honestly as possible. Once the vacation visa application has been processed, the traveler will be notified by email of the decision.

The following documents will be required when completing the online registration for New Zealand visitor visa :

A high-quality scanned copy of your passport and signature data.
A digitized passport photo
Documents that demonstrate the reason for the trip as well as the itinerary
Evidence that they have financial commitments in the country of origin
Paypal account or debit or credit card to pay the visa fee

For more information, there are a few key points that all applicants should keep in mind regarding New Zealand visitor visa conditions :

Holiday visas are normally granted for a period of 18 months beginning on the date of issue
A valid visitor visa does not guarantee its holder the right to work or seek employment in New Zealand
Applicants for tourist visas must have a return ticket to their country of origin or a one-way ticket to a third destination
A visitor to New Zealand cannot stay in the country for more than 9 months without having to apply for another permit

Visa Waiver New Zealand , eta New Zealand , and IVL

In addition to Australian residents and passport holders, citizens of 60 other countries do not need specific visas to visit New Zealand for up to 3 months because they are on the list of visa exempt countries. Even if this is the case, travelers must ensure that their passports are valid for at least three months after the return date.

During the period of the visit, visa-free travelers are free to visit any city in New Zealand, accompanied or not by relatives, and even enroll in short courses of less than 90 days. Even so, the authorization does not allow any paid professional activity. Although the intention will only be for tourism, you can be refused entry if certain requirements are not met, see:

Not having a ticket back to the country of origin or to any other country where entry is authorized
Not having proven that sufficient financial means are available for the stay in New Zealand until the return date
Not being in good health upon arrival

Some of these standards, however, are about to change. Starting October 1, 2019, UK passport holders and citizens of 59 other visa-exempt countries will have to apply for an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) before leaving for New Zealand. Although the eTA will not affect the current conditions of visa exempts, it will require completing an online application before arrival at the entrance to New Zealand.

Travelers will also be required to pay a fee called IVL (International Conservation and Tourism Tax), which will be collected in conjunction with the New Zealand eTA upon request. Both authorizations will be valid for multiple entries into New Zealand for 2 years after the date of issue. Registration for New Zealand’s new eTA system will open on July 1, but will only be officially effective in October 2019.