New Zealand, once a lost island in the Pacific, has now become a leading tourist destination that receives millions of visitors from around the world every year. Some of those who travel to Aotearoa seek to photograph its breathtaking landscapes, others want to find tranquility and peace on its beaches and lakes, and there are those who want the adrenaline rush of exploring its countless adventure sports. New Zealand is a tourist destination for everyone. The TEMPERATE version of a paradise island.
Among the main reasons why tourists choose New Zealand to start with, are being close and exploring its unique natural environment. The landscape is riddled with National Parks, from the Tongariro on the North Island to the Abel Tasman and the land of the Fjords in the South. It was thinking about the conservation of these ecosystems, along with the need to evaluate the entry of so much tourism, that the country decided to promote the new Electronic Travel Authorization system in 2019. Although eTa will not change the way that travelers enjoy the country, will make them organize and plan their trip with more attention.
Below we will see a breakdown of the New Zealand eTA, covering the main points such as the date of implementation of the new New Zealand electronic visa and what it would mean for New Zealand visa-exempt travelers.
For some time now, countries like the US and Canada have had electronic visa systems – the ESTA and the eTA, respectively – as a method of handling immigration procedures more efficiently. Europe will soon implement its own electronic travel and information system (ETIAS) that will cover the entire Schengen Area. So based on the proven effectiveness of such systems, the New Zealand Government decided to follow suit.
Thus, as of October 1, 2019, UK passport holders and permanent residents, along with nationals of 59 other countries who do not currently require a traditional visitor visa to enter New Zealand, must carry a valid eTA before of the departure of your trip.
Although the idea for the New Zealand eTA was announced since 2018, its implementation was confirmed on February 25, 2019. According to the official announcement, the New Zealand eTA was designed to “improve the way travelers are evaluated before to enter New Zealand and help reduce the time it takes to cross the border and strengthen security there. ” Going into detail, eTA relies on:
– strengthen border security posts and reduce the risks of illegal immigration
– deal more efficiently with drug and human trafficking
– mitigate the possibilities of biosecurity gaps
– enhance the overall travel experience by offering faster and more versatile border crossing processes
– strengthen and support the New Zealand Government’s international agreements and relations with other countries
– keep up to date with technological advances in security systems, adapting to the needs of travelers, custodians, and the government in the same way
Reasons after the New Zealand eTA
New Zealand tourism has gone through a phase of massive growth in the past decade, and the numbers continue to rise. Due to the fact that a large number of tourists are not required to apply for a formal New Zealand visa prior to arrival, the New Zealand government has begun to consider the disadvantages of not screening travelers in advance. As an example, with the current system, immigration agents only receive information about who enters the country once the traveler is already on the way. This delays the passport control process as well as the subsequent customs and biosafety control, sometimes causing delays and worsening the overall traveler experience. Also, having limited personal and travel information, Customs officers may have difficulty determining whether or not a traveler poses a threat to the health or safety of New Zealanders. So in order to better manage these immigration-related issues and STREAMLINE border crossing procedures, the New Zealand government has decided to introduce a new, more modern travel authorization system called eTA.
New Zealand eTA for members of the New Zealand Visa Waiver program
The UK is among the countries that have signed a visa waiver agreement with New Zealand, allowing its citizens to travel to Aotearoa for tourism without having to make a formal tourist visa application. Even without the need to apply, these visa-exempt travelers must abide by the New Zealand entry regulations. They must also fill out the Arrival of Passengers to New Zealand form on arrival and go through the same passport and security controls as other travelers.
As part of the visa waiver agreement, visitors are given the right to enter and travel in New Zealand for up to 90 days (180 in the case of UK passport holders) for tourism or short-term studies. Visitors who take advantage of this type of visa are prohibited from seeking or accepting jobs, as well as enrolling in long-term courses (more than 3 months). To qualify for entry to New Zealand through the visa waiver treaty, the traveler must:
– have a valid and perfect passport that does not expire until at least 3 months after the traveler’s scheduled departure from New Zealand.
– be in possession of travel documents that may be required to confirm your right of entry
– deliver the Arrival to New Zealand Form (located at any New Zealand airport) completed and signed as a declaration of the traveler’s good character and health status
– be able to demonstrate to the New Zealand immigration authorities that you have a ticket to a third country or back to the traveler’s country of residence
– be able to demonstrate the ability to financially support oneself during the entire stay in New Zealand
With the introduction of the new New Zealand Electronic Travel Authorization, the way in which visa-exempt citizens formerly organized a trip to New Zealand will change. Starting in October 2019, all visa-exempt citizens will be required to complete an online form with personal and travel details at least 72 hours in advance of their trip to New Zealand. In addition, the form will include a questionnaire with questions related to health and criminal history. Travelers requesting an eTA must also attach any relevant documentation to the request and pay a procedural fee through one of the electronic payment methods.
Since the New Zealand eTA is not considered an official visa, it will not affect the current status of visa-exempt nationals. These passport holders will still be able to visit New Zealand for up to 3 months (for UK residents up to 6 months), the only difference being that they must now notify the New Zealand authorities of their arrival by making an eTA request. . Along with the Electronic Travel Authority, the New Zealand government has decided to introduce the IVL, International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Tax. Announced in June 2018, the New Zealand IVL is a method that the government has found to improve tourism sustainably and improve infrastructure, charging this small tax to tourists who use it. The tax will be directed to travelers who join the eTA and the fee will be paid in the same transaction as the travel authorization. Both the eTA and the IVL will be valid for a period of 2 years from the date of issue. Under the Electronic Travel Authorization, travelers will be required to provide the following details and documents: Both the eTA and the IVL will be valid for a period of 2 years from the date of issue. Under the Electronic Travel Authorization, travelers will be required to provide the following details and documents: Both the eTA and the IVL will be valid for a period of 2 years from the date of issue. Under the Electronic Travel Authorization, travelers will be required to provide the following details and documents:
– date of birth
– Registered passport information
– valid email address, telephone number and residence address
– documents showing criminal records and travel plans during your stay in New Zealand
– biometric information (passport with digitized photo)
– procedural and IVL fees paid
New Zealand eTA – Who should apply
The new New Zealand travel authorization will not be necessary for all foreign nationals. It will depend on your nationality or in certain cases of the country where you reside permanently. It is important to check the entry conditions for your particular country before organizing the trip to New Zealand in order to determine if an eTA or an official New Zealand visa is required. For the time being, foreign nationals who must complete the New Zealand eTA application form include:
– citizens of New Zealand visa-exempt countries, passengers and crew members of cruise ships and crew members of commercial airlines
– although Australian citizens do not need eTA for New Zealand, if the traveler is a permanent resident only of Australia they will need to carry an Electronic Travel Authorization
– All New Zealand nationals and New Zealand visa holders, regardless of whether they are temporary or permanent residence permits, will be exempt from eTA.
Likewise, many passengers arriving in New Zealand for tourism or transit purposes will not be required to request an eTA prior to their trip. Again this will depend on the nationality of said person, but also on the status of his visa and his links to authorizations and / or treaties. Some of the eTA exempt travelers include:
– anyone who already has a valid New Zealand visa or must apply for one to visit New Zealand
– Australian citizens traveling to New Zealand with a valid Australian passport
– New Zealand citizens traveling with a valid New Zealand passport
– New Zealand citizens traveling with a valid foreign passport that also identifies them as a New Zealand citizen
– any traveler formally invited by the New Zealand government
– foreign nationals arriving in New Zealand under the Antarctic Treaty
– all travelers members of or related to a visiting force
– those who travel as passengers of a cruise or non-cruise ship
– cargo ship crew
When will the New Zealand eTA and IVL be implemented
A pre-registration for the eTA and IVL will take place beginning July 1, 2019. This will serve as a testing phase to receive impressions from applicants and give them time to familiarize themselves with the new system. According to the plans, the official launch of the new electronic visa for New Zealand is scheduled for October 1, 2019. Thereafter, all travelers susceptible to eTA must have authorization before boarding for New Zealand
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