What is an NZeTA, and do I need one?

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From 1 October 2019 people arriving in New Zealand from a visa waiver country will be required to apply for an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority).

This new requirement means that people from visa waiver countries won’t automatically get a visitor visa granted on their arrival. The NZeTA can take up to 72 hours to be processed, so it’s essential to organise this ahead of time.

To obtain an NZeTA, you must:

• Provide your passport details;

• Be in good health. This is for Immigration New Zealand to determine whether you will be unlikely to be a danger to the health of people in New Zealand, or to cost the health system or special education services a lot of money;

• Comply with character requirements. You will be asked if you have a criminal conviction or if you have been deported from another country.

• You must have at least NZD 1,000 for every month you plan to stay in the country, for which you might be required to provide evidence of this on your arrival;

• You must have a ticket out of New Zealand within three months from your entry.

If you come with your partner or family, they must also be from a Visa waiver country and will be required to satisfy the same criteria stated above.

The cost of an NZeTA is currently NZD 9 if you apply using the free mobile app. Alternatively, you can apply through the Immigration NZ website, and this will cost NZD 12. When applying you will also have to pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy that costs NZD 35 per person.