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COVID-19 Travel Restrictions

New Zealand borders are now open to all international visitors, following the Coronavirus pandemic, for student, visitor and work visas. Border entry requirements to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are in place from all countries including Australia. Before travelling please check out the visa and COVID entry requirements for overseas visitors.

Passports and Visas to New Zealand

Before you travel to New Zealand, please check that your passport is ready for the trip.

For Australian and New Zealand passport holders, or New Zealand residents/Australian permanent residents (with current travel conditions), your passport must be valid at least on the date you travel to New Zealand, and must be valid on the date you enter/leave New Zealand.

In the case of other visitors to New Zealand who are coming to New Zealand temporarily as visitors, students or workers, your passport must be either:

  • Valid for at least three months beyond the date you intend to leave New Zealand.
  • Or one month in the case of nationals that have consular representation in New Zealand, that is able to issue and renew travel documents. Please check with your countries issuing passport office before travelling.
  • Not damaged, defaced or excessively worn.
  • Showing a visa or permit, if you require one.

To check validity requirements for any international passport, please visit the IATA Travel Centre.

Do you need a visa or permit from Australia?

Do you need a visa to go from Australia to New Zealand? You do not need a visa or permit to visit New Zealand if you are an Australian citizen travelling on an Australian passport; or if you are an Australian resident with a current Australian permanent residence visa or a current Australian resident return visa.

(Please Note: If you hold an Australian provisional or temporary residence visa, then you will need to obtain a visitor visa).

If you are calling from outside New Zealand, and have further questions, you can contact New Zealand Immigration on:

Phone: +64 9 914 4100 (Monday to Friday 08.00 – 22.00 NZT (GMT +11:30))

How long can you stay?

Citizens and permanent residents of Australia (who do not have certain criminal convictions) may visit, live, study and work in New Zealand indefinitely.

Visa Waivers

Currently travellers from more than 50 countries, including USA, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore and most EU Countries; do not require a Visitor's Visa for stays less than three months. You do require:

  • A passport that is valid for at least three months (1 month if your country has consular representation) after your planned departure from New Zealand
  • An onward or return ticket to a country that you have permission to enter
  • Sufficient money to support yourself during your stay - approximately NZ$1000 per month per person
  • if you have stayed in New Zealand for up to three months previously you may need to apply for a visa

To find out if your country qualifies for a visa waiver, check out the Visa Free Countries of the New Zealand Immigration Service website, where you'll find a list of all eligible countries and other useful visa information. Your airline or nearest New Zealand Embassy will also be able to advise you if you require a visa. British citizens and other British passport holders who have evidence of the right to live permanently in the UK may be allowed to stay in New Zealand for up to six months.

NZeTA - New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority

If you plan to travel without a visa on a passport from a visa waiver country or if you're a permanent resident of Australia, obtaining an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) is mandatory. 

If you possess an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority), you can journey to New Zealand without the need to apply for a visa beforehand. This applies to individuals traveling on a passport from a visa waiver country, cruise ship passengers, or permanent residents of Australia. Please note:

  • In case you lack a valid visa and fall into either of the following categories - traveling on a passport from a visa waiver country or traveling as a permanent resident of Australia - it is obligatory that you obtain an NZeTA.
  • The NZeTA remains valid for two years for travelers and five years for crew members, enabling multiple visits within its validity period.

You do not need an NZeTA if you are:

  • a New Zealand citizen travelling on:
  • a New Zealand passport, or
  • a foreign passport that has a New Zealand citizen endorsement
  • an Australian citizen travelling on an Australian passport
  • a holder of a valid visa for New Zealand — including a Permanent Resident Visa
  • a member of, or someone associated with, a scientific programme or expedition under the Contracting Party to the Antarctic Treaty
  • a member of a visiting force, including one of its civilian employees, travelling in the ordinary course of your employment or duty.

How long can you stay with an NZeTA?

To visit New Zealand for a brief duration, you need to apply for an NZeTA prior to your trip if you:

  • Hold a passport from a visa waiver country or territory, and
  • Intend to stay for a maximum of 3 months (or 6 months for British citizens).

Visitor's Visa Applications

If your country is not on the visa waiver list, or you wish to stay longer than three months, you will need to apply for a Visitor's Visa. You can download application forms from the Visitor Visa from the New Zealand Immigration Service website.

Australian Passports

If you are an Australian citizen, you can obtain an Australian Passport Application Form from the Australian Passports website, or from your local Australia Post office. Once the forms are received by the Passport Office, this normally takes about 3 weeks to process. However you should allow a little more time than this to allow for Australia Post delivery.

If you need a passport faster than this, then you can use their Priority Processing Service. This service guarantees that an eligible applicant's passport will be ready for despatch within two working days of a passport office receiving everything it needs. There is a Process Fee for this service.

Existing Australian Passport Holders that is current, or has expired less than 24 months ago, can renew their passport online.

New Zealand Passports

If you are a New Zealand citizen living overseas. Australian or United Kingdom residents should contact the New Zealand Passport Office in Sydney or in London. Residents in any other country should contact their nearest New Zealand Embassy, High Commission or Consulate office.

Online Traveller Declaration

Presently, travelers are required to complete a physical Passenger Arrival Card distributed during their flight to New Zealand. However, starting July 2023, passengers landing at certain international airports in New Zealand will have the option to fill out an online traveller declaration.

Starting from the week of 10th July 2023, those flying into Christchurch or Wellington airports will be able to avail of this new online procedure. Following that, the same service will be accessible for those landing at Queenstown airport from mid to late July. Lastly, passengers landing at Auckland airport will have the option to complete an online declaration by August 2023. Notwithstanding these changes, the Passenger Arrival Card will still be accepted for some time after the introduction of the New Zealand Travel Declaration (NZTD).

Customs New Zealand, in collaboration with other border agencies, including the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, the Ministry for Primary Industries, and the Ministry of Health, are in the process of upgrading our border processes. This endeavor is aimed at facilitating smoother transitions for travelers through our ports while enhancing New Zealand's safety and security.