All visitors to New Zealand must hold a current and valid passport. A Visitor’s Visa is an endorsement in your passport allowing you to travel to New Zealand. It shows you have permission to travel to New Zealand and may be granted a Visitor’s Permit when you arrive.

A Visitors Permit is an endorsement in your passport allowing you to visit New Zealand. It states the expiry date of your permit and allows you to visit as a tourist, see friends and relatives, play sport or perform in cultural events without pay, undertake a business trip and/or undertake medical treatment.

Some countries have a Visa Waiver Agreement with New Zealand, which means citizens of these countries do not need to apply for a Visitor’s Visa if they are visiting New Zealand for up to 3 months.

Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (special conditions apply), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (South), Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal (special conditions apply), Qatar, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA (includes Nationals of the USA), United Arab Emirates, Uruguay and Vatican City.

British citizens or British passport holders who have evidence of the right to live permanently in the UK may be granted a visitors permit valid for 6 months upon arrival.

If you are a Visa Waiver visitor (as per the above list) you must hold a valid ticket to a country you have the right of entry to and have sufficient money to support yourself during your stay. You must also hold a passport valid for 3 months beyond the date you are leaving New Zealand and only visit New Zealand for the time granted on arrival. If you wish to visit for a longer period you will need to apply for a Visitor’s Visa.

It is important to note that you can be refused a Visitor’s Visa/Permit. This is normally the case if you are not of good health or character or in the opinion of the visa or immigration officer you are likely to remain in New Zealand unlawfully or likely to breach the conditions of your Visitor’s Permit.

Please note that the majority of visitors to New Zealand are not entitled to publicly funded health service unless you are a resident or citizen of Australia or the UK or hold a temporary permit that is current for 2 years or more. We therefore strongly recommend that all visitors have medical insurance for the duration of your visit.