Sports Events Visitor Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Sports Events Visitor Visa
Purpose	Sports event, tour or tournament
Stay	Up to 3 months
Cost	From NZD $441
Processing	80% within 2.5 weeks
Eligibility timing	Short-term sports activities
Work rights	Only at the sports event
Study	Not stated in the source
Health care	Pay your own costs
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Multiple entry condition required
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Include partner and dependent children
Visa record	Conditions recorded in eVisa
Application method	Apply online
Funds required	NZD $1,000 monthly
Onward travel	Ticket or acceptable sponsor

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Purpose

This visa allows short-term activities in New Zealand for a sports event, tour or tournament.

It is for:

• Sports people
• Support staff
• Match or tournament officials
• Media or broadcasting workers

If you need to stay longer than 3 months, apply for a work visa.

Eligibility

You must:

• Be coming for short-term sports activities.
• Provide evidence of your event role.
• Be of good health and good character.
• Genuinely intend to meet visa conditions.
• Agree to pay your health care costs.
• Have enough funds or an acceptable sponsor.
• Have onward travel arrangements, unless sponsored.

Role evidence

• Support staff and match or tournament officials must show they are essential to the event, tour or tournament.
• Media or broadcasting personnel must show accreditation by the international governing body or New Zealand organising committee.

Stay and Work Rights

You may stay for up to 3 months.

You can only work at the sports event for which you received the visa.

You may be able to work remotely for an overseas employer or client while in New Zealand.

Funds and Onward Travel

You must have at least:

• NZD $1,000 per month, or
• NZD $400 per month if accommodation is prepaid.

Evidence may include bank statements, credit card statements, prepaid accommodation receipts, bank drafts or traveller’s cheques.

An acceptable sponsor can support you instead. Sponsors must show they can support you and, if needed, fund your departure.

If you are not sponsored, you must have a ticket to leave New Zealand. You may need to show a return ticket or funds to buy one when checking in or arriving.

Family Provisions

You may include your partner and dependent children in your application.

A family can include you, your partner and dependent children aged 19 or younger.

Provide evidence of:

• Your relationship with your partner.
• Your children’s relationship to you.
• Family members’ identity, health and character, where required.

Health and Character

You must be in good health. Immigration New Zealand may request a medical examination, chest X-ray or both.

Normally:

• Stays under 6 months do not require a chest X-ray.
• Stays under 12 months do not require a medical certificate.

You must be of good character. A criminal conviction or security risk may prevent visa approval.

Police certificates are required if your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or more across all visits, or if requested. Certificates must be under 6 months old when submitted.

Required Documents

Provide:

• One acceptable photo online, or two for paper applications.
• Passport or certificate of identity.
• Evidence of your sports-event role.
• Evidence you are essential, where applicable.
• Media accreditation, where applicable.
• Evidence of funds, sponsorship or onward travel.
• Relationship evidence for included family members.
• Full English translations of non-English documents.

Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after your planned departure from New Zealand.

China, Hong Kong and Macao applicants

• Chinese citizens applying from China must provide a Hukou and Chinese identity card.
• Hong Kong or Macao applicants applying locally must provide an identity-card copy.
• Additional supplementary forms may apply to paper applications.
• Chinese, Hong Kong and Macao family members may need additional identity evidence.

How to Apply

1. Apply online through Immigration Online.
2. Upload a copy of your passport.
3. Provide all required supporting evidence.
4. Pay the applicable visa fee.
5. Send your passport later if Immigration New Zealand requests it.

From 24 September 2026, new applications for most visitor visas can only be submitted through enhanced Immigration Online.

Arrival Requirements

Complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration before travel:

• By air: from 24 hours before your journey begins.
• By sea: from 24 hours before departure from the last overseas port.

You may be refused entry permission if you:

• No longer meet character requirements.
• Have changed circumstances since visa approval.
• Refuse a photo, fingerprint or iris scan.

Conditions and Obligations

While in New Zealand, you must:

• Work only at the approved sports event.
• Maintain sufficient funds or sponsorship.
• Have onward travel arrangements or a sponsor.
• Leave before your visa expires.
• Pay your own health care costs.

Your conditions are recorded in your eVisa.

Travel

You need a valid multiple-entry travel condition to leave and return to New Zealand.

If you leave New Zealand without multiple-entry travel conditions, your visa will expire. Check your visa label or visa letter for travel conditions.