Visitor Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Visitor Visa
Purpose	Holiday, family visits, short study
Stay	Up to 9 months
Cost	From NZD $441
Processing	80% within 2 weeks
Eligibility timing	Not stated in the source
Work rights	No local work permitted
Study	Up to 3 months
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Health care	Usually self-funded
Travel facility	Single or multiple entry
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Partner and dependent children included
Financial support	NZD $1,000 monthly minimum
Visa record	eVisa issued if approved

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Purpose

The Visitor Visa allows eligible travellers to:

• Holiday in New Zealand.
• Visit family and friends.
• Study for up to 3 months.
• Include a partner and dependent children aged 19 or younger.

Some passport holders may instead travel with an NZeTA. Australian citizens travelling on Australian passports need neither a Visitor Visa nor an NZeTA.

Stay and Travel

You may stay for a maximum of 9 months in an 18-month period.

Multiple-entry visa

A multiple-entry visa may allow you to:

• Enter New Zealand multiple times while the visa remains valid.
• Stay for up to a total of 6 months in each 12-month period.

To qualify for a multiple-entry visa, you must have been outside New Zealand for at least 9 months in the 18 months before applying.

Single-entry visa

A single-entry visa may be issued if you:

• Want to stay more than 6 months.
• Are extending a current stay in New Zealand.
• Do not need a multiple-entry visa.

If you leave New Zealand on a single-entry visa, it expires.

Visitors holding passports from Pacific Islands Forum countries may be eligible for a 24-month multiple-entry Visitor Visa.

Eligibility

You must:

• Be in good health.
• Be of good character.
• Have genuine reasons for visiting.
• Intend to leave New Zealand.
• Have enough money, or an acceptable sponsor.
• Not intend to work in New Zealand.

Immigration New Zealand assesses genuine intentions using your evidence, personal circumstances and prior information provided.

Financial Requirements

If paying for yourself, you need 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 evidence, bank drafts or traveller's cheques. The evidence must show the account holder, bank and currency.

You must also show you can leave New Zealand by providing:

• An onward or return ticket to a country you can enter; or
• Evidence of enough money to buy a ticket.

Money for departure travel must be additional to your living-expense funds.

Sponsorship

An acceptable individual or organisation may sponsor you. Sponsors are responsible for you during your stay and must complete the Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025).

A sponsor may provide bank statements, payslips, an employment agreement, or accommodation evidence. If you do not hold an onward ticket, the sponsor may show funds to pay for your departure.

Health and Character

Health

You may need a chest X-ray, medical examination, or both.

• Stays under 6 months: chest X-ray is not normally required.
• Stays under 12 months: medical certificate is not normally required.
• Health evidence must be less than 3 months old when received.

For stays over 6 months, a chest X-ray is required if you are from, or have recently spent more than 3 months in, a country with a high incidence of tuberculosis.

Character

Police certificates may be required. You must provide them if:

• You are aged 17 or older; and
• Your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer.

This includes time spent in New Zealand under previous visas. Certificates must be less than 6 months old when you apply.

A visa may be refused if you have a criminal conviction or are a security risk.

Documents

Provide:

• Passport or certificate of identity.
• One acceptable photo online, or two on paper.
• Evidence of finances or sponsorship.
• Evidence of genuine visit plans.
• Evidence you can leave New Zealand.
• Health and police evidence, if required.
• English translations and copies of documents not in English.

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

If including family members, provide identity, relationship and health/character evidence for each person. Use Additional Dependants for a Visitor Visa (INZ 1205) if required.

Additional requirements apply to:

• Chinese citizens applying from China, Hong Kong or Macau: INZ 1027 supplementary form.
• Hong Kong or Macau passport or document holders applying in China, Hong Kong or Macau: INZ 1220 supplementary form and identity-card copies.

Work and Study Conditions

Work

You cannot work in New Zealand on this visa.

You may be able to volunteer or work remotely for an employer or client based outside New Zealand. Paid activity at a conference may be considered work and may require a work visa, unless an exception applies.

Study

You may study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.

School-aged children may study for up to 3 months in a calendar year. A student visa is required for longer study.

If a child studies for more than 2 weeks, the education provider must be a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021.

How to Apply

Apply online

1. Gather required documents and translations.
2. Create or log in to an online account.
3. Complete the application and upload evidence.
4. Pay the applicable fee.
5. Wait for a decision and provide further information if requested.
6. Check your online account for status updates.

Apply online

If approved, Immigration New Zealand issues an eVisa and emails a copy.

Apply on paper

You may apply using the Visitor Visa Application (INZ 1017), with supporting documents and fees.

Applicants from Pacific Islands Forum countries, excluding Australia, must apply online.

Arrival Requirements

You must complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD):

• By air: from 24 hours before travel begins.
• By sea: from 24 hours before the ship leaves its final overseas port.

New Zealand Traveller Declaration

On arrival, carry evidence of:

• Onward travel, departure funds, or sponsor support.
• Funds for living costs.

You may be refused entry if you are not a genuine visitor, no longer meet requirements, cannot show departure arrangements, or refuse biometric collection.

Staying Longer

Apply for a new Visitor Visa before your current visa expires if you need more time for a genuine reason.

If approved, the new visa will be single-entry. Your combined stay cannot exceed 9 months in an 18-month period.

If you apply while lawfully in New Zealand and your temporary visa expires before a decision, Immigration New Zealand will normally issue an Interim Visa.