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Residence Visa

Visitor Visa New Zealand

New Zealand is a hugely popular tourist destination, attracting many visitors to the country’s beautiful, lush landscapes. To obtain a visitor visa for NZ, you must be able to demonstrate that you are a bona fide traveller with intentions only to tour around New Zealand and return to your home country once your stay ends.

About New Zealand Visitor Visas

A visitor visa can generally be granted for three months, with the option for an extension up to a maximum of 9 months if you are not able to complete your initial travel plans.

Please note that a visitor visa for applicants who are not from visa waiver countries can only be granted for 9 months in an 18 month period.

There are also options available if you wish to visit New Zealand for special reasons. For example, parents or grandparents visas allow the parents or grandparents of a New Zealand resident or citizen to stay in New Zealand for a maximum of 18 months over three years. Other classes of visitor visa for NZ include working holiday visas and visitor visas for business ventures in New Zealand.

Visa Waiver Countries

New Zealand has travel agreements with nearly 60 other countries and territories. This means that a person travelling to New Zealand from one of these locations does not need to apply for a visitor visa before coming to New Zealand.

However, travellers must hold a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA). You may be eligible to apply for an NZeTA if you’re travelling on a valid passport from a visa waiver country or territory and plan to visit New Zealand for a period of up to 3 months. Note that if you are a British citizen, you can travel and stay in New Zealand for up to 6 months.

If you are from a visa waiver country and do not need a visitor visa for NZ, you must hold your NZeTA before travelling. This can take any time from 10 minutes to 72 hours to process, so be sure to plan in advance. You will also pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), which costs NZD35, at the time you apply for your NZeTA.

NZ Visitor Visa Requirements

When applying for a visitor visa for New Zealand, you must be able to show that you are of good character and health and have no intentions to pursue motivations other than visiting and travelling in New Zealand.

The good character requirements for a visitor visa for NZ mean that you must inform Immigration New Zealand about any offences you have been charged with, convicted of, or served time in prison for.

You must also prove that you have a ticket out of New Zealand or money to buy one and that you have money to live on while in New Zealand or will be receiving financial support during your stay.

You must also have a passport that is valid for at least three months after the date you plan to leave New Zealand.

If you need a lawyer to help you with your application for an NZeTA or visitor visa for NZ, the skilled team of immigration law specialists at Sharma Law can help. Contact us for a free initial consult at +64 7 855 2663 .