Please Note: Temporary visa applications from outside New Zealand or a quarantine-free travel zone are currently suspended, unless you are exempt.
You can come to New Zealand as a visitor. During your stay, you’ll need enough money to support yourself and everyone included in your application. While you’re here, you can enjoy New Zealand’s scenery, adventure, culture, and friendly people.
Overview
| Depending on your plans, up to 9 months |
With this visa you can
- Visit friends and family, explore New Zealand or enjoy amateur sports, or adventure activity.
- Study for up to 3 months.
- Include your partner, and dependent children aged 19 and under, in your visa application.
Things to note
- Check if you need to apply for a Visitor Visa – people from certain countries can travel to New Zealand without applying for a visa first, we call this travelling visa waiver.
Overview of General Requirements
Bona fide
You must genuinely intend to meet the conditions of your visa
When we decide if your intentions are genuine (bona fide), we consider all the information:
- you provide to support your application
- we have about your personal circumstances, and
- any previous applications.
If you’re coming to New Zealand to take up an offer of employment, you should apply for a Work Visa.
If you’re coming to New Zealand for a special purpose, such as a work requirement, or as a partner or family member, you should first consider the Special Visitor Category.
If you want to conduct business while in New Zealand, you should apply for a Business Visitors Visa.
Funds or sponsorship
You must have enough money to live on while you’re in New Zealand or have an acceptable sponsor
You must have at least NZ $1,000 per month, or NZ $400 per month if you’ve already paid for your accommodation.
Evidence can include:
- proof of accommodation pre-payment, like hotel pre-paid vouchers or receipts
- bank statements
- credit card statements
- bank drafts
- travellers’ cheques
- a ‘Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry’ completed by an acceptable sponsor.
If you are sponsored, your sponsor must provide evidence they can look after you in New Zealand. Evidence can include:
- recent bank statements
- pay slips
- employment agreement
- accommodation ownership or payment of rent.
If you’re pregnant, there are additional requirements.
Health care
You must agree to pay your own health care costs
You must declare in your visa application that you’ll pay the costs of any health care or medical assistance you receive in New Zealand.
We recommend that you have full medical insurance for the length of your visit.
Onward travel
You must have a ticket to leave New Zealand or be sponsored for the cost of your onward travel
Evidence can include:
- proof you have enough money to buy a ticket out of New Zealand, in addition to the funds you have to live on
- your travel ticket
- a ‘Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry’ completed by an acceptable sponsor.
If you are sponsored, your sponsor must provide evidence they can look after you in New Zealand. Evidence can include:
- recent bank statements
- pay slips
- employment agreement
- accommodation ownership or payment of rent.
Immigration costs
Application cost
This is the fee for Immigration New Zealand to process your application.An immigration levy is payable and is included in the total amount above.
Processing
90% of applications are currently completed within this time. Timeframes are in calendar days.
