New Zealand Holiday Visa: Things to Know Before You Travel
Due to its unique and beautiful landscape with pristine landscapes and glaciers, New Zealand is on the bucket list of many. If you are one such person looking to travel through New Zealand but don't know where to start, go through the below guide to learn more about the visa application and how you should plan your travels.
What is a New Zealand Holiday Visa?
Depending on your country of origin, you may opt for a New Zealand Holiday Visa or the NZeTA. The New Zealand Holiday Visa is a travel authorization tool that allows you to apply online and travel to New Zealand. To help travelers plan their visit and get easy approval of their visa applications, the New Zealand Government introduced the online visa application system in October 2019.
Who Needs a New Zealand Holiday Visa?
The New Zealand holiday visa application can be made by anyone planning to visit New Zealand. However, for the working holiday visa, only 45 countries are eligible (most belonging to the European Union, the USA, the UK, and some others).
In the case of the NZeTA, the eligibility is as follows:
- Citizens of visa waiver countries when arriving by air
- Plans to stay in New Zealand for 90 days or less
- Traveling through Auckland
- Holding an Australian permanent resident visa
- Arriving via a cruise
Types of Holiday Visas for New Zealand
When opting for the New Zealand Holiday Visa, based on the country whose passport you hold and the purpose of your visit, you can opt for one of the three visa options:
Visitor Visa
The duration of allowable stay is either 9 months (single entry visitor visa) or 6 months (multiple entry visitor visa). By opting for a visitor visa, you can travel across the country or attend a study program that lasts up to 3 months. However, the visitor visa does not allow you to seek employment when visiting New Zealand.
Working Holiday Visa
Based on your country of origin, the New Zealand government allows you to seek temporary employment when you visit New Zealand. This is called the Working Holiday Visa. However, this is meant only for those between 18 - 35 years old and allows you to stay in New Zealand for 12 months.
If you are seeking long term employment or have been offered better employment, you will have to apply for a work visa, for instance, the AEWV (Accredited Employer Work Visa).
Electronic Travel Authority (eTA)
Based on your passport, and whether New Zealand is a transit stop or destination, you may opt for the NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority). Citizens from 60 visa waiver countries are allowed to apply for the NZeTA for a 3-month-long stay.
Once you get an NZeTA, it will remain valid for a period of 2 years from the date of issue.
New Zealand Holiday Visa Application Process
Applying online for a visa to New Zealand allows travelers to enjoy an easy-to-apply process and a fairly short approval period in the case of the NZeTA (3 days). In case you opt for a working holiday visa, it may take up to 4 weeks to get approved.
No matter which visa category you need to opt for, apply using the online portal for your New Zealand holiday visa.
Online Application
Go through the instructions given on the authorized portal before getting started on your visa application. Collect necessary documents that will be necessary for your visa form and get started on the application.
Documents Required
Documents that may be required for the New Zealand holiday visa application include:
- A passport (beyond your date of departure it should have a minimum 3 month validity left)
- A recent photo taken as per official directives
- Valid email ID for receiving your visa approval
- Proof of ID (issued by the government)
- A certificate of good health
- Agreeing to pay for your healthcare
- A certificate of good character
- Statement of intentions
- Proof of funds or sponsorship
- Proof of onward travel or return tickets
If the supporting documents needed are in a language other than English, you will need to submit a translation as well.
Further, apply for the NZeTA or visa using the below steps:
- Log on to the authorized portal
- Check your eligibility and select the appropriate category
- Provide your official ID and fill in the application
- Once your application is filled in upload the necessary documents
- Cross check, pay for, and submit the visa application
On successful payment and submission, your visa application will be processed. You will receive a reply, whether approval or rejection, against your New Zealand holiday visa application via email.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Applying
When working on your visa form, it is important to submit the information requested accurately. Further, you should make sure that everything is spelled correctly, adequate supporting documents are submitted, and that they are in the right format and written in English.
Opt for the right visa category and ensure you fulfill the eligibility requirements. Pay the correct fees, as requested, and submit proof of necessary funds. Further, we advise you to apply well before you have to travel since the approval time for the working holiday visa is 4 weeks. While the NZeTA has a shorter approval time, it remains valid for 2 years. Hence, an early application is always advised.
To add, we advise against embellishing information on official forms since this can lead to an instant rejection along with a travel ban.
Visa Costs and Fees
No visa application is processed unless the payment is complete. When applying, the application portal will inform you regarding the fees required for your New Zealand holiday visa application. Pay this in full using a valid payment option from those listed.
Visa Requirements: What You Need to Know
Ensure you have the following:
Proof of Financial Capacity
When traveling to any country, the immigration officials must be satisfied that you have enough money in your account to fund your trip. You will either need a sponsorship to cover your travel expenses or have enough funds in your bank account. Even if you apply for a working holiday visa, it is essential to have sufficient funds.
Travel Insurance
While this is not mandatory, it is always better to have travel insurance when planning to travel abroad. Flight cancellations, losing baggage, and mishaps are not unusual when traveling.
Having travel insurance covers the costs of losing your luggage, flight cancellations, medical costs that may be incurred, trip delays, a lost passport, and more. Hence, when planning to travel abroad, it is always smart to seek travel insurance.
Tips for a Smooth Entry into New Zealand
To make sure your trip and entry to New Zealand is smooth, it is important to know the below:
What to Declare at Customs
When visiting New Zealand, you are requested to declare any item that can be a cause for concern to Customs. Some of these are:
- Medicines
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Restricted items like weapons, endangered plants, etc.
- Goods purchased duty free
- Cash if exceeding NZ$10,000
- Goods carried in lieu of someone else/another business
- Food that is cooked, raw, or preserved
- Animals or animal products
Can I Extend My Holiday Visa?
No. Once your visa validity is over or you have completed the period of permissible stay, you are requested to return to your country of origin.
What to do If My Visa Is Denied?
In case of a denial, you are requested to file an appeal to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal. This must be done within 42 days.
What to Do in Case of an Emergency?
Contact the New Zealand Tourism Department or your country's embassy in case of any emergency.
Preparing for Your Trip to New Zealand
Traveling to New Zealand is now easy with the online visa application portal and the NZeTA. If New Zealand is on your bucket list, work on your travel itinerary, gather all necessary documents, and get started on your New Zealand holiday visa application.
Ensure that you have checked the eligibility for your Online New Zealand Visa. Israeli citizens, Hungarian citizens, Belgian citizens, Canadian citizens and Japanese citizens can apply online for New Zealand eTA.