Some people can use an NZeTA to travel to New Zealand without applying for a visa first. This depends on your passport, how you are travelling and if you are visiting or only transiting.
Valid for
2 years for travellers
Cost
From
NZD $17
Processing time
Allow
72 hours
With an NZeTA you can
- Travel to New Zealand or transit Auckland International Airport without first applying for a visa.
- Visit up to 3 months, or 6 months for UK citizens.
Things to note
- If you are already in New Zealand and want to stay longer, you must apply for a visa not an NZeTA.
- If you have a valid New Zealand visa, you do not need an NZeTA.
Who is it for
Check if you need an NZeTA or a visa before travelling to New Zealand.
Most travellers need either an NZeTA or a visa to travel to New Zealand. This depends on the passport you are travelling on, and if you will be a visitor or a transit passenger.
Check if you need an NZeTA or a visa
You can use your NZeTA to travel to New Zealand multiple times while it is valid. An NZeTA is valid for 2 years for travellers, or 5 years for crew members.
Warning
You may not be allowed to visit or transit New Zealand if you do not meet the good character requirements. If you are not sure you will meet the requirements — for example you have a criminal conviction — you should apply for a visa and have one before you travel. Check the character requirements under 'What you need to apply'.
What you need to apply
Visiting New Zealand
'Visiting' means you are entering and staying in New Zealand as a visitor.
If you are passing through a New Zealand airport — other than Auckland International Airport — on your way to another country, you will be a visitor because you have to enter New Zealand.
If you already have a current New Zealand visa, you do not need an NZeTA.
Alert
If you give the wrong information in your NZeTA request, we may give you an NZeTA that only lets you transit through Auckland International Airport as a transit passenger— you cannot visit New Zealand as a transit passenger.
Arriving on a cruise ship as a passenger
If you are arriving by sea as a cruise ship passenger, you must have an NZeTA — unless you are on the list of travellers who do not need an NZeTA. You can be any nationality.
Travellers who do not need an NZeTA
Arriving by cruise ship
Citizen of a visa waiver country
If you are travelling on a passport from a visa waiver country, you must have an NZeTA — unless you are:
- on the list of travellers who do not need an NZeTA, or
- coming for medical treatment or consultation — you will need to apply for a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa, not an NZeTA.
Medical Treatment Visitor Visa
Travellers who do not need an NZeTA
Visa waiver countries and territories
Australian citizen or permanent resident
Australian citizen
If you are travelling on an Australian passport, you do not need a visa or NZeTA before you travel. We will normally give you an Australian Resident Visa when you arrive — but you must meet the character requirements of this visa.
Australian Resident Visa
Warning
You may not be allowed to travel to New Zealand if you do not meet the good character requirements.If you are not sure you will meet requirements — for example you have a criminal conviction or have been deported before — you should apply for a visa and have one before you travel.
Australian permanent resident
If you are an Australian permanent resident wanting to visit New Zealand, you must have an NZeTA — unless you are on the list of travellers who do not need an NZeTA.
You also need:
- a current Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Australian Resident Return Visa— these cannot be 'provisional' visas, and
- travel conditions on that visa to let you return to Australia.
Travellers who do not need an NZeTA
Other visitors who need a visa
You must have a valid visa before you travel to New Zealand, if you are:
- not a citizen of a visa waiver country or territory
- not an Australian permanent resident
- not arriving on a cruise ship, and
- not on the list of travellers who do not need an NZeTA.
If you are coming to New Zealand for medical treatment or consultation, you need to apply for a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa, not an NZeTA.
Medical Treatment Visitor Visa
Travellers who do not need an NZeTA
Visa waiver countries and territories
Explore visa options
How long you can visit for
When you arrive at the New Zealand border with your NZeTA, we may give you a visa that lets you stay:
- up to 3 months at a time, or
- up to 6 months at a time if travelling on a UK passport.
Note
We usually give Australian permanent residents and citizens an Australian Resident Visa.
Your visa expires when the 3 months or 6 months have passed — or if you leave earlier. When you arrive in New Zealand next time with an NZeTA, we give you a new visitor visa.
You can only be in New Zealand for up to 6 months within any 12-month period. This period is the 12 months counting back from your intended departure date (when you plan on leaving New Zealand).
Example
You are travelling on a passport from Canada. This means you can stay in New Zealand for visits of up to 3 months. You visit for the first time for 3 months, from 1 January 2023 to 31 March 2023. After your visit, you return home.
You decide you want to make a second visit, again for 3 months. You plan to arrive in New Zealand on 1 July 2023, and leave on 30 September 2023 (your intended departure date). This means you will be in New Zealand for a total of 6 months in the period 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023 — this is the 12-month period counting back from your intended departure date.
You can make this visit because you will be in New Zealand for no more than 6 months in that 12-month period. Refer to Figure 1.
After your second visit you return home. You decide you want to visit New Zealand again for the whole month of November 2023.
You cannot make this third visit because you will be in New Zealand for a total of 7 months in the period 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023 — this is the 12-month period counting back from your intended departure date. You can only spend a total of 6 months in New Zealand in any 12-month period. Refer to Figure 2.
Transiting to another country through Auckland International Airport
Some travellers can use an NZeTA to transit Auckland International airport as a transit passengeron their way to another country. You can stay in the transit area for up to 24 hours and cannot visit New Zealand.Auckland International Airport is the only airport in New Zealand where you can be a transit passenger.
Note
If you are passing through a different New Zealand airport on your way to another country, you will be a visitor not a transit passenger. This is because there is no transit area, so you have to enter New Zealand. Refer back to the section on 'Visiting New Zealand'.
Check who needs an NZeTA, a Transit Visa or neither to transit through New Zealand.
Transit passengers
Crew member of a cruise ship or commercial airline
You need to get a Crew ETA through your employer if you are a crew member of a:
- cruise ship — this includes if you are flying in to join the ship in New Zealand, or
- commercial airline.
Crew of planes and cruise ships
Checking your NZeTA status
After you request an NZeTA you can check its status or update your details.
Check your NZeTA status
How to request a change to your NZeTA
Note
We usually process NZeTA requests within 72 hours — many are processed faster, but some may take longer. To avoid delays, you should request an NZeTA well before you travel.
