Choose the visa that fits your trip. Fully online process, real-time tracking.
New Zealand attracts millions of travellers every year, drawn by its breathtaking landscapes: wild fjords, active volcanoes, pristine beaches and ancient forests. For nationals of many countries — including Europeans — who do not need a standard visa, entry into this island nation still requires a mandatory prior formality: the NZeTA, or New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority. Introduced in 2019, this authorisation is applied for entirely online, in a few minutes, before boarding your flight.
01 · The essentials
All steps are completed via an electronic form: no trip to an embassy, no postal submission required, regardless of the option chosen.
The NZeTA was introduced by the New Zealand government in 2019; it applies to all nationals of visa-exempt countries, for tourism as well as transit.
The form is simple and accessible to all travellers, including those who are less comfortable with online administrative procedures.
The NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) is not a visa in the strict sense of the term. It is an electronic travel authorisation intended for nationals of countries already exempt from the visa requirement who wish to visit New Zealand for short stays. If you are a French, Belgian, Swiss or any other European national, you are among the nationalities who must hold one before boarding.
The authorisation is electronically linked to your passport. The airline will verify it before boarding and may deny you access to the aircraft if you do not hold a valid NZeTA. It is therefore essential to complete the process before your departure — no regularisation is possible upon arrival on New Zealand soil.
Once granted, the NZeTA is valid for two years from its date of issue, with an unlimited number of entries into New Zealand. On each entry, the permitted length of stay is 90 days maximum — extended to 180 days for British nationals. Important: unlimited entries does not mean unlimited stay. Immigration New Zealand applies a strict cumulative rule: you may not stay more than 6 months in total within any 12-month period, counted back from your intended departure date. Two 90-day stays in the same year therefore use up your entire quota. For a transit without baggage collection at Auckland International Airport, a specific NZeTA Transit applies.
Nationals of visa-exempt countries wishing to visit New Zealand for tourism, business, a short medical or family visit. Europeans (French, Belgian, Swiss, etc.) are all concerned.
Once issued, the NZeTA is valid for 24 months. You can enter New Zealand as many times as you wish during this period, within the limit of 90 days per stay.
The process is completed entirely via an online form. No trip to an embassy, no postal submission of original documents. The NZeTA is delivered to you in PDF format by email.
The New Zealand authorities ask you to allow up to 72 hours for their checks; the NZeTA is most often issued in less than 24 hours, but processing can take longer if further investigation is needed. So apply at least 3 days before departure. There is no upper limit: you can apply well in advance, since the authority remains valid for 2 years.
It is important to clearly distinguish the NZeTA from a standard visa. A visa is a document issued by the embassy or consulate of a country to authorise a foreign national to enter its territory — it is generally required for nationalities that do not have an exemption agreement. The NZeTA, on the other hand, is an automated electronic authorisation reserved for countries that already benefit from a visa exemption: it does not replace a visa for nationalities that would need one, and it does not confer any more rights than the visa exemption to which it is attached.
If your NZeTA application were to be refused, the application fees are refunded in full. In that case, you may consider submitting a visitor visa application directly to the New Zealand immigration authorities. Grounds for refusal are however rare when documents are correctly provided and the traveller fully meets the eligibility conditions.
02 · Eligibility
The NZeTA is intended for travellers whose nationality is recognised as eligible by the New Zealand government — generally, nationals of countries with which New Zealand has visa exemption agreements. As a European national, you can travel to New Zealand without an ordinary visa provided you do not stay more than 90 days.
To obtain your NZeTA, several conditions must be met:
All European Union and EFTA member states, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Israel, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, the Gulf states and some sixty other nationalities fall under the NZeTA rather than the visitor visa.
Australian citizens need neither a visa nor an NZeTA. Australian permanent residents must request an NZeTA, but it is issued free of charge and without the IVL levy.
Chinese passport holders who hold a valid Australian visa (visitor, work, student or family) may enter New Zealand on an NZeTA for stays of up to 3 months, instead of a full visitor visa. This is a 12-month trial: check that it is still in force when you apply.
If your nationality is not on the visa waiver list, the NZeTA does not apply: you must apply for a standard visitor visa with Immigration New Zealand, which requires a far heavier file and longer processing.
Australian citizens travelling on an Australian passport need neither a visa nor an NZeTA to enter New Zealand.
Unlike Australian citizens, holders of Australian permanent residence must obtain an NZeTA before travelling, whatever their nationality.
Passengers arriving on a cruise ship or cargo ship must hold an NZeTA, including nationals of countries that are not visa waiver. Only Australian citizens are exempt.
Since 3 November 2025, under a 12-month trial, citizens of China and of Pacific Islands Forum countries travelling to New Zealand from Australia on an eligible Australian visa may travel on an NZeTA instead of a visitor visa.
Beyond the 90-day limit per visit, Immigration New Zealand applies a cumulative rule that is often overlooked: you cannot stay more than 6 months in total in any 12-month period. The calculation runs 12 months back from your intended departure date.
A traveller making repeated trips within the year can therefore be refused entry even with a valid NZeTA. UK citizens, who are allowed 6 months per visit, remain subject to the same cumulative cap.
The NZeTA is reserved for short stays for tourism, business, medical or family purposes. It gives no right to work for a New Zealand employer or client, to supply goods or services to people or businesses in New Zealand, or to pursue studies. If your plans involve working for a local organisation or studying in New Zealand, you will need to apply for an appropriate visa from New Zealand Immigration before your departure.
New since 27 January 2025: the New Zealand government now allows visitors — including NZeTA holders — to work remotely for an employer or client based outside New Zealand during their stay (emails, calls, development work, writing, remote meetings). This does not create a separate "digital nomad" visa: the stay limits, including the 6-months-in-12-months cap, continue to apply, and a long stay may have tax implications.
03 · The procedure
The NZeTA application process is designed to be simple and fast. All steps are completed online; you have nothing to send by post and no appointment is necessary. Here is how to proceed.
Determine the purpose of your trip: NZeTA Tourism for a stay of up to 90 days, or NZeTA Transit if you are transiting through Auckland Airport without collecting your baggage. If you collect your baggage during a transit, the standard NZeTA Tourism applies.
Complete the form with your personal details (surname, first name, nationality, contact information), your approximate travel dates and the details of any travelling companions. You do not need to have your plane tickets at the time of application — dates can remain approximate.
Once the form is completed, submit the required documents: a legible copy of your passport (valid at least 3 months after your departure date from New Zealand) and a recent colour identity photo. Minors must provide the same documents as adults.
Your file is checked by the teams in charge of administrative processing. This check ensures the conformity and legibility of your documents before submission to the New Zealand authorities.
The authorisation is sent to you by email in PDF format, generally within 1 to 3 days. Print your NZeTA and keep a digital copy: New Zealand authorities may ask you to present it upon arrival at the airport.
Your NZeTA is linked to your passport. Make sure the passport used for the application is the one you will present at the border. In the event of a passport renewal, a new NZeTA application may be required.
04 · IVL levy
Since 2019, every international visitor entering New Zealand through customs and immigration is liable for an additional levy: the IVL (International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy). This contribution, introduced by the New Zealand government, is intended to fund environmental conservation and sustainable tourism development initiatives in the country.
Good news: if you apply for an NZeTA Tourism, the IVL is directly integrated into the application process. You do not need to pay it separately or remember an additional step. It is included in the overall fees of the standard NZeTA.
On the other hand, the NZeTA Transit (for travellers who do not go through New Zealand immigration) does not include the IVL, as it is only due when the traveller actually goes through customs checks. If your transit does not involve baggage collection and you remain in the international zone in Auckland, only the NZeTA Transit fees apply.
The NZeTA is recognisable by its official logo, which attests to the authenticity of the authorisation issued by the New Zealand government. This logo appears on official documents and in the communications of accredited organisations.
Note: the funds collected via the IVL directly contribute to the protection of New Zealand's ecosystems, reputed to be among the most fragile and most preserved on the planet. New Zealand applies particularly strict biosecurity rules at its borders to protect this unique environment.
05 · Biosecurity
New Zealand is an isolated archipelago in the middle of the South Pacific, home to exceptional endemic fauna and flora. To protect this unique environment, the New Zealand government applies one of the strictest biosecurity regimes in the world. On arrival at the airport, rigorous biosanitary checks are carried out on your luggage and on your person.
These checks are not a mere administrative formality: officers may inspect your luggage, use sniffer dogs and ask you to declare all products you are carrying. Breaches of biosecurity rules can result in significant fines or even a ban from entering the country.
The paper arrival card handed out on board aircraft no longer exists. It has been replaced by the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD), a single digital declaration covering customs, biosecurity, immigration and health questions.
It is mandatory and free for everyone entering New Zealand, including babies and New Zealand and Australian citizens. You complete it online or through the NZTD app, from 24 hours before your journey begins (or 24 hours before your ship leaves its last overseas port for a sea arrival). You then receive a confirmation with a QR code, to be shown — on screen or printed — at the border checks on arrival.
The NZTD is separate from the NZeTA and does not replace it: you need both. One declaration is required per traveller, for every entry.
Regarding vaccinations, no compulsory vaccine is required for travellers arriving from Western countries. However, it is recommended to consult your doctor before departure to update your routine vaccinations and obtain personalised advice based on your health and itinerary.
For complete and up-to-date information on entry conditions and travel advice, your country's foreign ministry regularly publishes updated country fact sheets on its official website. Consulting these official sources is strongly recommended before any departure for New Zealand.
06 · Before you leave
New Zealand is a destination that requires careful preparation. Between obtaining the NZeTA, checking the validity of your passport, biosecurity rules and any transit-related specificities, here is a summary of everything you need to anticipate before packing your bags.
New Zealand regularly features among the most sought-after destinations for long-haul travel, notably thanks to the international fame of its landscapes showcased in major film productions such as The Lord of the Rings. Tourism represents a significant share of the country's economy. Nevertheless, New Zealand remains a destination that demands rigorous preparation, both in terms of administrative formalities and sanitary and environmental rules.
If you are planning a longer stay than the NZeTA permits — to work, study or settle for an extended period — other types of visas exist, including the working holiday visa. These procedures fall under a separate process, to be initiated directly with New Zealand immigration services, and are outside the scope of the NZeTA.
The NZeTA is an electronic travel authorisation — not a visa — intended for nationals already exempt from the visa requirement for New Zealand. It is mandatory, must be obtained before departure and is applied for entirely online. Valid for 2 years with unlimited entries, it authorises stays of up to 90 days per entry (180 days for British nationals), subject to a cap of 6 months in total within any 12-month period. The IVL levy is included in the NZeTA Tourism. For a transit without baggage in Auckland, the NZeTA Transit (cheaper) is sufficient, for up to 24 hours in the transit area. The NZeTA does not remove the need for the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD), a free digital declaration mandatory for every arrival, to be completed in the 24 hours before travel. If your application is rejected, the application fees are refunded in full. Minors of all ages must also hold their own NZeTA. Submit your application at least 3 days before departure to give yourself time to react in case of any issue.
The Cook Islands are in free association with New Zealand but run their own immigration: neither the NZeTA nor a New Zealand visa applies here.
Most travellers enter visa-free for a tourist stay of up to 31 days, granted on arrival, provided they hold a valid passport, an onward or return ticket and booked accommodation. Beyond that, an extension from local immigration is required. Mind your routing: if you transit through Auckland to reach Rarotonga, the New Zealand stop requires an NZeTA even for a simple transit. Two separate formalities by leg: nothing for the Cook Islands on arrival, but the NZeTA for passing through New Zealand.
Many travellers miss it: New Zealand requires the NZeTA even for a simple transit.
If you change planes in Auckland — say, to the Cook Islands, Australia or the Pacific islands — and you fall under the visa-waiver programme, you must hold a valid NZeTA even without clearing immigration. A few nationalities benefit from a specific transit exemption, but that is the exception. The NZeTA is requested online, costs a few tens of New Zealand dollars (IVL levy included) and is valid for two years. Apply several days ahead, as approval is not always instant. A New Zealand stopover is not “neutral”: treat it as a real entry.
Safety
The vigilance level recommended by five foreign ministries, on a shared scale.
Average level
No specific threat reported; possible flight disruption linked to tensions in the Middle East.
US Department of StateAdvice dated April 29, 2026
Normal precautions · New Zealand - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Global Affairs CanadaAdvice dated September 9, 2026
Normal precautions · New Zealand — Exercise normal security precautions
German Federal Foreign OfficeAdvice dated July 7, 2026
Normal precautions · New Zealand: Travel and Safety Information
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Advice dated March 19, 2026
Normal precautions · New Zealand travel advice
France DiplomatieAdvice dated September 15, 2026
Normal precautions · New Zealand: Travel Advice
Levels published by the ministries cited, reproduced unchanged. Visamundi is a private agency with no ties to these administrations.
FAQ
