APEC Business Travel Card to visit New Zealand

Cardholders of APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) can visit New Zealand for up to 3 months at a time to carry out trade and investment activities. New Zealand needs to be listed on your card as an economy that has granted entry pre-clearance.

Length of stay
Up to

3 months

Cost
Varies

In each economy

Benefits of holding an ABTC
  • Visit New Zealand to carry out trade and investment activities.
  • Be granted a visa for short-term visits on arrival in New Zealand.
Things to note
  • You will need your passport and your APEC Business Travel Card to travel.
  • If you want to stay in New Zealand longer than 3 months, you will need to apply for a work visa.
  • New Zealand needs to be listed on your card as an economy that has granted entry pre-clearance.

You must have an APEC Business Travel Card

You must present your APEC Business Travel Card when you arrive and when you leave New Zealand.

Note

There are dedicated APEC immigration clearance lanes for APEC Business Travel Cardholders entering New Zealand. There are no dedicated biosecurity clearance lanes for APEC Business Travel Cardholders entering New Zealand.

You must apply through a participating APEC economy

We will check your passport when you arrive in New Zealand.

Members of APEC

The APEC Business Travel Card is recognised by participating APEC economies.

Members of APEC are:

Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China. Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, The Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, United States of America, Viet Nam.

You must have clearance from your home economy and New Zealand

Your home economy will arrange your New Zealand clearance when they process your application for your APEC Business Travel Card.

How to apply

The information below will help you understand the process, timeframes and costs involved in applying.

1
Apply for an APEC Business Travel Card

If you already have an APEC Business Travel Card, you can travel to New Zealand without first applying for a visa.

If you only have an interim card, you will need to apply for a business visitor visa before you can travel to New Zealand.

Information on how to apply for an APEC Business Travel card

Holders of APEC Travel Cards that allow travel to New Zealand, do not need to pay an additional fee to travel to NZ.

2
You travel to New Zealand

You will need your APEC Business Travel Card and your passport to travel. Provided you have clearance from your home economy and New Zealand, you will be granted a visa when you arrive in New Zealand.

Conditions

These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa.

Entry permission

You must apply for entry permission when you arrive in New Zealand. You can do this by completing a digital New Zealand traveller declaration (NZTD), or an NZTD paper declaration.

New Zealand Customs and Biosecurity also check that you meet their entry requirements.

Arriving in New Zealand

Notes

You can be refused entry permission if:

  • you do not meet our character requirements
  • you refuse to let us take your photo or to provide us with your fingerprints or an iris scan, if asked for them
  • you are unable to provide evidence you have made onward travel arrangements
  • you are unable to provide evidence you have enough money to live on while you are in New Zealand.

If you are refused entry to New Zealand

Onward travel

You must not stay in New Zealand for more than 3 months.

If you need to stay in New Zealand for more than 3 months, you must apply for a Business Visitor Visa.

Notes

Unless your visa label or letter states “Return/onward travel not required” you must have a ticket to leave New Zealand whenever you travel here.

Funds

You must have enough money to live on while in New Zealand.

Notes

You may be asked for evidence you have enough funds to support yourself when you check in or arrive in New Zealand.

Work

You can only carry out the trade and investment activities that are the reason you have an APEC Business Travel Card.

Study

You can study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.