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Before you travel to New Zealand
You may not be allowed to board your flight or cruise to New Zealand if you do not have a valid passport, the right visa or an NZeTA.
Checking in for your trip
When you check in you must show that you:
- have a valid passport or travel document, and
- hold the right visa or an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority).
Australian and New Zealand citizens do not need a visa or an NZeTA.
Check your passport
You may not be allowed to check in if your passport is not valid for travel to New Zealand. Check that it will not expire until:
- 3 months after the date you plan to leave New Zealand, or
- 1 month after the date you plan to leave New Zealand — if your passport was issued by a country that has a New Zealand embassy or consulate that issues passports.
Make sure that your passport is valid and has not been:
- damaged
- reported as lost or stolen, or
- invalidated by the government that issued it.
If you need an NZeTA
You must hold an NZeTA if you are boarding a flight or cruise that leaves for New Zealand on or after 1 October 2019, and:
- visiting on a passport from a visa waiver country — that is, a country whose passport holders do not need to get a visa before they travel to New Zealand
- passing through Auckland International Airport to another country and travelling on a passport from a visa waiver country or a transit visa waiver country
- passing through Auckland International Airport as a transit passenger to or from Australia
- have a permanent resident visa for Australia that lets you return to Australia from another country
- are a cruise ship passenger.
Visa waiver countries and territories
You do not need an NZeTA if you:
- hold a visa for New Zealand, or
- are an Australian or New Zealand citizen.
Requesting an NZeTA
You request an NZeTA using our mobile app or online form. You may also need to pay an International Visitor Tourism and Conservation Levy (IVL).
Paying the International Visitor Tourism and Conservation Levy
If you make an error on your NZeTA
After your NZeTA is approved, you can only correct some of the details such as your:
- passport number — for example, if you had to replace your passport
- email address, or
- small spelling mistakes or numerical errors.
Use our online form to request these changes to your NZeTA.
How to request a change to your NZeTA
If you want to make other changes, you must request a new NZeTA.
If you have a visa to come to New Zealand
If you have a visa for New Zealand, before you leave, check that:
- your passport details match the details on your eVisa, and
- you have the right visa for what you plan to do in New Zealand.
Contact us immediately if there is an error in the details listed in your eVisa.
If you travel on a different passport
If you are not using the same passport that you used when you applied for your visa, you must apply to transfer your visa to the new passport before you travel. Your visa details are linked to the passport you used to apply so if they do not match your travel may be delayed.
Transfer your visa to a new passport
Check your visa conditions
Check your visa to find out what the conditions are. You may not be allowed to enter New Zealand if you cannot provide evidence that you meet the conditions of your visa. For example, the money you must have to live on in New Zealand can vary depending on the visa you have.
Check the conditions of your visa
Bring evidence to support your travel
Gather the documents you need. Bring with you:
- a copy of your eVisa letter, and
- evidence that you can meet the conditions of your visa — for example you can use:
- your travel ticket to show that you are planning to leave New Zealand, and
- bank statements to show that you have enough money to live on while you are here.
Do not buy your ticket before we grant you a visa or your application is approved in principle. You may lose the cost of your ticket or have to rearrange your travel if there is a delay in processing your application or we do not grant you a visa.
Before you board your plane or cruise ship
When you check in to travel to New Zealand, we receive information from your airline or cruise line that we use to check our records to make sure you are allowed to travel here.
How we collect and use information about people flying in and out of NZ
We may need to ask you some questions before you board or when you arrive. This applies to everyone, including people who already hold a visa, an NZeTA or are in transit.
What we check
As well as checking your passport and visa, we check that you have a genuine reason for coming to New Zealand.
Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in New Zealand
If you do not answer the questions truthfully, you may not be allowed to come here.
If you are refused entry to New Zealand
Onward travel
We may want to see your ticket showing when you will leave New Zealand. We may ask to see other travel tickets or visas if you leave to go to a country that you:
- need to have a visa or onward travel ticket for, or
- are not a citizen of — you need to show that you have the right to enter that country.
We do not need to see this if:
- your eVisa says 'return/onward travel not required'
- your eVisa says 'the holder of this visa is sponsored', or
- you hold a current resident or permanent resident visa for New Zealand.
Supporting yourself in New Zealand
We may want to see evidence of how you will support yourself financially while you are in New Zealand.
Your character
We may want to check that you are of good character and will comply with the conditions of your visa. This could include questions about any convictions you have or whether you have been deported from another country.
Good character for temporary visas
Good character for residence visas
Your health
We may ask for evidence about your health. Before you can enter New Zealand you must be in good health or be granted a medical waiver.
Who needs an x-ray or medical examination
If you are coming to New Zealand on a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa we may ask to see evidence about your health.