Visa waiver countries and territories

• Andorra
• Argentina
• Austria
• Bahrain
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Chile
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia (citizens only)
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece (only for Greek passports issued on and after 1 Jan 2006)
• Hong Kong (residents travelling on HKSAR or British National–Overseas passports only)
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Korea, South
• Kuwait
• Latvia (citizens only)
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania (citizens only)
• Luxembourg
• Macau (residents travelling on Macau Special Administrative Region passports)
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Monaco
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Oman
• Poland
• Portugal (passport holders who have the right to live permanently in Portugal)
• Qatar
• Romania
• San Marino
• Saudi Arabia
• Seychelles
• Singapore
• Slovak Republic
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan (permanent residents travelling on Taiwan passports)
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom (UK) (citizens and other British passport holders who have the right to reside permanently in the UK)
• United States of America (USA) (including USA nationals)
• Uruguay
• Vatican City

Australian citizens and permanent residents travelling on an Australian passport do not need a visa or an NZeTA to enter New Zealand.

Most people travelling to New Zealand need to get either a visa, or a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), except people from visa waiver countries who only need an NZeTA

People from visa waiver countries:

• do not need a visitor visa to enter New Zealand for a period of less than three months, or six months if from the United Kingdom
• are required to provide travel tickets or evidence of onwards travel and funds to support themselves while in New Zealand — we may ask for this when you arrive.
• are still required to meet health and character requirements and must be considered genuine visitors, must not have been deported from any country, or suspected of being involved in known criminal or terrorist groups.

If you are travelling on a passport from a , you can visit New Zealand for a short time without applying for a visa first — instead, we give you a visitor visa on arrival. You must get an NZeTA before you travel, unless you are exempt.

New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)

Visitors who do not need an NZeTA

When you need a visa

If you want to study, work or live in New Zealand, you need to get an appropriate visa.

If you are coming to New Zealand for a medical consultation or treatment, you must apply for a visa.

Medical Treatment Visitor Visa

If you need an NZeTA, you must have it before you arrive in New Zealand. 

When you arrive at the border with your NZeTA, we give you a visitor visa on arrival — but first we will need to see your:

• passport
• NZeTA confirmation letter, and 
• completed New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) — as part of your declaration, you apply for this visa on entry and for entry permission. 

Visa Waiver Visitor Visa

Arriving by ship

The following travellers are deemed to hold a 28-day visa from the time the ship arrives at a New Zealand port:

• Cruise ship passengers and crew who hold an ETA will be deemed to hold a visitor visa and work visa respectively.
• Passengers and crew that carry cargo in the ordinary course of business of the ship will be deemed to hold a visitor visa and work visa respectively.
• Crew from any foreign ship authorised by the Minister of Transport under section 198 (2) of the maritime Transport Act 1994 to carry coastal cargo (within the meaning of subsection (6) of that section) will be deemed to hold a work visa. 

The visa expires when the ship is given clearance to leave its last port of entry in New Zealand for that voyage.

Crew travelling to New Zealand

Arriving in New Zealand

If you have dependent children endorsed on your passport

If the passport issuing authority of your country has endorsed your dependent children on your passport, we will accept your endorsed passport as their travel document.

When you arrive in New Zealand, your dependent children will still need to complete an NZTD and may need to show:

• return tickets
• evidence of enough money for their stay in New Zealand.

How the New Zealand Government decides visa waiver countries 

When considering a visa waiver agreement with individual countries, the New Zealand Government considers a number of factors including any long-standing international relationships with the individual country, any risks related to immigration harm or security, and anything else deemed relevant.

A number of agencies, including the Ministry of Innovation, Business and Employment (MBIE) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) give advice, and the final decision about visa-free travel is made by the Government.