Visiting New Zealand on business
If you plan to travel to New Zealand on business, check to see if you need a visa or an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority).
Who can do business as a visitor
If you are coming to New Zealand on business for less than 3 months, you can apply for a Business Visitor Visa, instead of a work visa, as long as you are here on business for any of these reasons:
- to carry out an official trade mission recognised by the New Zealand government
- to sell goods and services in New Zealand
- to buy New Zealand goods and services
- to undertake business consultations or negotiations with authorised representatives of an overseas company, body or person about:
- the set-up, expansion or wind-up of a business in New Zealand
- carrying out business in New Zealand.
You do not need to apply for a Business Visitor Visa if you:
- are a citizen of a visa waiver country, and
- have not visited New Zealand on business for more than 3 months in any 1 year.
Who must hold an NZeTA
If you are travelling to New Zealand for business reasons and are a citizen of a country on the list of visa waiver countries you do not need to apply for a visa before you arrive.
Visa waiver countries and territories
If you leave for New Zealand on or after 1 October 2019 you must hold an NZeTA.
You also need to meet the entry requirements for visitors from visa waiver countries.
Business travellers who must have a visa
If you are from a country that requires a visa — that is you are from a country not on the list of visa waiver countries — you must apply for a Business Visitor Visa before you travel if:
- you are staying for less than 3 months, and
- here for acceptable business reasons.
Apply for a work visa if you:
- are from a visa waiver country but have already spent more than 3 months or more visiting New Zealand in any 1 year
- plan to stay for 3 months or more, or
- are coming to New Zealand on business for less than 3 months but not for an acceptable business reason.