Antarctic Traveller Visitor Visa

Apply to transit through New Zealand to work in Antarctica for a Contracting Party as part of a scientific programme or expedition under the Antarctic Treaty.

Apply online
  • Length of stay

    Up to

    12 months

  • Processing time

    80% within

    5 weeks

  • Cost

    NZD $0

To apply you must:

  • provide a letter of support from the Contracting Party to the Antarctic Treaty
  • agree to pay your own health care costs
  • meet the other requirements of this visa.

This visa lets you:

  • work in Antarctica for a Contracting Party to the Antarctic Treaty, as part of a scientific programme or expedition under the Antarctic Treaty.

If you will be working in New Zealand for a Contracting Party to the Antarctic Treaty, you will need to apply for a work visa.

Apply online

Who can apply

Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide.

Identity

As proof of your identity, you must provide:

  • 1 acceptable photo if you apply online, or 2 photos if you use a paper application form
  • your passport or .

Note

Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave New Zealand.

If you apply online, you must upload a copy of your passport when you apply. We will let you know if you need to send your passport after you have applied.

If you submit a paper application, provide your original passport or a certified copy. We can usually process your application faster if you provide your original passport.

Citizens of China applying from China

You must also provide your:

  • Hukou (household registration book)
  • Chinese identity card.

If you submit a paper application form in China, you must also complete a supplementary form.

Applicants from Hong Kong or Macao applying within Hong Kong or Macao

You must also provide a copy of your Identity card.

If you are submitting a paper application form, you must provide a supplementary form for Hong Kong and Macao visitors, workers and students.

Genuine intentions

You must genuinely intend to meet the conditions of your visa.

When we decide if your intentions are genuine, we consider all the information:

  • you provide to support your application
  • we have about your personal circumstances
  • you provided in any previous applications.

Letter of invitation or support

You must provide a letter of support from the Contracting Party to the Antarctic Treaty.

This letter must:

  • come from the responsible authority of the Contracting Party
  • confirm that you are being supported by them to work in Antarctica as part of a programme under the Antarctic Treaty.

Health care

You must agree to pay your own health care costs.

You must declare in your visa application that you will pay the costs of any health care or medical assistance you receive in New Zealand.

Note

We recommend that you have full medical insurance for the length of your visit.

Relationship with family

If you include your partner and children in your application, you must have a genuine relationship with them.

To bring family:

  • you must provide evidence of your relationship with them, like marriage and birth certificates
  • you must provide proof of their identity
  • they must be of good character
  • they must be in good health.

Note

A family can include yourself, your partner, and dependent children aged 19 or younger.

English translations

You must provide certified full English translations of any documents that are not in English.

Documents must be translated by someone who meets our requirements for providing English translations.

How to pay and submit

When you arrive

Entry permission

You must apply for permission to enter New Zealand. You do this by completing a New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) form.

You can start your digital declaration any time, but the earliest you can submit it is 24 hours before starting your travel to New Zealand.

A paper declaration form is available for travellers who cannot complete it online.

New Zealand Traveller Declaration

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

Arriving in New Zealand

Alert

You can be refused entry permission if you:

  • do not meet our character requirements
  • have had a change in circumstances since we issued your visa
  • refuse to let us take your photo, fingerprints or an iris scan

While you are in New Zealand

These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa. Your visa conditions are recorded in your eVisa.

Travel

If travelling in and out of New Zealand, a valid is needed to return to New Zealand.

Check or change your visitor visa conditions

Note

If you are applying from inside New Zealand, we will normally give you multiple entry travel conditions when we grant you this visa.

If you do not have multiple entry travel conditions and you leave New Zealand, your visa will expire.

Your travel conditions will be recorded on your visa label or in your visa letter.

Work

You can work in Antarctica for a Contracting Party to the Antarctic Treaty, as part of a programme under the Antarctic Treaty. While you are in New Zealand, you may be able to work remotely for an employer or client based outside New Zealand.

If you want to work in New Zealand, you need to apply for a work visa.

Visa expiry

You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires.

Note

Visa expiry dates are printed on a visa label or included in a visa letter.