Visitor Visa application guide for citizens of China
This application guide is for citizens of China applying from Mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau to easily plan and organise your trip to New Zealand.
What you can do on a Visitor Visa
Cost
From NZD $441
Visa wait times
- 50% decided in about 1 week
- 80% decided in about 2 weeks
With a Visitor Visa you can:
- apply for a multiple-entry visa or single-entry visa
- holiday in New Zealand
- visit family and friends in New Zealand
- study for up to 3 months
- work remotely for an overseas employer
- include your partner and dependent children in your visa application.
Multiple-entry Visitor Visa
A multiple-entry visa for up to 5 years allows you to:
- visit New Zealand as a tourist as many times as you want while your visa is valid
- stay for up to a total of 6 months in each 12-month period.
Single-entry Visitor Visa
A single-entry visa lets you enter New Zealand once and stay for up to 9 months in an 18-month period.
Requirements to meet
To apply for a Visitor Visa you must:
- be of good character and be in good health
- have enough money to pay your living expenses or have an acceptable sponsor
- have plans to leave New Zealand at the end of your stay
- meet the other requirements of this visa.
You can check the full list of Visitor Visa requirements and costs for the location you are applying from.
Plan your visa application
These steps are a guide to help you gather the evidence you need to complete an application.
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Step 1: Organise to get documents translated
For your application you must provide:
- English translations of any documents in your application that are not in English
- scanned copies of the original documents.
As you gather your evidence, make a note of any documents that need to be translated.
Check who can complete English translations.
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Step 2: Organise proof of identity
Timeframe: Your photo must be less than 6 months old.
Provide a photo for your visa
You need to include acceptable photos of everyone in your application.
Read our requirements to see what your photo should look like.
Provide a copy of your passport
Make sure everyone in your application has a valid passport.
You may also provide your Hukou household registration book as an additional form of identity.
You should provide copies of identity cards for family members included in your application.
Other forms to complete if you are in Mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau
If you are in Mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau when you apply, you must also complete a supplementary form giving more details of your background and intentions. This requirement also applies to any applicants included in your application who are 17 years and older.
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Step 3: Organise proof of enough money to live on
You must have enough money to live on while you are in New Zealand or have an acceptable sponsor.
If you have a sponsor, they must complete a Sponsorship form for temporary entry and also provide evidence.
Check the Visitor Visa for all the requirements.
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Step 4: Gather evidence for partner and children
You can include your partner and any dependent children aged 19 or younger in your visa application, or they can apply for their own visas.
To include family in your application:
- you must provide evidence of your relationship with them, for example, marriage and birth certificates
- you must provide evidence of their identity.
Note
Tell us if family members are travelling with you and have applied for their own separate visa. Write a letter that includes each member’s full name, date of birth, passport number, and visa application number if known. Include the letter in your visa application.
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Step 5: Other documents, if required
All applicants in the visa application must be in good health.
When we process your application, we may ask you to have a chest X-ray, a medical examination or both as proof of your health.
Who needs an X-ray or medical examination
Staying longer
If your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer, other documents to provide may include, for example, police certificates.
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Step 6: Getting ready to submit your application
Once you have gathered all your evidence, do a final check of your application and supporting documents.
When you have gathered your documents and are ready to apply online, you can use this guide.
If you need to apply on paper, complete the forms and attach all supporting documents.
You can download our guides in English and simplified Chinese in the following Guides section on this page.
Note
You must submit sufficient evidence when you apply. If you do not provide sufficient evidence, we may decline your application and not refund your fee.
When you arrive
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.
Guides
You can also use these visa guides as checklists to help with your visa application:
Explore other visa options
If you are travelling to and from New Zealand with others, you can apply for a Group Visitor Visa.