Expats who need visas for New Zealand can choose from a range of options based on their travel plans, such as visas for visits, working holidays, or long-term stays. You can lodge applications through the official Immigration New Zealand website, so the process is comparatively straightforward once you have settled on the right visa. If you would rather not handle the paperwork yourself, a licensed immigration adviser or visa processing agency can do it for you.
Citizens of around 60 countries do not need a visa for a short visit. The list covers the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and most of the European Union. You will still need a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before you fly. There is more on visa-free entry and the NZeTA under the visitor visa section below.
Before you apply, make sure your passport stays valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to leave New Zealand, and ideally six months or more. Check that it has enough blank pages for stamps.
Along with the application fee, you will need to supply passport-sized photos and any other documents required by the visa.
Useful links
- Immigration New Zealand
- Immigration New Zealand: Permanent Resident Visa
- Immigration New Zealand: Green List Pathway to Residence
Visitor visas for New Zealand
A visitor visa for New Zealand is what you apply for to holiday or visit family; it also covers short business trips. The country has no separate tourist visa. If you come from one of the roughly 60 visa waiver countries, you do not need one for a short stay. That list takes in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany.
Even on the waiver, you must show evidence of funds and onward travel, and you must hold an NZeTA before you fly. An NZeTA lasts two years and covers multiple visits.
You may be asked for a chest X-ray or medical certificate, particularly for longer stays, and sometimes a police certificate. You also have to satisfy the officer that you are a genuine visitor.
You will need to prove you have enough money for each month of your stay. Your passport must stay valid for at least three months beyond your departure, ideally longer.
A visitor visa lets you stay for up to nine months within an 18-month period. You cannot work for a New Zealand employer, although you can study for up to three months. You do get one welcome exception if you work remotely: you can keep working for an overseas employer or clients during your visit, and this does not breach your visa. Bear in mind that a long enough stay can make you a New Zealand tax resident. If you breach the conditions, you risk deportation.
Useful links
- NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority)
- Immigration New Zealand: Working Remotely in New Zealand
Work visas for New Zealand
There are several work visa options if you want to live and work in New Zealand. You will need to pick the type that fits your circumstances. Some visas cover temporary work, and others cover permanent roles.
Work to Residence visas for New Zealand
The Work to Residence visa for New Zealand is built around the Green List, the government’s roster of in-demand jobs. If you hold a Tier 2 Green List role, you work for an accredited employer and then apply for residence once you have done that job in New Zealand for two years. A separate Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) Work Visa offers a similar two-year route to residence if you have an international reputation in your field and the backing of a recognised New Zealand body.
Permanent resident visas for New Zealand
Permanent resident visas for New Zealand are the next step once you have settled on a resident visa and want to stay for good. You do not jump straight to permanent residence: you first hold a resident visa for at least two years, then apply to upgrade.
As a permanent resident, you are not a citizen, but you can stay indefinitely and hold many of the same rights as citizens. You can use the public health system, enrol children in state schools, take almost any job, and vote once you meet the residence requirement. You can also leave and re-enter New Zealand as often as you like, which a standard resident visa may not always allow.
Requirements for permanent resident visas
To apply for a permanent resident visa for New Zealand, you must have held a resident visa continuously for at least two years and show your commitment to New Zealand in at least one of these ways:
- You have spent at least 184 days in New Zealand in each of the two years before you apply.
- You hold New Zealand tax residence status and can show documentation from Inland Revenue.
- You have held a qualifying investment in New Zealand for two years or more.
- You have owned or run a business in New Zealand for at least a year that benefits the country. If you bought into an existing business, you hold a 25 percent stake or more.
- You have established a base here: you own a family home or have worked full-time for at least nine months in the two-year period, and you have spent at least 41 days in the country in the final year.
Visa rules can change at short notice, so check with your embassy or consulate for the latest details.