New Zealand

Visa New Zealand

Océanie · Australie et Nouvelle-Zélande

In New Zealand, visas are handled by Immigration New Zealand, a service of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The official pages consulted on 2026-09-17 name in particular the visitor visa, the NZeTA electronic travel authority, the group visa, the transit visa and resident visas. The site states that most visas are applied for online, with supporting documents uploaded and payment made on the site.

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.

Machine-assisted draft, reviewed by a person on 23 September 2026. Only the authority cited is authoritative.

Published on 23 September 2026 · Reviewed by vg_admin on 23 September 2026 · Sources consulted on 17 September 2026

At a glance

Authority: Immigration New Zealand (Te Ratonga Manene) — Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Filing channel: Online on the Immigration New Zealand site: “You can apply for most visas online.” A RealMe account is mentioned as necessary to access the online application; some visas can only be applied for online, others only on a paper form
Electronic visa: Yes for the electronic travel authority: the site names the “New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)”
Portal language: English (with headings in Māori)

Do you need a visa?

Your nationality

Choose a nationality to see the recorded entry rule. No answer is shown until reviewed data exists.

Documented visa types

“Visitor Visa”: The dedicated page states a length of stay of “Up to either 6 months or 9 months”. It specifies that the application is made online. Official page (new tab)
“New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)”: Named by the “Visit” page of the official site. Intended applicants and duration not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)
“Group Visitor Visa”: Named by the “Visit” page of the official site. Conditions and duration not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)
“Transit visa”: Named by the “Visit” page of the official site, which links to a section devoted to transit through New Zealand. Official page (new tab)
“Business Visitor Visa”: Named on the Immigration New Zealand home page. Conditions and duration not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)
“Resident visas”: Category named on the home page and in the “Live” section of the official site. Conditions and duration not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)

Where and how to file the application

The “Applying for a visa” page states that most visas are applied for online: “You can apply for most visas online. You can upload supporting documents, photographs and also pay for your application online.” It mentions a RealMe account for secure access to the online application.

The same page links to a section on the visas that can be applied for only online or only on a paper form, without listing them. The site also offers a visa search and comparison tool, presented as “Search for a visa” and “Find and compare visas”.

Steps in the procedure

Choose the New Zealand visa matching the situation (“choosing a New Zealand visa”), using the site's comparison tool if needed.
Prepare the application (“preparing an application”) and gather the supporting documents required for that visa.
Create or use a RealMe account to access the online application.
File the application online, upload the documents and the photographs, then pay on the site.
Wait for the application to be examined (“visa processing”); the site offers a page for tracking the progress of a case.

Documents mentioned by the authority

Supporting documents for the application (“supporting documents”).
Photographs (“photographs”).
The detailed list appears in a separate section of the site devoted to the evidence and documents to provide, which was not opened: the documents required are therefore not stated here.

The exact list depends on the visa type and on the individual situation; only the official page is authoritative.

Fees and processing times stated

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, the visitor visa page displays a fee of “From NZD $441” and a decision time of “80% within 2 weeks”. These indications apply to that visa alone.

The “Applying for a visa” page links to a section devoted to fees, decision times and refund options, without giving the amounts. The fees and processing times of the other categories are not stated on the pages consulted.

After the decision

The decision rests with Immigration New Zealand. The site publishes a page for checking the progress of an application that has been filed, which the home page links to.

The pages consulted detail neither the grounds for refusal, nor the appeal channels, nor the conditions for extending a visa that has been issued.

Published procedures

No reviewed and published procedure for New Zealand to date. We prefer an empty page to an invented requirement.

Explore procedures

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a visa to travel to New Zealand?

It depends on the nationality and the purpose of the trip; the rule reviewed by VisaGuideline is shown with the nationality selector on this page. Always check with the authority.

Where is the application filed?

Online on the Immigration New Zealand site, which states that most visas are applied for through that channel, with documents uploaded and payment made on the site. A RealMe account is mentioned for secure access.

Is there an electronic visa?

The site names an electronic travel authority, the “New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)”, in its “Visit” section. Its conditions are not stated on the pages consulted.

How much does a visitor visa cost and how long does it take to process?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, the visitor visa page states a fee of “From NZD $441” and a time of “80% within 2 weeks”. These indications apply to that visa only.

How long can you stay on a visitor visa?

According to the official page consulted on 2026-09-17, the length of stay is “Up to either 6 months or 9 months”. The authority decides the duration granted in each case.

How do you know which visa to apply for?

The site offers a visa search and comparison tool, presented as “Search for a visa” and “Find and compare visas”, as well as Visit, Work, Study and Live sections.

Official sources

Immigration New Zealand — site officiel (new tab) Authority

Consulted sources

Official pages read to write this guide, with the date they were read. A page may have changed since: check it before taking any step.

Immigration New Zealand :: Immigration New Zealand (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Visas :: Immigration New Zealand (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Applying for a visa :: Immigration New Zealand (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Visit Toro (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Visitor Visa :: Immigration New Zealand (new tab) read on 17 September 2026

What this guide does not know yet

Points the official source does not specify and which this guide therefore left blank. Ask the competent authority about them before filing an application.

The fees and decision times of categories other than the visitor visa were not read: the page devoted to fees and processing times remains to be consulted.
The list of supporting documents appears in a separate section that was not opened; no document other than “supporting documents” and “photographs” is therefore cited here.
The site also names the APEC Business Travel Card in its “Visit” section; a reviewer must decide whether it should appear among the permits presented.
The page links to an online application service hosted on a separate subdomain, which was not consulted.

Prepare my case

This method is the same for every destination. It does not list any document as an official requirement: only the authority’s source is authoritative.

Describe your situation

Nationality, residence, purpose and dates. The checker tells covered routes apart from situations that are still unknown.
Check at the source

Open the destination’s official source and compare it with your situation before starting a procedure.
Track what is left to do

Your space keeps your answers and your declared checklist. A complete checklist does not announce a favorable decision.

Check my route Open my case