New Zealand Visa Information
Learn4good provides general information on study, travel, work visa and business visa requirements and the addresses of embassies worldwide. You should contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information or visa forms.
Depending on the length of study, as well as nationality, either a visitor or student visa may be required.
Citizens of the following countries may not require a visa if:
- staying 90 days or less
- studying one course
For longer stays, a student visa and/or a student permit may be required.
Andorra, Ireland, Portugal***, Argentina, Israel, Qatar, Austria, Italy, San Marino, Bahrain, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Korea (South), Singapore, Brazil, Kiribati, Slovenia, Brunei, Kuwait, South Africa, Canada, Liechtenstein, Spain, Chile, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark, Malaysia, Switzerland, Finland, Malta, Tuvalu, France, Mexico, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Germany, Monaco, Uruguay, Greece****, Nauru, USA, Hong Kong**, Norway, Vatican City, Hungary, Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Iceland, Oman, Latvia*, Slovak Republic, Taiwan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia*, Czech Republic, Lithuania*, Poland, Romania.
* Visa waiver does not apply to people travelling on alien's (non-citizen's) passports issued by these countries.
** Residents of Hong Kong travelling on Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or British National (Overseas) passports.
*** Portuguese passport holders must also have the right to live permanently in Portugal.
**** Greek passport holders whose passports were issued on and after 1 January 2006. (Greek passports issued before 1 January 2006 are not acceptable for travel after 1 January 2007.)
British citizens and other British passports holders who have evidence of the right to live permanently in the United Kingdom, may be granted a Visitor's Permit valid for 6 months on arrival.
Nationals of countries not listed above may need to apply for a visa to enter New Zealand.
What documents will be required?
Required by all entering New Zealand:
a valid ticket to exit New Zealand
sufficient money for self-support
a passport valid for 3 months beyond the scheduled date of departure from New Zealand
In addition, those applying for a visitor's visa may also need to supply the following:
Completed application form
A recent passport-size photograph
Evidence of financial-support or sponsorship
Evidence of onward travel
Work visa:
Valid offer of employment in writing from a New Zealand employer with a full job description and, in many cases, confirmation that that position cannot be filled by a New Zealander.
Student visa:
Confirmation of placement at an approved educational institution.
Time required to issue visa:
Visitor visa: up to 9 months
Study Visas: Normally valid for the duration of the study period
What is the cost of a visa?
Visitor’s visa or permit NZ$130
Student visa NZ$200
Transit visa NZ$120
Fees may be waived, depending on nationality
How long is the visa valid for?
The maximum period of time most visitors can remain in New Zealand is 9 months within an 18-month period.
Visitors not requiring visas are initially allowed a stay for up to 3 months, after which they can apply in New Zealand for an extension of up to 9 months
Other information:
All nationals listed above must have sufficient funds to cover the duration of stay.
This may be NZ$1000 for each person for every month or NZ$400 if the accommodation is already paid for.
Students Undertaking Employment
You may apply for authority to work under the following circumstances:
- to fulfill course requirements; or
- up to 15 hours per week for tertiary students undertaking a long term course of study; or
- during the Christmas and New Year holiday period; or
- on completing your course of study; or
- as a postgraduate student.
Do I Need A Medical Certificate
You must be of an acceptable standard of health. This is to ensure that you are:
- not likely to be a danger to public health; and
- not likely to be a burden on the health services; and
- fit for the purposes of entry.
If you intend to study a course which is 24 months or longer you will need to provide a medical and x-ray certificate. Your medical and x-ray certificate must not be more than three months old at the time your application is lodged.
If there is an indication of any medical condition which could mean you may not meet the provisions above, you may be required to provide a medical and x-ray certificate if the intention is to stay in New Zealand less than 24 months.
In some countries, the New Zealand Immigration Service selects medical panels of registered medical practitioners and/or radiologists. If you are resident in one of these countries, a panel member must complete your medical and x-ray certificate forms.
You may either refer to the list of countries using panel doctors or consult the nearest branch of the New Zealand Immigration Service for details of the appropriate panel doctor for your area.
Do I Need A Police Certificate?
If you are 17 years of age and over and intend to stay in New Zealand for a total of more than two years, you must provide a police certificate to show you are of good character. In order to prove you are of good character, you must supply the following:
- a police certificate from your country of citizenship; and
- police certificates from any country you have lived for five years or more since reaching the age of 17 years.
Your police certificate must not be more than six months old at the time your application is lodged.
Information on how to obtain a police certificate from most countries is in the Obtaining A Police Certificate booklet.
Medical Insurance
Most students are not entitled to publicly funded health services while in New Zealand unless they are a:
- resident or citizen of Australia; or
- national of the United Kingdom in New Zealand; or
- holder of a temporary permit that is valid for two years or more.
- For advice on eligibility and/or entitlements, please refer to the Ministry of Health web site.
If you do not belong to one of these special categories and you receive medical treatment during your visit, you will be liable for the full costs of that treatment.
We strongly recommend that you have medical insurance for the duration of your stay in New Zealand.
Can I Be Refused A Visa Or Permit?
You can be refused a visa or permit if:
- you do not meet the entry requirements; or
- you are not a genuine applicant for a study visa or permit; or
- you are a person to whom Section 7 of the Immigration Act 1987 applies and you do not have an exemption.
Can my Visa or Permit be Revoked ?
Student permits are issued to enable a person to undertake a particular course of study at a specified institution. Failure to do this may constitute a breach of the permit conditions, in which case the permit may be revoked. Educational institutions wishing to report students who have breached these conditions can do so.
Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest embassy of New Zealand for information on what documentation you may require to enter New Zealand.
Disclaimer: The contents of these pages are provided as an information guide only, in good faith. The use of this website is at the viewer/user's sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked.
Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa and immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
- New Zeland Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade - URL: www.mfat.govt.nz
- Immigration New Zeland - URL: www.immigration.govt.nz
The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or the user's own government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.