The definition of a visa goes as follows: an endorsement on a passport indicating that the holder is allowed to enter, leave, or stay for a specified period of time in a country.
For some visitors, this eTA is a type of electronic visa since that’s exactly the purpose of this. But then there are different explanations:
It all comes down to how countries want to market things. To some, when you have to fill out an application, pay money, and have to be approved, it’s a type of visa. But, unlike a visa, eTA doesn’t come with exorbitant fines or long waiting time.
NZeTA allows you to travel to New Zealand without the need for a regular Visa and is limited to certain cases for a maximum stay in New Zealand of 90 days (6 months in case of British citizens).
The eTA – Electronic Travel Authority aims to:
The number of visitors to New Zealand has grown exponentially over the last few years, and the number will only further grow. Given the status quo, most short-term visitors arriving by air or sea do not need to apply for a visa, which supports New Zealand’s tourism industry by making it easier to travel.
However, when people don’t have to apply for visas, Immigration Agency only learns about them once they are en route to New Zealand. Immigration is unable to screen these travelers in advance for border and immigration risks and has a reduced capability to make entering New Zealand smoother and faster as technology evolves.
The introduction of the Electronic Travel Authority (eTA) intends to address these issues and is part of wider government efforts to make border-crossing as seamless and smooth as possible.
Currently, as travelers visiting New Zealand under the Visa Waiver Program do not apply for a pre-arranged visa, the New Zealand Government only learns of their identity “once they are en route to New Zealand,” as per the Immigration New Zealand. “We are unable to screen these travelers in advance for border and immigration risks,” the Department explains, adding that “the Electronic Travel Authority aims to deal with these issues and is part of wider government efforts to make border crossing as seamless as possible.”
As for the pricier International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), the NZ Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) shares that it “ensures our international visitors contribute to the infrastructure they use and help protect the natural environment they enjoy.”
Applying for an eTA is a straightforward online process.
Applicants will need a valid passport, a valid debit/credit card (such as a MasterCard, Visa Credit / Debit / Electron card, UK Maestro, or American Express card) and a valid email account where they can get their eTA approval.
The eTA application is then stored and linked to the applicant’s passport number. All visa records are stored in a database which facilitates online checking of visa details by visa holders, country’s registered organizations, and airline staff.
There is no requirement to physically present yourself or your travel document and get a visa stamp. The application is entirely performed over the internet in just a few clicks and provides advance permission to visit the country.
At present, there are a number of nationalities who can travel to New Zealand without a visa for up to 90 days. Citizens from the UK can enter for up to six months, and Australians hold residency status on arrival.
If you’re traveling to New Zealand any time after October 1st, 2019, you are going to need either an actual visa or an eTA (if you’re from a “visa waiver country”). If you are from a “visa-required country,” i.e., if you needed a visa before this date, you still need one.
You must request an NZeTA online before you travel to New Zealand if you are:
Much like the ESTA in the USA, or the new European equivalent (ETIAS), these “visas” in everything but name require up to 48-72 hours of processing. If you were landing on the 4th of November, you would want to apply before the 1st of November, to be on the safer side. Most eTAs should be approved within hours, but you won’t be able to board the flight before you get approval.
You may be able to request an NZeTA when you check in, but if the authorities cannot process your request in time or if they decline it, then you will not be allowed to board the plane.
You do not need an NZeTA to travel to New Zealand if you:
Potential travelers may submit their eTA request and receive travel authorization without specific travel plans if they want to be able to travel at any given moment. Visa Waiver Program travelers are not required to have specific plans to travel to New Zealand before they apply for a travel authorization.
If a traveler’s destination address in New Zealand is unknown, at the time when he or she completes the application for an eTA for the travel authorization, the traveler should enter the name of the hotel or approximate location he or she intends to visit. Travelers may update this information when their plans are finalized, but they will not be required to update their destination addresses or itineraries should they change after their travel authorization has been approved.
The INZ(Immigration New Zealand) recommends that applications for travel authorization be submitted for an eTA as early as possible, as soon as, or even before travel is planned.
Yes, citizens of countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program require travel authorization to transit through New Zealand. If a traveler is only planning to transit through New Zealand en route to another country, when he or she completes the travel authorization application in eTA, the traveler should declare that he or she will be ‘in transit,’ and his or her final destination location.
For example, passengers flying with Air New Zealand from Sydney to Chicago via Auckland would require an eTA, as their journey transits New Zealand unless exempted from the requirement by traveling on a passport from Australia or New Zealand.
However, there is an exception. Regardless of which country/region your travel commenced from or is for travel to – if you hold a passport for one of the following countries/regions, you do not need a Transit Visa if you transit through Auckland and your transit time does not exceed 24 hours from the time of your arrival:
Bahamas, Bermuda, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Federated States of Micronesia, Indonesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa (Western), Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Venezuela.
Irrespective of the country/region your travel started from or is for travel to – if you hold a passport for one of the following countries/regions, you do not need a Transit-Visa if you transit through Auckland and your transit time does not exceed 24 hours from the time of your arrival: Bahamas, Bermuda, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Federated States of Micronesia, Indonesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa (Western), Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Venezuela.
It is a common practice that before the 90 days that are granted by an eTA permit are over, foreign nationals whose permit is about to expire travel briefly to Australia to request another travel permit for New Zealand that would grant them an additional 90 days.
While entry is granted on many occasions, you must be aware that the migration officer processing your request may deny your entry to New Zealand, arguing that you are violating the spirit of migratory law. If you find yourself in similar circumstances whereby you need to extend your stay in New Zealand, we recommend you request a New Zealand visa at the New Zealand embassy of the country where you are, in order to avoid facing the aforementioned situation.
Before you begin your trip to New Zealand, please see that your passport is all ready for the trip as well.
For Australian and New Zealand passport holders, or Australian permanent residents and New Zealand residents, your passport must be valid at least on the date you travel to New Zealand (must be valid on your arrival and departure dates).
In the case of visitors to New Zealand who is non-Australian or New Zealand passport holders or permanent residents, that are coming to New Zealand as visitors, students or workers, your passport must be either:
Once arriving at the first airport or port of entry, all foreign nationals with an approved eTA or valid visa have an immigration and customs inspection to clear. A New Zealand Customs and Border Security Officer will review your case and your documents, and then decide upon your admission into the country.
Once arriving at the first airport or port of entry, all foreign nationals with an approved eTA or valid visa have an immigration and customs inspection to clear. A New Zealand Customs and Border Security Officer will review your case and your documents, and then decide upon your admission into the country.
The minimum computer configuration to be able to access the online system and submitting your application for New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority are very simple. Any modern computer will meet those requirements. In any case, if your computer is older or if you have not updated your software in a very long time, make sure your computer has updated versions of.
Internet browser that supports 128-bit encryption (all modern browsers have 128-bit encryption or above).
Current major browsers are fully supported. For example, Internet Explorer, Chrome, Chromium, Firefox, and Safari. If you have any of these, just make sure you are using the latest version.
Please verify the release of the browser is the most up to date, and that it is able to accept cookies and has JavaScript.
Usually, all browsers accept cookies, and are JavaScript-compatible and enabled. However, in public computers such as those in libraries, cybercafés, and call centers, it is possible that some of these configurations are modified.
To enter New Zealand, you are required to have a passport which is valid for at least three months beyond your intended date of departure. Applicants will need to have a valid passport from one of the 60 eligible countries (visa-waiver countries) to apply for eTA New Zealand. The New Zealand eTA will be valid for two years, unless.
If you come from a country that requires a New Zealand visa to enter, please make sure to apply for a visa in advance.
If you have applied for an eTA, or if you have an existing eTA, you could conveniently verify your eTA status online. Here, you would be taken to a page where you could enter certain information, such as your application number or your passport number, and retrieve your status.
First, you have to select whether you are checking your eTA application status or the validity of your existing eTA. You have to input your passport number, country of issue, issue and expiration dates. Once you have entered this information, you can retrieve your NZ eTA status. There are five possible statuses returned by the eTA status check:
Approved eTA applications are valid for a period of two years (for multiple entries), or until the date of passport expiry, whichever date comes first. An approved eTA does not guarantee admission into New Zealand, and the final decision of entry rests on New Zealand Immigration Border Authorities.
This status applies to applications that have been received by New Zealand’s Immigration system, but yet have not yet been processed. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to up to 48-72 hours for your application to be approved.
If your eTA application has triggered a manual review, you will likely be notified of the status and will be requested to provide additional documentation to support your eTA application, such as scans of your passport, police records if you have previous criminal history or any other documents New Zealand Immigration personnel would need to verify before reaching a decision on your application. If your eTA application is not approved within a few minutes, it likely requires further processing, and you can expect to receive an email from INZ within 72 hours containing additional instructions.
If your eTA application has been processed and is declined, then you will not be able to travel to New Zealand using an eTA. However, you may still be eligible to apply for a New Zealand Tourist visa to visit the country.
This means either you entered the wrong information when checking your eTA statuses, such as the wrong application number, passport number, passport issue or expiry dates, or that you did not actually submit an eTA application. If you have recently applied your status returns ‘eTA Not Found,’ and you are 100% sure the information you provided on the eTA status check form is correct, this means the system may still be in the early stages of processing your application. Wait for a few hours and check the system again.
Eligible citizens will be able to complete the New Zealand eTA application form by completing all the sections with the required information. Applicants will need to enter a range of information, including:
To avoid complications, applicants will need to carefully enter and revise all the data they enter. Any inaccuracies on the New Zealand eTA form could lead to delays and even eTA denials.
After an applicant has completed the online NZ eTA form and paid the eTA fee and tourist levy using a credit or debit card, the initial application will be complete. The vast majority of New Zealand eTA applications will be quickly processed and approved.
As per the law, New Zealand can deny you entry if you are disqualified under sections 15 and 26 of the Immigration Act 2009. According to this law, you will not be granted a visa, an eTA or entry permission, if you have been in the following scenarios:
If you think that you do not belong to the aforementioned category of people or you have never been in any of the situations listed above, then your application might be declined because of the following reasons:
The eTA application process is pretty simple and straightforward. The travelers need to be mindful of three prerequisites before applying for an eTA. The three important requirements for eTA are described below:
Before applying for an electronic Travel Authorization, you are required to possess a valid passport from a visa-waiver country. For instance, if you hold a passport from a visa-waiver country of origin like Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the USA, you will need to enter your passport number to obtain eTA. All other forms of travel documents (except a valid passport from a visa-waiver country) will be declined.
Applying for an eTA is a pretty simple electronic process. Most of the of applicants usually get their eTA approvals within a cinch. Nonetheless, in some cases, eTA approvals may take a few days to process if the visitor is requested to submit supporting documents.
In the complete process, you will need to use a valid email account where all of the eTA related information should be directly sent across to you. For instance, you will be receiving a notification email once your online eTA application request is submitted. If you are required to furnish some relevant supporting documents to further process your eTA, the entire instruction set will be communicated to you through email. Once your eTA is approved by the New Zealand government, you will be instantly notified by the email you have provided.
In the online eTA application process, the applicants need to pay an application fee online with their browser (once the online form is filled and submitted). They will also pay the IVL fee at the same time, which covers tourism infrastructure for New Zealand. Note, the application fee and IVL is non-refundable. The applicants can pay the nonrefundable fee simply using a valid prepaid credit card or debit card(such as a MasterCard, Visa Credit / Debit / Electron card, UK Maestro, or American Express card).
Once you have satisfied the aforementioned three requirements and you’ve paid the application fee, you are eligible to obtain your eTA, and it will be valid for up to 2 years.
No, once your New Zealand eTA application is rejected, you can not appeal for reconsideration of your previous application, as the New Zealand immigration doesn’t allow an appeal.
Under section 186 of the Immigration Act of 2009, there is no right of appeal or reconsideration against a decision on a temporary entry class visa application made outside of New Zealand. If you have new information that has not been considered by INZ, you can submit a further application. This would be considered on its merits and would need to show that you meet all relevant New Zealand government immigration instructions.
This privacy statement applies to the collection and security of personal data and other information collected on the INZ (Immigration New Zealand) website and how it is utilized. You can also find out how you can access your personal information that the INZ holds on you.
When you apply for an eTA, INZ collects some mandatory information from you to determine: your identity and whether you are eligible to apply for an eTA.
The collection of your personal information is approved by the Immigration Act 2009 and the Immigration Regulations under this Act. The furnishing of your information is voluntary, but please note that if you do not furnish indispensable information required in the eTA application, your eTA application may not be accepted.
INZ has legal accountability to protect any information they collect from you. INZ’s online services have been designed to meet national and international security parameters to shield and protect all the personal information collected.
INZ will never divulge your personal information to any third party in a form that will identify you except in the following circumstances:
Please note that INZ is lawfully authorized to share data with other government agencies under applicable law.
INZ might also make use of your information to determine your right to board a flight to New Zealand. Be assured that your personal information is not shared with any airline check-in agents. When you check in to board the plane, the check-in agent only sees a boarding instruction based on the information you have provided in any application you submit. INZ may also use your information to get in touch with you for research purposes or to advise you on matters related to immigration.
You have the right to:
In accordance with the ‘Privacy Act 1993’, INZ reserves the right to deny your request if they have a valid reason.
If you wish to check personal information held about you, you would like to get in touch with your local Visa Application Center (VAC) or INZ office. If you do not have a local VAC or INZ office, you can contact them or post your inquiry to Immigration New Zealand, PO Box 3705, Wellington 6140.
New Zealand eTA lasts for a full two years. However, if your passport expires before this time, your eTA will also expire. In order to avoid having to reapply for an eTA before two years has finished, be sure your passport is up to date and valid for at least two years.
You might need to renew your passport early. In some cases, it will not be worth it to renew your passport before it expires, considering, high passport fees and long processing times, while eTA applications often take only a few minutes or a couple of days to process.
However, if you have a reason to avoid reapplying for your eTA before the two-year validity limit, you may want to prioritize your eTA status over the convenience of keeping your current passport until it expires. For example, you may have trouble with long eTA processing times if you have a criminal record, or if you have a major health concern.
Unfortunately, there is no way to receive an extension for your NZeTA. When your eTA expires, you will have to reapply. However, as you experienced during your initial eTA application, the process is fairly quick and easy. All you have to do is duplicate your original application, updating the information when necessary.
There are several factors to take into consideration when deciding on one system over the other. Some of the most important are the length of stay and the purpose of your visit. Let’s take a look at them.
If your stay in New Zealand is longer than 90 days (or more than 180 days for British Citizens), you must request a Visa at the New Zealand Embassy; if it is 90 days or less (or less than 180 days in case of British Citizens), you may apply through NZeTA.
A New Zealand visa will open up a wider variety of possibilities. In the following list, you will see the main travel purposes and the recommended options.
The NZeTA is well suited for short term tourists, from Visa Waiver Countries, arriving by air or sea, which in turn supports New Zealand’s tourism industry by making it easier to travel.
Even if you are from a Visa Waiver Country, you have to apply for a visa (Medical Treatment Visitor Visa) to come to New Zealand for medical treatment or consultation. NZeTA does not permit even short term medical treatment or consultation.
If you are visiting New Zealand for short-duration business purposes, you may submit your request through NZeTA. For example, Purchase or sale of a house or any other type of property, Visits fairs and conventions, Signing contracts, whether personal or on behalf of your company. For bigger purposes like – investing capital in New Zealand, starting a new business, taking over an existing business or if you are an employee of relocating a business, you need to go for a Business Immigration visa.
If you’re traveling to New Zealand for taking an Exam or studying a short course (for example, Summer English courses) that is less than three months, you could go for an eTA. You’ll need a student visa if you’re planning to study here full time and the course is for longer than three months.
If your visit is for transit purposes, meaning you will only visit New Zealand as a means to reach your final destination in another country, you may request your permit through eTA.
If you will be receiving compensation for your work during your stay in New Zealand, it is mandatory that you request a New Zealand Work visa. Travelers who submit their request through eTA may not perform any kind of work activity during their visit.
If you belong to one of the visa waiver countries and are planning a destination wedding in New Zealand, you can do that as long as you have a marriage license, you are not already married, at least 16 years of age, and you are not a close relative to the person you intend to marry. Requests submitted through eTA do not allow you to extend, renew or change the purpose of your trip, so while you could get married in New Zealand, you would not be able to request residence or citizenship, nor an extension of your stay.
If you travel to New Zealand with the intention of immigrating to the country, your only viable option is a New Zealand Immigration visa. eTA does not allow any type of change to the purpose of your visit and would not allow you to request your residence or getting your citizenship, not even for a long-term visit.
Please note that NZeTA is applicable only for the citizens of visa waiver countries. If you are a national of a visa-required country, you are not eligible to apply for an eTA.
Yes, they do. The process of applying for a New Zealand eTA for babies or young children is the same. Parents and guardians will need to complete the application form on the child’s behalf.
Each child traveling must obtain an eTA before departing. Each application is separately processed and cannot be joined with your own. If your child or children are linked to your passport, you still need to submit individual applications. Each child needs an NZ eTA, updated, and valid.
Australian citizens will be exempt from applying for NZ eTA. Australian permanent residents will need to apply for an eTA but are not required to pay the associated tourist levy i.e. IVL.
Other exemptions from the New Zealand eTA include:
Conditions of an eTA are:
Within 72 hours of applying you will receive a confirmation e-mail regarding your New Zealand eTA status by New Zealand’s Department of Immigration. Below, is some information that may be on your New Zealand eTA:
The answer is Strict NO. eTA is not intended for work purposes. Taking employment while in New Zealand on an eTA is breaching the conditions of an eTA and calls for grave consequences.
New Zealand employers will analyze if you have the correct visa permitting you to work. Should you wish to work in New Zealand, perhaps on a Working Holiday Visa (up to 12 months, or 23 months if you are from the UK or Canada), or want to emigrate permanently under New Zealand’s “Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa,” seek help from Immigration New Zealand.
If you have been offered a job in New Zealand while visiting and decide you want to work, you may apply for permission to work by applying for an “Essential Skills work visa” or “Work to Residence visa.”
You cannot start work until the Immigration Department has approved your application. Working without permission is a criminal offense that carries hefty fines and penalties, could see your visa revoked and you could be even banished from the country.
A Travel Agent can help you complete your NZeTA request online. You will need to supply the following information to your travel agent:
purpose of your trip (such as whether you are traveling to seek medical treatment).
Please note that once submitted your eTA cannot be updated. Because of this fact, if you have paid the service and processing fees, they cannot be refunded, and you will be required to again pay them in entirety when submitting a new application. It is therefore very important that you thoroughly check all information furnished, the personal information and answers to the questions asked, before finally submitting your eTA application.
Although your eTA is valid for two years following its approval, make sure all the information be accurate at the time of each of your visits. If you find any information inaccurate, the only solution is to complete and submit a new application to INZ. This inaccuracy could be due to a change in your passport number if you have lost and replaced or renewed your passport or it could be a result of a change in your gender or identity, even nationality or address. In all aforementioned cases, on each visit to New Zealand, the consistency of the information given by your eTA and that of your passport or other identity documents will be methodically cross-checked by your travel company. If a mismatch or any inconsistency is found then you may not be permitted to board your transport.
You should therefore thoroughly verify all information furnished and the continued accuracy for any future visit. If this information is no longer true or accurate, then you will need to update your eTA.
Once an application is submitted processed and payment is made, you cannot cancel the transaction, and the payment cannot be reimbursed. Therefore, please ensure that you enter your personal details correctly. If you have made an error, it is important that you correct it before confirmation. Once you have confirmed the details, your electronic payment card (credit card/e-commerce enabled debit card) will be debited for the non-refundable service charge. If you find out later that you have made a mistake, then you will have to submit a new application and pay the relevant fee again.
Before you board an airplane to New Zealand, you must ensure that you possess a passport that is valid for at least 3 months beyond the date that you plan on departing from New Zealand.
For eg., if you plan to stay in New Zealand from October 3 to October 21, your passport must be valid up to at least 3 months after October 21, so at least till January 21. If there is a possibility that your passport expires before that date, try to renew your passport even before you leave your country.
In addition to a valid passport, you will also need to have proof that you will be leaving New Zealand by having, for instance, a return ticket and also a proof that you have enough money to meet your expenses in New Zealand.
The second thing you might need is a visitor’s visa or an eTA. If you are a citizen of one of the visa-waiver countries, you still need an eTA to enter New Zealand if you plan on staying less than three months(or less than six months if you are from the United Kingdom).
Australian citizens do not need a visa or an eTA to enter New Zealand.
Please note that if you have a criminal past, you could be denied entry into New Zealand. So again, seek advice if this is the case for you.
Before you get off the aircraft, you might get a New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card that you must fill out for customs and immigration. If you do not get one, you should be able to pick one up and fill it out in the customs and immigration hall.
The passenger arrival card asks questions about you, the purpose of your visit, and what you are bringing into New Zealand. This information is used to determine whether you can be allowed into the country.
Never make false declarations on your passenger arrival card. Be aware of what you can and cannot enter within the country, so take some time to comprehend what kind of information you must fill out on the passenger arrival card.
Generally, just avoid bringing in any food, plant, or animal products. Don’t carry too much money in cash – you must declare anything over $10,000 – but do carry enough money in cash and as plastic cards that you can spend to survive and take care of yourself during your entire stay in New Zealand.
When you arrive at passport control, you must hand over your passport and the arrival card you filled out.
The immigration officer may ask you a few questions based on the documents you handed over but also general questions such as how long you will be staying, what the purpose of your visit is, whether you are visiting family or friends, etc. etc.
General rules for answering these questions are:
Once you get through passport control, you must head to collect your baggage.
While waiting for your bags to arrive, a customs officer and a dog might pay you a visit. If you are asked to put some of your belongings on the ground, please oblige. This is being asked for the dog to sniff for restricted items, which includes food. If the dog hints that there might be prohibited items in your bags, the officer might ask to frisk your bags.
Once you have collected your luggage and are walking toward the exit, you might be asked to put your bags through x-ray for screening. The customs officers may also ask to manually frisk your bags.
And eventually, there would be another customs officer waiting to collect your arrival card, and perhaps inquire you about items you have marked on your card. This is for biosecurity reasons. For example, if you have camping gear or hiking shoes checked on the card, you may be questioned about it.
Also, last but not the least, before leaving home, just ensure that everything(e.g., Shoes, backpack, etc.) is neat and clean, and without any mud on them, and you should be good to go.
New Zealand is extremely rigid about biosecurity. So make sure you are well aware of and religiously follow all the rules and guidelines.
U.S. citizens with Global Entry membership traveling to New Zealand may use a dedicated lane arriving at Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch International Airports. The lanes will streamline border processing for U.S. Global Entry members.
Lanes are marked with signs that say “U.S. Global Entry.” To be eligible to use the lanes, U.S. Global Entry members simply present their Global Entry card, their U.S. passport, and arrival documentation. This initiative is the result of an agreement between New Zealand and the United States to improve the border experience for travelers flying between the two countries.
U.S. Global Entry members will still be subject to standard customs, immigration, and biosecurity processes on arrival in New Zealand.
You are screened when you check in and when you arrive in NZ. If you do not have valid documents and a genuine reason for traveling to New Zealand, the Immigration can refuse to let you travel. Take care of the following points before you travel.
If you are not using the same passport that your eTA is linked to, you must re-apply for a new eTA to link your eTA to the new passport before you travel.
You might not be permitted to enter New Zealand if you are unable to furnish enough evidence that you meet the conditions of your eTA.
A copy of your eTA Approval letter, and evidence that you can meet the conditions of your eTA — for instance, you can use:
Do not purchase your tickets before the immigration NZ grants you an eTA or your application is approved in principle. If there is a delay in processing your application or they do not grant you an eTA, your ticket might get wasted, or you might have to reschedule your travel.
Even though you are from a visa-waiver country, immigration can still ask you to provide evidence to support your eTA application to enter New Zealand.
Before you board your flight or ship to New Zealand, the Immigration New Zealand checks their records to make sure you are allowed to travel to the country. The airlines also provide them with information — known as Passenger Name Record (PNR) data — which the INZ uses to further screen travelers.
There are 2 types of information Immigration New Zealand (INZ) collects:
INZ manages border risks by collecting information about foreign nationals who fly to New Zealand. INZ may need to ask you some questions before you board or when you arrive. This applies to everyone, including people who already hold a visa and travelers in transit.
In addition to checking your passport and eTA, INZ also checks that you are a bona fide traveler and have a genuine reason for visiting New Zealand. You must answer all questions asked by immigration officers honestly, or you may not be allowed to enter the country.
INZ may want to see your ticket showing when you will leave New Zealand. They may ask to see other travel tickets or visas if you leave to go to a country that you need to have a visa or onward travel ticket for or also in the case you are not a citizen of — you need to show that you have the right to enter that country.
They do not need to see this if your visa label or letter says return/onward travel not required, or the holder of this visa is sponsored.
INZ may also want to see evidence of how you will support yourself financially while you are in New Zealand.
They may also want to check that you are of good character and will comply with the conditions of your visa. This could include questions about any criminal convictions you have or whether you have been deported from another country.
INZ may also ask for evidence about your health. Before you can enter New Zealand, you must be in good health or be granted a medical waiver. Purpose of the visit for all eTA-eligible (visa waiver) countries must not be medical consultation or treatment.
When you arrive in New Zealand, you apply for entry permission. This process is usually quick, but immigration officers may ask you some extra questions before granting you entry permission. You must answer these questions honestly.
There are 2 ways to apply:
By presenting your documents to an immigration officer;
By using a Smartgate or eGate — this uses biometrics to match the picture of your face in your e-Passport with the picture it takes of you at the gate, and is applicable to individuals 12 years or older having an e-passport from any of these countries: New Zealand, Australia, UK, US, Canada, China (excluding Hong-Kong), France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, and Singapore.
To apply for entry permission, you need to have your:
Other border agencies such as the New Zealand Customs Service and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) check that you meet their entry requirements. You could be refused entry if you do not.
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