NZ Crew eTA | Cruise, Cargo & Airline Crew ETA Requirements

A Crew ETA Is Requested by Your Employer — Not by You

Working crew on passenger aircraft, cruise ships and cargo ships need a Crew ETA before leaving for New Zealand. It is a different authority from the traveller NZeTA: it lasts longer, costs less, permits different stay lengths — and it can only be requested by the shipping line, airline or manning agent that employs you, through Immigration New Zealand's Batch ETA system. This page explains who needs one, what it allows, and when crew need an ordinary NZeTA instead.

We Cannot Request a Crew ETA for You — and Nor Can Any Other Agent

Crew ETAs are submitted only through Immigration New Zealand's Batch ETA system, which is restricted to employers and their nominated representatives — cruise companies, airlines, manning agents, concessionaires and cargo operators. No third-party visa service can submit one on your behalf, ours included. If you are crew and do not have a Crew ETA, contact your crewing department or manning agent. If a website or individual offers to sell you a personal Crew ETA, treat it as a red flag.

Cost

NZD $17

Paid By

The Employer

Valid For

Up to 5 Years

Requested Via

Batch ETA System

Processing

Within 72 Hours

Who Needs a Crew ETA

Nationality does not exempt you. All working crew need a Crew ETA unless one of two narrow exceptions applies.

You Are	What You Need	Detail
Passenger airline crew	Crew ETA	Flight and cabin crew operating into New Zealand, whatever passport you hold.
Cruise ship crew	Crew ETA	Includes concessionaire and contracted staff working on board, not just the ship's company.
Cargo ship crew	Crew ETA	Commercial cargo vessel crew need a Crew ETA, an NZeTA or a visa depending on circumstances.
Australian or NZ citizens	Nothing	Exempt from the Crew ETA requirement.
Holders of a NZ visa allowing crew work	Nothing extra	An existing New Zealand visa that permits work as crew already covers you.
Private yacht crew	NZeTA or visa	Cannot get a Crew ETA. Visa waiver nationals need a standard NZeTA; others need a visa.
Fishing vessel crew	Work visa	Crew working on fishing vessels in New Zealand waters need a work visa, not an ETA.

How a Crew ETA Is Requested

Immigration New Zealand runs a separate channel for crew called the Batch ETA system. Access is limited to employers and the representatives they nominate — cruise companies, airlines, manning agents, concessionaires and cargo ship operators submit crew in batches rather than one at a time.

If You Are an Employer or Agent

Register for access to the Batch ETA system with Immigration New Zealand
Submit crew details in a batch before they travel
Pay NZD $17 per crew member
Allow 72 hours for processing — do not submit on joining day
Re-submit for any crew member whose employment with you has restarted

If You Are a Crew Member

You cannot submit your own Crew ETA request
Contact your crewing department or manning agent
Check the details held for you match your passport exactly
Tell your employer straight away if you renew your passport
Do not pay a third party for a Crew ETA

How Long Crew Can Stay in New Zealand

The permitted stay depends on how you arrive and what you are crewing — it is not a single number.

How You Arrive	Maximum Stay	Detail
Airline crew	7 days	Covers a normal layover and rotation out.
Cruise or cargo crew arriving by sea	28 days, or until the ship leaves	Whichever comes first — if the vessel departs on day 6, that is the end of your permitted stay.
Cruise or cargo crew flying in to join a ship	35 days	The longer window recognises the gap between landing and the vessel arriving.

Staying On After You Sign Off

A Crew ETA covers you as working crew. If you plan to stay in New Zealand as a tourist after your contract ends — taking leave before flying home, for example — that is a different purpose and generally needs a standard NZeTA or a visitor visa arranged in advance. Do not assume your crew permission converts into a holiday.

Crew ETA Compared With a Traveller NZeTA

The two authorities share a name and a processing time, and almost nothing else.

	Crew ETA	Traveller NZeTA
Who requests it	The employer or its nominated representative	The traveller, or someone applying on their behalf
How it is submitted	Batch ETA system, restricted access	Online application, open to anyone
Cost	NZD $17, paid by the employer	Government charge plus the NZ$100 IVL and any service fee
Validity	Up to 5 years, ending when employment ends	2 years, regardless of employment
Permitted stay	7, 28 or 35 days depending on how you arrive	Less than 3 months per visit — 6 months for UK passport holders
Purpose allowed	Working as crew	Tourism, permitted business activity, transit, short-term study
Processing time	Usually within 72 hours	Usually within 72 hours

For the full traveller rules, see our NZeTA validity guide.

Validity: Five Years, or Until the Job Ends

A Crew ETA is issued for up to five years — more than double the traveller NZeTA — but that headline number comes with a condition that matters more than the date itself: it stops being valid when your employment ends.

Leaving your employer voids it. Even with four years left on the clock, resigning or being released ends the authority.
A new employer means a new Crew ETA. Your incoming company must submit a fresh request through the Batch ETA system before you next travel as crew.
A renewed passport needs updating. Like the traveller NZeTA, a Crew ETA is linked to a passport number. Tell your crewing department as soon as you get a new passport.
Do not assume continuity between contracts. If you return to a previous employer after a gap, confirm your Crew ETA status rather than relying on the old one.

When Crew Need a Standard NZeTA Instead

Several situations fall outside the Crew ETA entirely. In each of these you need an ordinary traveller NZeTA — which you can request yourself, and which we can help with:

Private Yacht Crew

Private yacht crew are not eligible for a Crew ETA at all. If you hold a passport from a visa waiver country you need a standard NZeTA; if you do not, you need a visa.

Travelling on Leave

Visiting New Zealand as a tourist between contracts is ordinary travel, not crew duty. Request a traveller NZeTA in your own name in the normal way.

Travelling as a Passenger

Positioning to another port as a fare-paying passenger, rather than joining a vessel as crew, is passenger travel and needs a traveller NZeTA.

Family Joining You

A partner or child travelling to meet you is an ordinary visitor. Each person needs their own NZeTA and their own passport — there is no family authority.

Apply for a Traveller NZeTA

Practical Points for Crew and Crewing Departments

Passport details must match exactly. The same rule applies as for travellers — names and passport numbers held in the batch must match the passport you sign on with. See our passport requirements guide.
Submit early, not on joining day. Seventy-two hours is typical, not guaranteed, and a crew member without an approved ETA does not travel.
Cargo operators are included. Cargo ship crew and passengers have been able to obtain an NZeTA since February 2025 — cargo is no longer a gap in the system.
Check the exemptions before paying. Australian and New Zealand citizens, and holders of a New Zealand visa permitting crew work, do not need a Crew ETA.
Keep a record per crew member. Because validity ends with employment rather than on a fixed date, the expiry date alone is not a reliable status check.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who needs a New Zealand Crew ETA?

All working crew members on passenger airlines, cruise ships and cargo ships need a Crew ETA before leaving for New Zealand, regardless of nationality. The exceptions are Australian and New Zealand citizens, and anyone who already holds a New Zealand visa that allows them to work as crew.

Can I request a Crew ETA myself?

No. A Crew ETA is requested by your employer, or by a representative your employer nominates, using Immigration New Zealand's Batch ETA system. Individual crew members cannot submit their own Crew ETA request and no third-party agent can submit one on your behalf. If you do not have one, speak to your employer, manning agent or crewing department.

How much does a New Zealand Crew ETA cost?

A Crew ETA costs NZD $17.00 and is paid by the employer, not by the crew member. If someone asks you to pay personally for a Crew ETA, check with your crewing department before paying anything.

How long is a Crew ETA valid for?

A Crew ETA is valid for up to 5 years, compared with 2 years for a traveller NZeTA. However it stops being valid if your employment ends before the 5 years are up, so leaving or changing employer means your existing Crew ETA no longer covers you.

How long can crew stay in New Zealand?

Airline crew may stay up to 7 days. Cruise and cargo ship crew arriving by sea may stay up to 28 days or until their ship leaves, whichever comes first. Crew arriving by air to join their ship may stay up to 35 days.

How long does a Crew ETA take to process?

Most Crew ETA requests are processed within 72 hours, the same as a traveller NZeTA. Employers should submit requests well before a crew member is due to travel rather than close to joining date.

Do private yacht or fishing vessel crew need a Crew ETA?

No — private yacht crew cannot get a Crew ETA. If you hold a passport from a visa waiver country you need a standard NZeTA. If you do not, you need a visa. Crew working on fishing vessels in New Zealand waters need a work visa instead.

What happens if I change employer?

Your Crew ETA is tied to the employment it was requested for and stops being valid when that employment ends. Your new employer must request a new Crew ETA for you through the Batch ETA system before you next travel to New Zealand as crew. If you need to visit New Zealand in the meantime as a visitor, request a traveller NZeTA instead.

Related Guides

Cruise Ship Passengers

NZeTA Validity

Passport Requirements

NZ Crew eTA: Cruise, Cargo & Airline Requirements