Lýðvelýðrið Ísland · Republic of Iceland → Aotearoa New Zealand
Icelandic Citizens Need a New Zealand NZeTA — Apply Online Before Departure
Iceland is on New Zealand's visa-waiver list. An approved NZeTA replaces the tourist visa entirely. 100% online — no embassy visit required. Approved within 72 hours, valid 2 years.
From the Land of Fire and Ice to the Land of the Long White Cloud
Iceland is one of the world's most geologically extraordinary nations — a volcanic island straddling the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates drift apart at approximately 2.5 cm per year. The country's interior is dotted with active volcanoes, glaciers covering 11% of the land area, lava fields, geysers, and hot springs — landscapes that have no equivalent in Europe and that share more with New Zealand's geothermal centre than with any other comparable destination.
Iceland's population of approximately 381,000 makes it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital Reykjavik is home to roughly two thirds of the total population — a city that runs almost entirely on geothermal and hydroelectric energy, with carbon emissions among the lowest per capita of any developed nation. English is widely spoken throughout Iceland, making it one of the most accessible Nordic destinations for English-speaking travellers — and New Zealand one of the most accessible long-haul destinations for Icelandic passport holders.
Keflavík International Airport (KEF), located 50 km southwest of Reykjavik, is Iceland's main international gateway. Icelandair connects KEF to London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and major North American cities — providing a range of routing options for the 28 to 32-hour journey to Auckland via connecting hubs in Europe and Asia.
NZeTA Requirements for Icelandic Citizens
Have all four items ready before opening the NZeTA application. All details must match your Icelandic passport exactly.
Valid Icelandic Biometric Passport
Your Icelandic passport must be biometric and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from New Zealand. The NZeTA is electronically linked to your specific passport number — renewing your passport before travel requires a new NZeTA application. All current Icelandic passports are biometric and accepted under the visa-waiver programme.
Recent Digital Face Photograph
A passport-style photograph taken within the last 6 months. Plain light background, no sunglasses, no headwear except for religious reasons, full face clearly visible and centred. Uploaded directly into the online form — no printed photograph is required at any stage of the NZeTA process.
Active Email Address
Your NZeTA approval is sent by email. Keep this address accessible at check-in at KEF and at each connecting airport, and on arrival in New Zealand. The NZeTA is verified electronically — no printed document is required from the traveller at any point.
Payment Card — NZeTA Fee & IVL
A credit or debit card to pay the NZeTA processing fee and the mandatory New Zealand government International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) in a single secure online transaction. Non-refundable. Your bank will convert ISK to NZD at the prevailing rate at time of payment.
How to Apply for the NZeTA — Icelandic Citizens
No embassy. No appointment. Apply from Reykjavik or anywhere at our NZeTA application page. Apply at least 3 days before your KEF departure.
Enter Passport Details
Full legal name, date of birth, Icelandic passport number, and expiry date — exactly as printed. A single error in the passport number delays approval and must be corrected before processing can continue.
Upload Photo & Declarations
Upload your digital face photograph and truthfully answer all health and character declaration questions. Required by NZ immigration law — inaccurate answers may result in rejection and affect future entry to New Zealand.
Pay Fee & IVL
The NZeTA service fee and New Zealand government IVL levy are paid together in one secure card transaction. Non-refundable. Instant confirmation is sent and your application enters processing immediately after payment.
Receive Approval
Approved within 72 hours. Electronically linked to your Icelandic passport — no printing needed. Check-in staff at KEF and NZ border officers at AKL verify it automatically when you present your passport.
NZeTA — What It Covers and What Requires a Separate Visa
The NZeTA authorises short-term visits only. See the tourist visa, business visa, and transit visa pages for activities requiring a different visa category.
Covered by the NZeTA
- Tourism, sightseeing, and leisure holidays
- Visiting friends or family in New Zealand
- Business meetings, conferences, and trade events
- Short courses or workshops under 3 months
- Hiking, adventure activities, and outdoor tourism
- Transit through any New Zealand airport
Requires a Separate Visa
- Paid employment or working for a New Zealand employer
- Study or education lasting more than 3 months
- Planned medical treatment or procedures
- Stays exceeding 90 consecutive days
- Applying for residency or permanent settlement
Flights from Iceland to New Zealand
There are no direct flights from Iceland to New Zealand. Icelandic citizens depart from Keflavík International Airport (KEF) and connect through two or more hubs. Total journey time is approximately 28 to 32 hours depending on route and layover. Three primary routing options are available, each with different hub combinations.
Icelandair connects KEF to London Heathrow (LHR). Singapore Airlines operates the LHR–SIN–AKL routing. Changi Airport (SIN) offers one of the world's best transit experiences — transiting through Singapore on a longer layover can be combined with a city visit.
Icelandair connects KEF to Amsterdam (AMS) or Paris CDG. Emirates or KLM provide onward connections to Dubai (DXB), from which Emirates operates a long-haul DXB–AKL service. The DXB–AKL leg is one of the world's longest single flights at approximately 17 hours.
Icelandair serves New York JFK from Keflavík. Air New Zealand operates a direct LAX–AKL service. This routing allows a US stopover — either New York or Los Angeles — for Icelandic travellers wishing to combine a North America visit with New Zealand on a single extended itinerary.
Iceland uses the Icelandic Króna (ISK). New Zealand uses NZD. Contactless card payment is universal across New Zealand. An open-jaw itinerary — arriving Auckland (AKL) and departing Christchurch (CHC) — allows full coverage of both islands without backtracking.
Iceland and New Zealand — Two Volcanic Island Nations at the Edge of the World
Iceland and New Zealand are separated by approximately 17,000 km — almost exactly antipodal — yet share more geological, cultural, and environmental DNA than any other pair of countries at such a distance. For Icelandic travellers, New Zealand is simultaneously the most exotic and the most immediately recognisable long-haul destination available.
Volcanoes and Living Geology
Iceland: Iceland is the most volcanically active country on earth. Sitting atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, it erupts an average of once every four to five years — with events like the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption and the 2021–2024 Fagradalsfjall eruptions reshaping the landscape in real time. Approximately 11% of Iceland's land area is covered by glaciers, and lava fields — some barely decades old — cover vast portions of the interior. The geology here is not history. It is news.
New Zealand: New Zealand sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, with some of the world's most accessible active volcanoes. Mount Ruapehu (2,797 m) in the North Island central plateau erupted as recently as 2007. Tongariro last erupted in 2012. White Island (Whakaari) is one of the world's most active marine volcanoes. Rotorua's geothermal system — bubbling mud pools, geysers, and steam vents — is visible from the town centre. For Icelandic visitors, New Zealand's volcanic landscape is immediately and viscerally familiar.
Geothermal Energy and Hot Springs
Iceland: Approximately 66% of Iceland's primary energy comes from geothermal sources — used to heat virtually every building in Reykjavik and to generate a significant portion of the national electricity supply. The Blue Lagoon (Bláa Lónið) at Grindavík is the world's most visited geothermal spa. The Highland interior contains Landmannalaugar — a natural hot spring landscape in a lava field surrounded by rhyolite mountains in improbable shades of orange, yellow, and green. Iceland's relationship with geothermal heat is existential: it shapes the economy, the landscape, and the way people live.
New Zealand: The Wairakei geothermal power station near Taupo was the world's first commercial geothermal power plant, opened in 1958. New Zealand generates over 20% of its electricity from geothermal sources. Rotorua's Polynesian Spa sits on the shores of Lake Rotorua above a geothermal field — the waters here have been used therapeutically for centuries. Hanmer Springs in the South Island and Kerosene Creek near Rotorua offer natural hot pools in a landscape that for Icelandic travellers will feel immediately like home.
Hiking Culture and Wilderness Access
Iceland: Iceland's Laugavegur Trail — 55 km from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk — is among the world's most celebrated multi-day hikes, traversing rhyolite mountains, lava fields, glacial rivers, and highland meadows. Iceland has a strong legal tradition of public access to the outdoors: the highlands are open, the trails are maintained, and the culture of self-sufficient wilderness hiking is deeply embedded in national identity. Long summer days (midnight sun from late May to late July) allow hiking around the clock.
New Zealand: New Zealand's nine Great Walks — including the Milford Track, Routeburn Track, Tongariro Alpine Crossing, and Abel Tasman Coast Track — are some of the world's finest multi-day hiking routes. DoC (Department of Conservation) maintains an extensive hut system that allows backcountry travel without tent camping. For Icelandic hikers accustomed to hut networks and multi-day traverses through volcanic terrain, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (one-day) and Milford Track (4-day) will feel both familiar and extraordinary.
Small Nations, Clean Water, Pure Air
Iceland: Iceland's population of 381,000 shares a landmass of 103,000 km² — one of the lowest population densities in Europe. Its freshwater is among the purest in the world, drawn directly from glacial sources. Carbon emissions per capita are among the lowest in the developed world. Crime rates are negligible. Iceland consistently ranks in the top 3 of the Global Peace Index. The quality of the air, water, and social environment is a defining feature of life here.
New Zealand: New Zealand's population of 5.1 million shares a landmass of 268,021 km² — similarly sparse by global standards. Its water quality in natural settings is excellent; tap water in cities is safe and clean. New Zealand consistently ranks in the top 5 of the Global Peace Index. Like Iceland, it combines a small, prosperous, internationally connected population with extraordinary natural environment and low crime. Icelandic travellers typically describe New Zealand as the place that feels most like home when they are 17,000 km away from it.
Frequently Asked Questions — NZeTA for Icelandic Citizens
Apply for Your New Zealand NZeTA — Icelandic Citizens
100% online from Reykjavik or anywhere in Iceland. Approved within 72 hours. Valid 2 years with multiple entries to New Zealand.
Start NZeTA Application — Icelandic Passport