© 2026 NZeTA - New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority. All Rights Reserved.
Geographic Context
Enclave on the French Riviera — surrounded on land by France, open to the sea
Principauté de Monaco · French Riviera → Aotearoa New Zealand
Monaco is on New Zealand’s visa-waiver list. Despite having no national airport, Monaco residents fly from Nice Côte d’Azur (NCE), 25 km away, to reach Auckland in approximately 24–26 hours. The NZeTA is the only pre-travel requirement.
Monaco is a sovereign principality of 2.02 km² on the French Riviera — the second-smallest country in the world by area, after Vatican City, and the most densely populated country on earth, with approximately 19,000 people per km². It is bordered on three sides by France and opens onto the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco since 1297, making it one of the world’s oldest ruling dynasties. The current sovereign is Prince Albert II, who has ruled since 2005.
Monaco’s economy is built on financial services, tourism, gambling (the Monte-Carlo Casino opened in 1863 and is still operating), and luxury goods. It levies no income tax on residents, making it a global tax residence destination for high-net-worth individuals, athletes, and business people. Approximately 38,000 people live in Monaco, of whom only around 9,500 are Monégasque citizens holding Monaco passports — the remainder are foreign nationals, primarily French and Italian.
The Monaco Grand Prix, held annually on the streets of Monte-Carlo since 1929, is one of the most prestigious events in motorsport and places Monaco on the global cultural map every May. New Zealand has a long Formula 1 connection — Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme were both World Champions who raced at Monaco, and New Zealand’s motorsport culture runs deep.
All four items must be ready before opening the NZeTA application. All details must match your Monaco passport exactly.
Your Monaco 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 before travel requires a new NZeTA application. Monaco passports are issued by the Direction de la Sûreté Publique and carry strong international travel rights.
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.
Your NZeTA approval is sent by email. Keep this address accessible at check-in at NCE and on arrival in New Zealand. The NZeTA is verified electronically at the border — no printed document is required from the traveller. Ensure the email is accessible throughout your journey, including during connection stops.
A credit or debit card to pay the NZeTA service fee and the mandatory NZ government International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) in one secure transaction. Non-refundable. Monaco uses the Euro (EUR €) — your bank converts EUR to NZD at the prevailing rate. All major European bank cards (Visa, Mastercard) are accepted.
No embassy. No appointment. Apply from Monaco or anywhere at our NZeTA application page. Apply at least 3 days before your NCE departure.
Full legal name, date of birth, Monaco passport number, and expiry date — exactly as printed in your passport. Monaco passports carry the name in both French and the romanised form. A single error in the passport number will delay processing. The romanised name on the data page is what must be entered.
Upload your digital face photograph and truthfully answer all health and character declaration questions. Required by New Zealand immigration law — inaccurate answers may result in rejection and affect future entry. All declarations are in English and typically take 3 to 5 minutes to complete.
The NZeTA service fee and the New Zealand government IVL levy are collected together in one secure online card transaction. Non-refundable. Instant payment confirmation is sent and your application enters processing immediately after successful payment.
Approved within 72 hours. The NZeTA is electronically linked to your Monaco passport — no printing required. Check-in staff at NCE and New Zealand border officers at Auckland (AKL) verify it automatically when you present your passport on departure and arrival.
The NZeTA covers short-term visits only. See the tourist visa, business visa, and transit visa pages for activities requiring a separate visa.
Monaco has no national airport. All international long-haul travel departs from Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport (NCE), approximately 25 km east of Monaco.
Getting to NCE: By road — approximately 30 minutes by car or taxi. By helicopter — Héli Air Monaco operates a 7-minute helicopter transfer between Monaco and NCE, departing from the Monaco helipad in Fontvieille. The helicopter service is a premium option used regularly by Monaco residents. By bus — Express bus services take approximately 45 minutes. Paris CDG is reachable by TGV in approximately 5.5 hours for travellers wishing to fly from France’s main hub.
Singapore Airlines NCE–SIN (~13 hrs) + Singapore Airlines SIN–AKL (~10 hrs). Total approximately 24–26 hours.
~24–26 hrs · 1 connectionEmirates NCE–DXB (~5.5 hrs) + Emirates DXB–AKL (~17 hrs). Total approximately 24–25 hours.
~24–25 hrs · 1 connectionTravel Monaco–Paris by TGV (~5.5 hrs) or by air from NCE (~1.5 hrs) to CDG. From CDG, Air France connects to Singapore (SIN) or Auckland via Los Angeles.
CDG also has direct Air New Zealand codeshare routes and greater frequency for Pacific connections. Best for travellers already spending time in Paris before departure.
~26–28 hrs total · 1–2 connectionsMonaco uses the Euro (EUR €). New Zealand uses NZD. Contactless card payment is universal across New Zealand. An open-jaw itinerary — arriving Auckland (AKL) and departing Christchurch (CHC) — covers both islands efficiently.
Monaco holds more world records per square kilometre than any other nation. Each superlative is a lens through which to understand what this principality is, and where New Zealand — its near-opposite in scale — provides an unexpected counterpart.
Monaco is the world’s second-smallest country. Its 2.02 km² contains approximately 38,000 residents, making it the most densely populated nation on earth at roughly 19,000 people per km². For comparison, the entire principality is smaller than Central Park in New York City (3.41 km²).
NZ echo: New Zealand’s South Island alone is 150,437 km² — 74,474 times larger than Monaco. Fiordland National Park (12,607 km²) is 6,241 times larger. For Monaco citizens, the sheer spatial scale of New Zealand is among the most profound geographical contrasts any traveller can experience.
The House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco since François Grimaldi captured the fortress in 1297 while disguised as a Franciscan monk — a story the Grimaldi coat of arms still commemorates with two monks holding swords. At 727 years, it is one of the world’s longest-reigning dynasties.
NZ echo: New Zealand’s recorded history begins in 1250–1300 CE when the first Polynesian navigators arrived — at almost exactly the same historical moment as the Grimaldi dynasty’s founding. Two histories beginning simultaneously, on opposite sides of the earth, one in a Mediterranean fortress, one on a Pacific island.
Monaco consistently records the world’s highest nominal GDP per capita. The absence of income tax and the concentration of ultra-high-net-worth residents produce economic statistics unlike any other jurisdiction.
NZ echo: New Zealand’s per-capita GDP is approximately $46,000 — solidly high-income but a different economic register entirely. Yet New Zealand ranks higher than Monaco on most quality-of-life and happiness indices, suggesting the relationship between wealth concentration and wellbeing is not linear.
The Monaco Grand Prix has been held on the narrow streets of Monte-Carlo since 1929 and is considered the most prestigious race in Formula 1 despite being considered by many drivers the most difficult circuit in the world to overtake on. Ayrton Senna won it six times. The circuit passes through a tunnel under a hotel — the only tunnel on any F1 circuit.
NZ echo: New Zealand’s Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme both raced at Monaco in the 1960s. McLaren, who founded the McLaren racing team, finished second at Monaco in 1962. Hulme won the Formula 1 World Championship in 1967. New Zealand’s motorsport legacy is connected to Monaco through these two drivers as much as to any Grand Prix circuit in the world.
100% online from Monaco or anywhere. Approved within 72 hours. Valid 2 years. Fly from Nice (NCE) to Auckland via Singapore or Dubai.
Start NZeTA Application — Monaco Passport© 2026 NZeTA - New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority. All Rights Reserved.