NZ eTA Rejected | Why an NZeTA Is Declined and What to Do Next

A Declined NZeTA Is Rarely the End of the Trip

Most NZeTA refusals fall into one of two groups: a fixable mistake in the request, or genuine ineligibility for the visa waiver. The first is solved by applying again correctly. The second is usually solved by applying for a visitor visa instead — a fuller assessment by a person rather than an automated check. This page explains how to tell which situation you are in, and what to do about each.

Appeal Available

IVL Refunded

Usual Next Step

Visitor Visa

Reapply If

It Was an Error

Lifetime Ban

First — Check It Really Was Declined

A surprising share of "rejections" turn out to be applications still in progress. Before you do anything else:

Check your spam and promotions folders. The approval email is the single most common thing people miss.
Allow the full 72 hours. Most requests are decided inside that window, but it is a typical time, not a guarantee.
Expect longer if you declared something. Answering yes to any declaration question — a conviction, a deportation, a previous refusal — routes the request to a person for manual assessment. That is not a decline; it is a slower path.
Check your status with our NZeTA status checker before concluding anything.

Why NZeTA Requests Are Declined

The reasons divide cleanly into two kinds, and which one applies to you determines your next move entirely.

1. Legal ineligibility under the Immigration Act 2009

Sections 15 and 26 of the Act set out who cannot be granted a visa, an NZeTA or entry permission. These are not discretionary judgements about your application — they are statutory bars.

	Ground	Detail
	Serious conviction	Convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 5 years or more.
	Recent conviction	Convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 12 months or more in the past 10 years.
	Removal or deportation	Removed or deported from any country, including New Zealand.
	Security grounds	Membership of a terrorist entity, or association with a gang or registered sex offenders.
	Risk assessment	Believed likely to commit an offence, or to be a threat to security, public order or the public interest.

2. Problems with the request itself

These are far more common, and most are avoidable.

Problem	What Went Wrong	How to Fix It
Details do not match the passport	A mistyped passport number, a missing middle name, the wrong issuing country or date of birth.	Re-check the biodata page character by character and submit an accurate request. See our passport guide.
Unacceptable photo	Wrong file type or size, shadows, a filter, or the face too small in the frame.	Retake it to the published standard — see our photo requirements.
Ineligible passport	The passport is not from a visa waiver country, or is a type the waiver does not cover.	You need a visitor visa, not an NZeTA. Check the conditions for your passport type.
Passport not valid enough	Expiring less than 3 months after your planned departure from New Zealand.	Renew the passport first, then apply.
Incomplete information	Questions left vague or unanswered, so the request cannot be assessed.	Answer everything fully and consistently.
Information not considered genuine	An officer believes the details or the stated purpose of travel are not authentic.	This is serious. Apply for a visitor visa where you can provide supporting evidence.
Purpose outside the waiver	Intending to work, study long-term, seek medical treatment or stay beyond the permitted period.	Apply for the visa that matches what you actually intend to do.

There Is No Appeal for a Declined NZeTA

Immigration New Zealand publishes a reconsideration process for declined temporary visas, and an appeal route to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal for declined residence class visas. Neither applies to an NZeTA, because an NZeTA is a travel authority rather than a visa.

That sounds worse than it is. The practical route forward is to apply for a visitor visa, which is assessed in full by an immigration officer who can weigh your circumstances, consider supporting documents, and — if that application is declined — offer reconsideration rights that the NZeTA never had. Be wary of any service offering to "appeal" or "fast-track an appeal" for a declined NZeTA. There is no such process.

What to Do Next

Work out which of these three situations you are in before spending any more money.

It Was a Mistake

A wrong digit, a bad photo, the wrong issuing country. Correct it and submit a fresh, accurate request. Check every field against your passport before you pay this time.

You Are Not Eligible for the Waiver

A conviction, a past deportation, an ineligible passport type. Apply for a visitor visa instead. Allow considerably more time than 72 hours and prepare supporting documents.

You Do Not Know Why

Contact Immigration New Zealand's Customer Service Centre for advice about your own case. Only they can see your record — no agent can tell you why a specific request was declined.

If your situation is complex — a historic conviction, a previous removal from another country — consider a licensed immigration adviser. We handle NZeTA requests and cannot give immigration advice on visa applications or character matters.

Fees, the Levy and Refunds

Charge	Refunded on Decline?	Detail
International Visitor Levy (IVL)	No	Immigration New Zealand states it does not refund the IVL even if it declines your application. See our IVL guide.
Government NZeTA charge	No	The charge covers assessing the request, not the outcome of it.
Service fee	Depends on terms	Governed by the terms you accepted when applying — see our refund policy.

This is the practical reason to get the request right first time: a rejected application is not a free retry. Reapplying means paying the levy again.

Reapplying: When It Helps and When It Wastes Money

There is no rule stopping you submitting another NZeTA request after a decline. Whether you should is a different question.

Worth reapplying: the previous request contained an error you have now identified and corrected — a transposed passport number, an old passport, a non-compliant photo.
Not worth reapplying: nothing about your situation has changed. An automated check that declined you yesterday on statutory grounds will decline you again today, and you will have paid the levy twice for the same answer.
Never do this: change your answers to the declaration questions to get a different result. Providing false or misleading information is itself a ground for refusal, and it is treated far more seriously than whatever you were trying to conceal.
If circumstances genuinely change — a conviction passes the 10-year threshold, you obtain a different eligible passport — a new request reflecting the true position is legitimate.

Refused Boarding and Refused Entry Are Different Things

NZeTA Declined

The request itself was not approved. You find out before you travel — which, inconvenient as it is, is the best time to find out.

Refused Boarding

The airline checks for an approved NZeTA against your passport at check-in. No approval, no boarding — and airlines are not obliged to refund the ticket.

Refused Entry

Even with an approved NZeTA, an immigration officer decides entry on arrival. If you have been refused entry and still want to travel, contact Immigration New Zealand for advice — you may need a visa next time.

Avoiding a Decline in the First Place

Copy passport details character by character
Enter every given name exactly as printed
Check the passport meets the 3-month rule
Confirm your passport type is covered by the waiver

Meet the photo standard exactly — no filters
Answer declaration questions honestly
Apply at least a few weeks before departure
Make sure your purpose fits what the NZeTA allows

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was my NZeTA rejected?

NZeTA requests are declined for two broad reasons. The first is legal ineligibility under sections 15 and 26 of the Immigration Act 2009 — for example a conviction with a sentence of 5 years or more, a conviction with a sentence of 12 months or more in the past 10 years, or removal or deportation from any country. The second is a problem with the request itself, such as details that do not match your passport, an unacceptable photo, a passport type not covered by the visa waiver, or information Immigration New Zealand considers incomplete or not genuine.

Can I appeal a declined NZeTA?

No. The reconsideration and appeal processes published by Immigration New Zealand apply to declined visas, not to an NZeTA request, because an NZeTA is a travel authority rather than a visa. If your NZeTA is not approved, the normal route forward is to apply for a visitor visa, where a full assessment is carried out and where reconsideration rights do exist.

Do I get a refund if my NZeTA is declined?

No. Immigration New Zealand states that it does not refund the International Visitor Levy even if it declines your application, and the government NZeTA charge covers the assessment rather than the outcome. Refunds of any service fee depend on the terms you agreed to when you applied — see our refund policy.

Can I apply for an NZeTA again after being rejected?

It depends on why it was declined. If the problem was a correctable mistake — a mistyped passport number, the wrong issuing country, an unacceptable photo — a fresh, accurate request is reasonable. If you were declined because you are not eligible under the Immigration Act, submitting the same request again will produce the same result and cost you the fees again. In that case apply for a visitor visa instead.

Does a declined NZeTA mean I can never visit New Zealand?

No. A declined NZeTA means you cannot travel under the visa waiver in that form. Many people who are not eligible for an NZeTA can still visit New Zealand on a visitor visa, where an immigration officer assesses the full circumstances rather than running an automated check.

What happens if I fly without an approved NZeTA?

You will normally be refused boarding. Airlines check for an approved NZeTA against your passport before departure, so a declined or missing authority stops the journey at check-in rather than at the New Zealand border. If you do reach New Zealand, entry can still be refused by an immigration officer on arrival.

My NZeTA has not been approved yet — is it rejected?

Not necessarily. Most requests are decided within 72 hours, but some are referred for manual assessment and take longer — particularly if you answered yes to any of the declaration questions. Check your spam folder, then check your status with our status checker before assuming a decline.

Do I have to declare a previously declined NZeTA?

Answer every question on any future application honestly, including questions about immigration history. Providing false or misleading information is itself a ground for refusal and is treated far more seriously than the original issue would have been.

Ready to Submit a Corrected Application?

If your previous request failed on a fixable error, check your passport details and photo against our guides, then apply again. Most applications are approved within 72 hours.

Apply for Your NZeTA Online

Related Guides

Photo Requirements

Passport Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions