Asia-Pacific
General
A visa gives you permission to travel to New Zealand. It will list the conditions under which you're able to enter New Zealand and obtain a permit.
Once you arrive, for example at a New Zealand airport, an immigration officer will check your visa. If the officer is happy you meet all the conditions stated on the visa, they'll grant you a permit. It is the permit that gives you permission to be in New Zealand and states the date your permit will expire and any other conditions that apply. The permit is stored electronically on your personalised webpage and available to you online. The Visa label in your passport contains the same information as the electronic permit.
A single entry visa allows you entry for the one journey only. Your permit expires when you leave New Zealand. However, if you hold a multiple entry permit and you have not been here for the full length of the time your permit allows, you'll be able to re-enter New Zealand on your return and remain here for the balance of your permit.
Visa Free Countries
If you are visiting for three months or less and are from a country in the list below, you will not need a visa:
| Andorra Argentina Austria Bahrain Belgium Brazil Brunei Canada Chile Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia* Finland France Germany Greece***** Hong Kong** |
Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea (South) Kuwait Latvia* Liechtenstein Lithuania* Luxembourg Malaysia Malta Mexico Monaco Netherlands Norway |
Oman Poland Portugal*** Qatar San Marino Saudi Arabia Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland United Arab Emirates United States of America**** Uruguay Vatican City |
Notes:
* Visa waiver does not apply to people travelling on alien's (non-citizen's) passports issued by these countries.
** Residents of Hong Kong travelling on Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or British National (Overseas) passports.
*** Portuguese passport holders must also have the right to live permanently in Portugal.
**** Including nationals of the USA.
***** Greek passport holders whose passports were issued on and after 1 January 2006. (Greek passports issued before 1 January 2006 are not acceptable for travel after 1 January 2007.)
Australian citizens and people who hold a current Australian Permanent Residence Visa or a current Australian Resident Return Visa do not need a New Zealand Visa to enter New Zealand.
British citizens and other British passport holders who produce evidence of the right to reside permanently in the UK can visit for up to six months without a visa.