New Zealand NZeTA & Visitor Visa: Requirements and Cost (2026)

Reader, before you start: this guide is for short visits — tourism, seeing family, a business trip, or scouting before a bigger move. If you plan to work, you need a different visa: the Working Holiday Visa for casual local work, or the Accredited Employer Work Visa if an employer is sponsoring you. Neither an NZeTA nor a visitor visa lets you take a job.

What this guide covers

Most visitors to New Zealand don’t need a visa at all — they need an NZeTA, a cheap online travel authority. But “most” isn’t “all,” and the wrong assumption gets people turned away at check-in. This sorts out which one applies to you, what it costs once you add the tourism levy, and how long you actually get to stay.

• Whether you need an NZeTA or a full visitor visa
• What each costs, including the NZD $100 IVL almost everyone pays
• How long you can stay, and the rolling time limits
• The funds, passport, and documents that get checked

Last verified: June 10, 2026. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) sets these fees and rules, and they change. Confirm your nationality’s requirement on the official pages linked below before you book.

NZeTA or visitor visa: which one is you?

There are two paths into New Zealand for a short stay, and your nationality decides which.

• NZeTA — for citizens of visa-waiver countries (most of Europe, the US, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and many more). You request it online before you fly. No embassy, no full application.
• Visitor visa — for everyone not on the visa-waiver list, or anyone who wants to stay longer than the NZeTA allows.

Two special cases worth knowing:

• Australian citizens need neither. They can live and work in New Zealand freely. Australian permanent residents (not citizens) do need an NZeTA.
• Cruise passengers of any nationality, and travelers transiting through Auckland, generally need an NZeTA even if they’d otherwise qualify for something else.

If you’re not sure your country is visa-waiver, check INZ’s tool before assuming — guessing wrong means being denied boarding.

The NZeTA: cost, validity, and how to get it

If you’re from a visa-waiver country, this is your path.

Cost. The NZeTA is NZD $17 if you request it through the official mobile app, or NZD $23 through the website (INZ — NZeTA). The app is cheaper for the same result. On top of that, almost everyone pays the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) of NZD $100, charged at the same time. So the real total is about NZD $117 (app) or NZD $123 (website).

Validity. Your NZeTA lasts 2 years and allows multiple visits. Each visit can be up to 3 months — or 6 months for UK citizens — and you can’t stay more than 6 months in any 12-month period.

How long it takes. Often minutes, but INZ tells you to allow up to 72 hours. Request it well before you fly, not at the airport.

How to apply. Use the official NZeTA mobile app (cheapest) or the official site, nzeta.immigration.govt.nz. Several copycat sites charge a markup to file it for you. Use the official channels and nothing else.

The visitor visa: cost, stay, and funds

If your country isn’t visa-waiver, or you want a longer stay, you apply for a visitor visa instead.

Cost. From NZD $441, plus the NZD $100 IVL (INZ — visitor visa). The exact fee depends on your nationality and where you apply, and some visa application centres add a service fee. Check the fees and decision-times tool for your country.

How long you can stay. A visitor visa is usually granted for up to 6 months, and can be issued for up to 9 months in some cases. A multiple-entry visa limits you to 6 months in any 12-month period.

Funds. You must show NZD $1,000 per month of your stay, or NZD $400 per month if your accommodation is already paid for — or have an acceptable sponsor who covers your costs.

Processing time. As of early March 2026, INZ decided 80% of visitor visa applications within about 2 weeks, with a 4-day average for straightforward cases. Those are working-day figures that move week to week — see how to read New Zealand’s visa processing times before relying on a date.

The IVL: the NZD $100 almost everyone forgets

The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy is a flat NZD $100 added to your NZeTA or visitor visa. It nearly tripled — up from NZD $35 — on 1 October 2024, and it’s non-refundable even if your application is declined (INZ — paying the IVL).

Some travelers are exempt, including Australian and New Zealand passport holders, holders of NZ or Australian resident visas, Auckland transit passengers, and many Pacific Island nationals. If you’re a standard tourist, assume you pay it.

Passport and documents

Whichever path you’re on, expect these to be checked.

• Passport validity: valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure date. Airlines enforce this at check-in.
• Onward or return ticket: proof you’ll leave — or the funds to buy a ticket.
• Proof of funds: bank statements covering the monthly figure above, or sponsor documents.
• Health checks: if you’ll stay longer than 6 months, or you’re from a country with a high tuberculosis rate, you may need a chest X-ray or medical certificate.
• Character: police certificates may be required for longer stays.

Costs and stay at a glance

Path	Fee (NZD)	IVL (NZD)	Typical stay	Validity
NZeTA (app)	$17	$100	Up to 3 months per visit (6 for UK)	2 years, multiple entry
NZeTA (website)	$23	$100	Same	Same
Visitor visa	from $441	$100	Up to 6 months (up to 9 in some cases)	Single or multiple entry

Fees are INZ’s published figures as of June 10, 2026, and vary by nationality and where you apply. The IVL is non-refundable.

What they don’t tell you

• The IVL doubles your “cheap” NZeTA. People budget NZD $17 and get charged about NZD $117. The levy is mandatory for most and bundled into the same payment.
• The app is cheaper than the website. Same NZeTA, NZD $6 less, through the official app. There’s no reason to pay the website price unless you can’t use the app.
• Copycat NZeTA sites are everywhere. Pay through the official app or nzeta.immigration.govt.nz. Third-party “services” charge a markup for the same government product.
• 3 months is per visit, not per year. An NZeTA is multiple-entry over 2 years, but you can’t bank time — it’s capped at 6 months in any rolling 12-month window. Frequent visitors hit this wall.
• Over 6 months means a medical. Plan a longer visit and you may need a chest X-ray. Build the time and cost in before you commit to dates.
• An NZeTA is not a work permit. It’s the single most common mix-up. Visiting on an NZeTA and then working — even remotely, in some readings — is not what it’s for. If work is the plan, get a work visa.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa to visit New Zealand?

Most visitors from visa-waiver countries don’t need a visa — they need an NZeTA, requested online before travel. If your country isn’t on the visa-waiver list, or you want to stay longer than the NZeTA allows, you apply for a visitor visa instead. Australian citizens need neither.

How much does the NZeTA cost?

NZD $17 through the official mobile app or NZD $23 through the website. Almost everyone also pays the NZD $100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy at the same time, so the real total is about NZD $117 to $123.

How long does the NZeTA take to come through?

Often minutes, but Immigration New Zealand says to allow up to 72 hours. Request it before you fly — not at the airport — to avoid being unable to board.

How long can I stay on an NZeTA?

Up to 3 months per visit (6 months for UK citizens), and no more than 6 months in any 12-month period. The NZeTA itself stays valid for 2 years and allows multiple visits.

What’s the difference between the NZeTA fee and the IVL?

The NZeTA fee (NZD $17–$23) is for the travel authority itself. The IVL (NZD $100) is a separate conservation and tourism levy charged at the same time. Both are usually paid together, and the IVL is non-refundable.

Can I work on a visitor visa or NZeTA?

No. Neither allows paid work. For casual work to fund travel, see the Working Holiday Visa. For employer-sponsored work, see the Accredited Employer Work Visa. Both are separate visas with their own rules.

How much money do I need to show for a visitor visa?

NZD $1,000 per month of your stay, or NZD $400 per month if your accommodation is prepaid. Alternatively, an acceptable sponsor can agree to cover your costs. You evidence this with bank statements or sponsor documents.

Next steps

Check whether your nationality is visa-waiver. If it is, request your NZeTA through the official app at least three days before you fly and budget the full ~NZD $117, not just the headline NZD $17. If it isn’t, start the visitor visa application early and have your funds evidence ready. And if this short visit is really the first step toward staying, read up on the work routes now — the Working Holiday Visa and the Accredited Employer Work Visa have far longer lead times than an NZeTA — and our guide to moving to New Zealand in 2026 maps out the whole process.

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Sources

• Immigration New Zealand — NZeTA — accessed 2026-06-10
• Immigration New Zealand — Visitor Visa — accessed 2026-06-10
• Immigration New Zealand — Paying the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy — accessed 2026-06-10
• Immigration New Zealand — Fees, decision times and where to apply — accessed 2026-06-10
• NZeTA official request portal — accessed 2026-06-10