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Entering New Zealand is not easy. It is mandatory to have a valid passport that is valid for at least three months after departure. Depending on the purpose of your trip to New Zealand, there are different visas. Fortunately, for most of us who come to travel to New Zealand, you don’t have to do much. You need to request this in advance. You will get it by registering with us and with it you can stay in New Zealand for up to three months. You must meet the basic criteria that apply to all visas for New Zealand including NZeTA.

Note new obligations with tourist visas; you are required to apply for the Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before traveling to New Zealand. The visitors also have to pay a tourist tax called Tourism Levy. This new tax is automatically deducted when applying for an NZeTA or when you apply for another visa. The NZeTA is valid for two years and is linked to your passport.

 

The basic criteria for New Zealand eTA

Whatever purpose you are going to New Zealand for, be it for work or to travel for a long or short period of time, you must meet the following criteria to enter New Zealand:

• You are in good health;
• You have no criminal record;
• You are in possession of a valid passport;
• Demonstrate that you intend to leave New Zealand again. This can be demonstrated with a return ticket;
• You are in possession of sufficient money to provide for yourself.

Tip: If you are not sure whether you meet the criteria, check this before you leave. There is nothing more annoying than not being able to get into New Zealand from the other side of the world.

Visa Waiver Visitor Visa in New Zealand eTA

When you come from the Netherlands or Belgium, you can use the Visa Waiver Visitor Visa. This allows you to stay in New Zealand for up to three months. The big advantage is that you do not have to apply for a visa for New Zealand through the official channels. You will get it at the airport if you meet the basic criteria. This is the visa for tourists who come to travel.

What you are required to do is apply for an NZeTA before

you leave for New Zealand. This can easily be done online or via our website. The costs differ, online you pay $12 and via the app, it costs $9. On top of that comes the Tourism Levy tax of $35. The NZeTA is linked to your passport for two years, so if you often go to New Zealand on a tourist visa, you only need to apply for the New Zealand eTA once every two years.

Although with the Visa Waiver Visitor Visa you can also study in New Zealand for up to three months. However, you are not allowed to work. You can, however, look for work with this visa, and then apply for the Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand. So, you can decide in New Zealand whether or not you want to work there. You are sure that you want to stay in New Zealand for more than three months? Then you must apply for a Visitor Visa.

The NZeTA is suitable if you are traveling to New Zealand for no more than 90 consecutive days for:

• Tourism (holidays or visiting family or friends)
• Business trips (e.g., training courses, conferences and other meetings)
• Applications for paid or unpaid work in New Zealand
• Unpaid participation in amateur sports

Should children have their own NZeTA?

• A child (unaccompanied or unaccompanied) must also have their own NZeTA to travel in New Zealand. Please note that it is not possible to apply for an NZeTA for children who are registered in the parents’ passports. Therefore, each child needs their own passport and NZeTA to travel in New Zealand. Of course, parents can apply for an NZeTA for their child.
• Please check your NZeTA eligibility before applying.

How do I apply for a New Zealand eTA?

When you apply via our online application form, you can file your NZeTA with us 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Normal delivery time is 5 working days. You can also tick the Urgent Delivery option, the request will be processed immediately, however, we recommend that you request the NZeTA at least 72 hours before your departure. Although 90% of all urgent applications are approved within one hour, there may be a delay of up to 72 hours at the immigration office due to manual checks by officials.
At the time when the application is refused, another visa must be applied for, which can sometimes take weeks. For this reason, Immigration New Zealand recommends that you apply for your New Zealand eTA as early as possible.