The type of visa you will need to enter New Zealand
is determined by how long you want to stay and what you want to
do while you're there.
If you're only entering NZ as a tourist, you may need a visa depending on what country you are from. If you intend
to work, you will need to obtain a work visa before you travel to New Zealand or you may be refused entry on arrival.
Visitors Visa
Citizens of a number of countries do not require visa if they are visiting NZ for three months or less. On arrival, all visitors
to NZ must be in possession of a valid ticket or enough funds to purchase a tuck out of NZ to a country
they have a right of entry to.
Your passport must be valid for three months beyond when you expect to leave NZ, and you must also have sufficient money (NZ$1000
for each month of your visit) to support yourself during your stay.
If you wish to stay longer than 3 months, you should apply for a
Visitor's Visa - which will allow you to stay for up to 9 months
- although British passport holders on arrival in NZ may be issued
with a permit valid for a stay of up to six months.
Extensions
If you like New Zealand and decided you would like to stay here
longer you may extend your stay to a maximum of 9 months in and
18 month period. To do this, you need to apply for a further visitor
permit - you can apply now at (www.immigration.govt.nz).
NZ Immigration Service offices are located in Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. When applying for
a further permit you will need to show your outward ticket or fund, your current passport, and a recent passport-sized photo. If you do not have the
required funds, you will need a guarantee of accommodation and maintenance from a New Zealand friend or relative who is will and able to be your sponsor.
Applications for a further permit must be made while you are on
a valid permit, ie before the permit you hold expires.
Work Visas and Permits
It is illegal to work in New Zealand without a work visa. Working
holiday visas are available to people between the ages of 18 and
30 from the following countries: Canada, Chile, France, Denmark,
Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the
Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, the US and the UK.
The rules for each country are different, but for the UK there are
8000 places on offer each year. If you are applying under the Canada,
Netherlands, Malaysia, or Singapore schemes, you can apply at any
New Zealand Immigration Service office; however, if you are applying
under any other country's scheme you must apply while residing in
your home country - you cannot apply for a NZ Working Holiday Visa
from Australia. There is no way around this.
There is also the normal Work Visas and Permits, which aim to assist
New Zealand employers who cannot recruit within NZ. If you are qualified
and experience in an occupation and have a guarantee of employment
from an employer in NZ in line with you qualifications and experiences,
and the NZ employer can prove that they are unable to recruit within
New Zealand, you may eligible to apply for a work visa for anything
up to three years.
For more information on New Zealand Visas, check out www.immigration.govt.nz
If you are interesting in working in New Zealand, check out our Work NZ Resources...
If you're gonna travel abroad, make sure you are prepared... take it from us, travel insurance is an absolute must!
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