The New Zealand Tourist Visa is meant for those visitors who want to enter New Zealand for the purpose of sightseeing or tourism. The New Zealand Tourist Visa allows a visitor to stay in New Zealand for a period of up to 9 months per 18 month period. It is generally a multiple-entry visa that allows tourists to leave and re-enter New Zealand. It is also known as New Zealand Visitor Visa.
Apart from visiting New Zealand as a tourist, a visitor visa may also be used by an applicant for the following purposes:
- To meet friends and relatives
- To study in a course whose duration is less than 3 months
- To perform in cultural events without any payment
- To play sports without any payment
- To undertake a business meet
- To undergo medical treatment
Eligibility Criteria for New Zealand Visitor Visa
In order to be eligible for New Zealand visitor visa you will have to fulfil the following conditions:
- You must have a valid passport
- Your passport must have a validity that extends the duration of the visa you are applying for by at least 3 months
- You must have a copy of your completed application form
- You must provide proof of your hotel reservation and airline reservation
- You must provide a copy of your tour ticket or travel ticket (confirmed or open-dated) or a written confirmation from an airline or travel agency stating that your onward travel has been booked and paid for.
- You must provide proof of your financial ability so as to support yourself financially during your stay in New Zealand and for your return transportation. At present, a minimum of NZ $1000 (INR 48,889.14) is required per month for staying in New Zealand
- You must have valid travel insurance having coverage for emergency medical treatment, hospitalization and even transportation back to your home country, if required
- You must be in good health and free from any kind of contagious disease
- You must possess good character
- You do not intend to work while you are in New Zealand
- You intend to leave New Zealand at the end of your authorized stay
Steps to follow to apply for New Zealand Visitor Visa
Before you apply for New Zealand Visitor Visa, read the Guidelines for Visitor Visa. Once you have read the document carefully, you can go ahead with the following procedure:
Step 1: Download Visa Application Form
Download the Visitor Visa Application Form from the internet.
Step 2: Fill Up the Visa Application Form
Carefully fill in the visa application form after reading the instructions in the Visitor Visa guide.
Step 3: Gather the relevant documents and photographs
Gather the relevant documents required to be submitted along with your visa application. You will also need two passport size colour photographs for submission along with the application form.
Step 4: Keep Application Fee ready
Keep the fee required for your visa application ready for submission. Check the mode of payment accepted for the visa application fee. Generally, cash payment is not accepted for New Zealand visa application fees. Check Visa Fee Guide of New Zealand to get full information.
Step 5: Submit the Visa Application Form
Submit your visitor visa application form along with the required documents, photographs and application fee at the application centre.
You may either submit your visitor visa application form directly or through your local Immigration New Zealand branch.
Required Fees for New Zealand Visitor Visa
Fees for New Zealand Tourist Visa – NZ $165 (INR 8,099.82)
Note:
- Your application fee will not be refunded if your application for a tourist visa is refused or rejected for any reason.
- The conversion into Indian currency is based on current conversion rates, which may change.
- The visa application fee is subject to change at any time.
Renewal of New Zealand Visitor Visa
You can extend your New Zealand visitor visa by another 3 months if you want to stay longer than the period of 9 months granted to you in your visitor visa. You must apply for a further visitor visa before the current one expires.
New Zealand Visitor Visa Exemption
New Zealand exempts the citizens of several countries from obtaining a visitor visa to visit the country for a period of up to 3 months. The following is the list of the exempted countries:
| Andorra | Argentina | Austria |
| Australia | Bahrain | Belgium |
| Brazil | Brunei | Bulgaria |
| Canada | Chile | Croatia |
| Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark |
| Estonia | Finland | France |
| Germany | Greece | Hong Kong |
| Hungary | Iceland | Ireland |
| Israel | Italy | Japan |
| Korea (South) | Kuwait | Latvia |
| Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg |
| Macau | Malaysia | Malta |
| Mexico | Monaco | Netherlands |
| Norway | Oman | Poland |
| Portugal | Romania | Qatar |
| San Marino | Saudi Arabia | Singapore |
| Slovak Republic | Slovenia | South Africa |
| Spain | Sweden | Switzerland |
| Taiwan | United Arab Emirates | United Kingdom |
| United States of America | Uruguay | Vatican City |
Dos and Don’ts for New Zealand Visitor Visa
You must remember the following dos and don’ts while applying for New Zealand Tourist Visa.
Dos
- Apply for a visitor visa at least a few weeks in advance of your planned travel date so that there is enough time for the application procedure to be completed on time
- Fill up your visa application form carefully with all accurate details
- Bring original copies and photocopies of all the supporting documents when you come to submit your visa application form at the Application Centre
Don’ts
- Do not present false documents for your Visitor Visa
- Do not hide or misrepresent facts in your visa application
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