New Zealand Visitor Visa
Do you want to visit New Zealand?
While in New Zealand, you can enjoy the culture and adventure along with the company of fun and friendly people the country has to offer. Immigration New Zealand provides you with various options for coming to the country as a visitor. You will need to have a ticket out of New Zealand and enough finances for supporting the stay of everyone who is part of your visa application.
Do You Need a New Zealand Visitor Visa to Enter the Country?
If you belong to a visa waiver country, you will need an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) to authorize your travel to New Zealand. However, there are certain conditions that you still need to meet for your travel.
You will need to get a New Zealand visitor visa if any of the following applies in your case:
- You do not belong to a visa-waiver country
- You plan to spend more than 3 months during your visit to New Zealand (this term is 6 months for travellers from the UK)
- You have a criminal background
- You have health issues than can endanger public health or turn out to be expensive for New Zealand’s public health services
You need to get either a New Zealand visitor visa or an NZeTA, not both! If you are not sure about the right option in your case, book a consultation with our immigration experts who have helped scores of clients visit New Zealand without landing into travel visa issues.
Irrespective of where you are from, you will need to obtain a New Zealand visitor visa if:
- You have served prison time
- You have serious health problems
- You have been engaged in terrorist or criminal activities
- You have been deported from some country
You may need to get a medical examination, or a chest X-Ray done in some cases. Immigration New Zealand may also require you to get a Character Waiver or Special Direction if you have character issues.
What is the Length of New Zealand Visitor Visa?
You can visit New Zealand for a period of 9 months within 18 months.
You can ask for an additional 3 months of stay and extend it to 12 months within a 24-month period, if:
- You require more time to finish your travel plan
- You are unable to leave New Zealand due to unavoidable circumstances
- This is the first time you have applied for New Zealand residence
For you to be eligible for an additional 3 months of stay, you must not have studied, worked or obtained sponsorship and you must have borne all your financial expenditures during the visit.
You cannot apply for a visitor visa if you have recently stayed in New Zealand for an aggregate of 12 months. You will have to stay outside the country for another 12 months before re-applying.
Our licensed immigration consultants are standing by to offer you paid consultation to help you with your visitor visa extension.
What Other Conditions Are Imposed on New Zealand Visitor Visa?
You are not allowed to work in New Zealand on a visitor visa. You can, however, study for up to 3 months in any 12-month duration.
If you wish to arrive in and depart from New Zealand more than once during the term of your visitor visa, you must furnish multiple-entry travel conditions to validate your return to New Zealand.
For onward journey, you will need one of the following unless your visa mentions “Return/onward travel not required”:
- A valid ticket and travel documents proving you can visit that country; or
- An agreeable sponsor who is willing to pay for your travel from New Zealand to the country you are authorized to travel to.
Your NZ visitor visa allows you to:
- Visit your family and friends, partake in adventure activities, enjoy amateur sports and explore New Zealand’s landscapes.
- Add your dependent children, younger than 19 years, and partner as part of your visitor visa application.
New Zealand Visitor Visa Processing Time
A typical New Zealand visitor visa application takes anywhere between 12 to 30 days to be adjudicated.
However, each case has its own peculiarities and processing times may vary in each case. Immigration New Zealand processes each application separately in the light of the country’s immigration policies and procedures.
To avoid any delays, you need to ensure that all the documents and information are submitted in the prescribed format – furnish originals, photocopies and certified copies as required. All visitor visa applications need to be accompanied with English translations of all needed police and medical certificates.
Our licensed immigration experts make sure your application is filed correctly so you can get your visa at the earliest.
How Much Does it Cost to Procure a Visitor Visa for New Zealand?
NZ Immigration Help has been helping its clients procure a New Zealand visitor visa or NZeTA at very affordable rates for many years. We take time to understand your case and provide you with the most cost-effective solution.
Let our licensed immigration advisers help you get your New Zealand visitor visa at the earliest. Book an appointment with us to discuss your visa requirements.
Do you want to discuss your case with our licensed immigration advisers?
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