Do children and babies need their own NZeTA?

Yes — every traveller needs one, including infants. There is no family application and no way to add a child to a parent's authorisation. Each person has their own passport, so each person has their own NZeTA.

This includes

• Babies travelling on a parent's lap without their own seat
• Children on a parent's itinerary but with their own passport
• Cruise passengers of any age

Applying for a child

• Use the child's own passport details, not a parent's
• The photo requirements apply to children too — this is where infant applications are most often rejected
• Each application costs NZ$17 in the app or NZ$23 on the website, plus the NZ$100 levy where it applies

Budget for the whole family

A family of four is four separate requests and four levies. Using the app for each saves the difference between NZ$17 and NZ$23 per person, which adds up.

Children's passports expire sooner

Children's passports are issued for shorter periods than adults'. An NZeTA lasts 2 years, but a child's passport may expire before that — and when it does, the NZeTA stops working. Check the expiry date before assuming last year's authorisation still covers this year's trip.

Source: Immigration New Zealand — Visa Waiver Visitor Visa