The NZeTA itself lasts 2 years, but that is not how long you may stay. Most visa-waiver travellers may stay up to three months per visit.
The UK exception
Holders of a UK passport with the right of abode in the United Kingdom may stay up to 6 months per visit. This is the single most-missed detail on English-language guides.
Conditions that apply to your stay
- You must hold an onward or return ticket
- You must have funds to support yourself, or sponsorship
- You may not work for a New Zealand employer
- Study is limited to a short course
The border officer has the final say
An approved NZeTA permits you to travel. The immigration officer at the airport decides whether you may enter and for how long, and may ask about your plans, your accommodation and your funds.
Repeated back-to-back visits are noticed. If your pattern of travel looks like living in New Zealand rather than visiting, expect questions.
More on the NZeTA
What is the NZeTA
The NZeTA is a pre-travel authorisation for visa-waiver passports, not a visa. What it covers, who needs one, and what it does not do.
How to apply
Applying takes about ten minutes in the official app (NZ$17) or on the Immigration New Zealand website (NZ$23). Here is the order of the steps and what trips people up.
Cost
The NZeTA request fee is NZ$17 in the app or NZ$23 online, plus the NZ$100 IVL — about NZ$117–NZ$123 in total.
What you need
A valid passport, a photo of your face, an email address and a payment card. What the photo has to look like and what else is asked.
Processing time
Most NZeTA requests are decided in minutes, but Immigration New Zealand asks you to allow up to 72 hours. What makes an application take longer.
Validity
An NZeTA lasts 2 years from the date it is issued, or until your passport expires — whichever comes first — and allows multiple entries.