As of 1st of October 2019, the New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority will come into full effect. This means that all travellers who require an NZeTA and attempt to travel to or transit via New Zealand without one will be denied boarding.

The NZeTA, as discussed in our previous article “New Travel Rules for New Zealand”, is a new border security measure being introduced by the New Zealand Government. It affects anyone travelling on passports from New Zealand visa-waiver countries, all Australian permanent residents and all cruise ship passengers of any nationality. A full list of those who will be affected can be found on the official website, here.

As the authority is not a visa, all travellers must still meet all existing entry requirements as specified by Immigration New Zealand. The NZeTA is valid for up to two years and can be used for multiple visits.

When applying, you will also be required to pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy with your application fee. The NZeTA application costs $12NZD through the official website, or $9NZD through the free app. The IVL is an additional $35NZD.

If you are intending on travelling to or via New Zealand in October or any date thereafter, we advise that you apply for your NZeTA soon. Please also ensure that this is done through the official website or app to avoid any chance of being over-charged or scammed. Applications take a short time to fill out, but approval can take up to 72 hours.

To download the app, apply for the NZeTA or find out more information, please visit the official site here.

You can read our thoughts on the changes in our article: New electronic transport authority: a recipe for chaos and confusion?

If you require help with an immigration or visa issue, please do not hesitate to contact the NZIL office here.