What documents do I need to enter New Zealand?
New Zealand needs an NZeTA before you board, the NZD 100 visitor levy and a free Traveller Declaration. Your passport must be valid three months past departure.
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Entering New Zealand - what you need
New Zealand has three separate pieces of admin, and people usually remember the first and forget the other two. Do all three before you fly, alongside booking your trip1 hotel stay.
- A passport valid for at least three months beyond the day you plan to leave.
- An approved NZeTA, or a visitor visa if your nationality is not on the waiver list.
- The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, paid with the NZeTA or visa application.
- A completed New Zealand Traveller Declaration.
- A return or onward ticket, plus proof you can support yourself - around NZD 1,000 a month, or NZD 400 a month if your accommodation is already paid for.
- Your accommodation details - the trip1 booking confirmation answers this on the declaration and at the border.
The NZeTA
The NZeTA is New Zealand's electronic travel authority, and citizens of visa waiver countries need one before they board. Australian citizens are the main exception and need nothing, while Australian permanent residents do need an NZeTA.
It is cheaper through the official Immigration New Zealand app than through the website, and both are far cheaper than a third-party site charging a markup. Allow up to 72 hours for processing.
An approved NZeTA lasts two years and covers multiple trips. Visa waiver visitors can normally stay up to three months at a time, and British passport holders up to six.
Transit passengers passing through Auckland also need an NZeTA unless they hold a passport that is exempt. Check your own case before you book a connecting flight.
The IVL visitor levy
The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy is a NZD 100 charge that funds conservation work and tourism infrastructure. You pay it once, at the same moment you request your NZeTA or apply for a visa.
The levy was raised to NZD 100, so older guides quoting a much smaller figure are out of date. Budget for it as part of your trip cost rather than a surprise at the checkout screen.
Australian citizens and permanent residents, many Pacific Island nationals, transit passengers and some visa categories are exempt. The system works this out from your application, so you do not claim it separately.
The New Zealand Traveller Declaration
Everyone arriving in New Zealand must complete a Traveller Declaration, and it is free. You can submit it online or in the app from 24 hours before departure, and there is a paper version if you need it.
It replaces the old paper arrival card and covers customs and biosecurity questions. You get a receipt to show on arrival, so save it offline.
Important: New Zealand enforces biosecurity with instant fines. Declare all food, plant material and used outdoor gear on the form, because a single undeclared piece of fruit is enough to trigger a penalty.
Hotel check-in in New Zealand
Hotels ask for photo ID at check-in, and a passport is the simplest thing to hand over as an international visitor. There is nothing to print for the NZeTA, because it is linked electronically to your passport.
Your trip1 booking confirmation is what the front desk needs to find your reservation, and it is also the address you give on your Traveller Declaration.
Many properties ask for a card at check-in to hold a deposit against extras. That is the hotel's own policy and separate from how you paid for the room on trip1.
Entering New Zealand - FAQ
Citizens of visa waiver countries do not need a visitor visa for stays of up to six months, but they must hold an NZeTA before boarding. Australian citizens need neither.
The NZeTA is New Zealand's electronic travel authority, valid for two years and good for multiple visits. Allow up to 72 hours for it to be processed.
The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy is a NZD 100 charge paid at the same time as your NZeTA or visa. Australians and some Pacific nationals are exempt.
Yes. Everyone arriving in New Zealand must complete the NZTD, which is free and can be submitted online or in the app from 24 hours before departure.
At least three months beyond the day you plan to leave. Some airlines apply stricter rules, so check yours before you book.
