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The levy was raised to NZD 100, so older guides quoting a much smaller figure are out of date.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
Yes. The New Zealand Traveller Declaration replaced the old paper arrival card and is completed online or in the app, free of charge. Everyone arriving must do one, from 24 hours before you start your trip until you reach passport control. It covers customs and biosecurity, and a paper version exists if you need it.
US citizens are visa waiver travellers, so they need an NZeTA, which costs from NZD 17 and is cheapest in the official Immigration New Zealand app. You also pay the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy at the same time. Third-party sites add a markup. An NZeTA lasts two years and covers multiple visits.
Apply at least 72 hours before you travel, because Immigration New Zealand says to allow up to 72 hours for a decision and some requests take longer. You need an approved NZeTA before you board, including for transit through Auckland unless your passport is exempt. As it lasts two years, applying early does no harm.
Bring a passport valid for at least three months after you leave, an NZeTA or visitor visa, a completed Traveller Declaration and a return or onward ticket. You also need proof of funds: NZD 1,000 a month, or NZD 400 a month if your accommodation is already paid. Your trip1 booking confirmation shows that and gives the address for your declaration.
The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy is an NZD 100 charge that funds conservation and tourism infrastructure. You pay it once, with your NZeTA or visa application. Australian citizens and permanent residents, many Pacific Island nationals, transit passengers and some visa categories are exempt, and the system works this out from your application.