Guide To New Zealand Visa Requirements – Visa Reservation

If you tend to crave to visit some mind-blowing natural destinations, while also feeling homesick for the cityscapes at the same time, New Zealand is the right place to be. A country known for its greenery, peacefulness, and tranquility, New Zealand could be an eye opener into a modern world that easily coexists with nature and wildlife. However, certain New Zealand visa requirements need to be fulfilled before you plan this ultimate escape!

New Zealand tends to have a very strict visa policy. However, if you’re able to fulfill all the required documents and proofs, you can easily obtain your visa. Since New Zealand visa requirements could be a bit confusing even for a veteran globetrotter, read this article to find out everything you need to know about obtaining a visa to New Zealand!

IS A VISA REQUIRED TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND?

Depending on the country you belong to and the purpose of your visit, you may or may not require a visa. This is because New Zealand offers visa waivers for visitors from certain countries. The citizens of the visa waiver countries do not need to apply for a visa before entering the country on conditions that:

1. You have plans to stay for less than 3 months in New Zealand.
2. You are a British citizen visiting for a period up to 6 months.

So, the first thing you need to check is; whether you’re from a visa waiver country. You can know this by referring to this New Zealand Immigration website link. If you’re not from one of those visa waiver countries, you need to apply for a visa ahead of your trip by fulfilling certain New Zealand visa requirements.

MANDATORY NEW ZEALAND VISA REQUIREMENTS

1) Visa Application: One of the most important New Zealand visa requirement is the visa application. You can choose to fill out an online visa application or get a printed copy of the Form – INZ 1017 and fill it out digitally or using a blue/black pen. Remember that the information that you provide in the visa application is verifiable using the supporting document you submit along with the application. So, ensure that you fill the application form with utmost sincerity and that the facts are correct.

2) Passport-sized photograph: You need to submit two color passport-sized photographs along with the application. Recently, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has introduced a stricter guideline for the photographs. So, ensure that you get your photo taken by a professional photographer with expertise in passport-sized photos. If you’re applying online, the file size of the photo should be between 500 KB and 3 MB. The other photo specifications are:

1. The photo should be recently taken and in the size 35 x 45 mm.
2. The photo should be original and unedited.
3. It must be taken against a plain, light background.
4. Your face should be clear and in focus.
5. Keep a neutral facial expression.
6. Your face should cover at least 70-80% of the photograph

3) Valid Passport: The passport is one of the most important travel documents as well as an inevitable New Zealand visa requirement. The validity of your passport should extend to at least 6 months from the scheduled date of your return from New Zealand. You need to submit the passport during the visa application and can be collected once the visa application process is over.

4) Return Flight Ticket: When you’re visiting New Zealand, a guarantee of your return should be provided to ensure the Immigration Officer that you have plans to leave New Zealand after the purpose of your trip is over. In an instance where you’re not sure of your return dates or if you would likely need to prepone or postpone your return flight, we recommend getting a flight reservation for visa application instead of getting the actual ticket. Flight itinerary not only saves a lot of money when you change your return dates but also avoids the risk of losing money if your visa is refused due to any reason.

5) Proof of means of subsistence: The proof of means of subsistence simply means that you have enough funds to spend for the entire duration of your trip. This is a very important New Zealand visa requirement as it ensures the Embassy that you would not need any further financial assistance. The minimum requirement for your stay in New Zealand is NZD1000 per month. If you’ve already booked your hotel accommodation, you need NZD400 per month. Also, if you have a New Zealand sponsor who has agreed to take care of your financial requirements, you need to fill out a Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (Form – INZ 1025).

6) Medical examination: In order to apply for a New Zealand visa, a chest X-Ray Certificate or a Medical Certificate is a mandatory New Zealand visa requirement. This is the proof that you’re in a healthy condition to travel.

OTHER NEW ZEALAND VISA REQUIREMENTS BASED ON PURPOSE OF VISIT

Apart from the mandatory documents that are required for all types of visas, you’ll need certain additional documents for visiting New Zealand for purposes other than leisure tourism. Some of them, according to the purpose of visit, are:

For work visa: If you’re planning to apply for a work visa, the first thing you need is to find a job in New Zealand. If you’ve already landed a job, you can submit your employment contract, offer letter, and an invitation letter from the company in New Zealand where you’re planning to work.

For student visa: In order to pursue your studies in New Zealand, you need to apply for a student visa. For this, you’ll need to be enrolled in a New Zealand educational institution. Your enrollment certificate from the institution in NZ, course completion certificate for the previous courses done, transfer certificate from your previous institution, and an invitation letter from the NZ institution are some of the mandatory New Zealand visa requirements for a student visa.

For joining the family of a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident: If you are planning to move to New Zealand to join your spouse or family, you need to show your marriage certificate or a certificate showing the relationship with the New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.

For investor or entrepreneur visa: If the purpose of your trip is to involve in starting any business or investment in New Zealand, there are certain specific requirements like a minimum capital investment of NZD100,000 (excluding working capital), clear business motive, excellent track record of previous businesses, and high level of business experience. The proof for each of these requirements will be requested when you apply for a visa.

These are some of the most important New Zealand visa requirements that you’ll need to fulfill in order to visit New Zealand. However, if you feel confused or lost at any stage of the application, you just need to contact us for assistance using our contact page. Apart from guiding you through each step of your application, we also provide personalized packages for various requirements like a travel insurance or a flight reservation for visa!