The official guidance is to allow up to 72 hours. In practice many applications are approved automatically within minutes — but that is not something to plan around.
What slows a decision down
- A declared criminal conviction or previous deportation
- Details that do not match the passport
- A photo that cannot be processed
- Applying at a peak time before a holiday period
When to apply
Apply as soon as your trip is decided, and before you book anything non-refundable. Airlines check the authorisation electronically at check-in, so there is no way to travel while a decision is pending.
No official channel offers a paid express option. Sites advertising faster processing for a fee cannot change the queue.
More on the NZeTA
Validity
An NZeTA lasts 2 years from the date it is issued, or until your passport expires — whichever comes first — and allows multiple entries.
Length of stay
Up to three months per visit for most travellers, and up to 6 months on a UK passport. The border officer decides on arrival.
Check your status
Where the confirmation is sent, how to check an existing NZeTA, and what to do if the email never arrives.
FAQ
Short answers to the questions travellers ask most about the New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority.
6 months in any 12
Three months per visit is not the whole story: visa-waiver travellers may spend at most six months in any twelve-month period, however many trips that takes.
Leaving and returning
A short trip to Australia and back does not give you a fresh three months. What resets, what does not, and why repeated entries attract questions.