The NZeTA application is short. Having these four things ready is enough for most travellers.
The four essentials
- A passport that is valid for your trip — the authorisation is tied to it
- A photo of your face taken during the application
- An email address you can access while travelling
- A credit or debit card for the payment
About the photo
The app takes the photo on the spot. Face the camera straight on, use even lighting, remove hats and sunglasses, and keep the background plain. Photos are rejected far more often for shadows than for anything else.
Questions you must answer
- Criminal convictions, including sentences served long ago
- Whether you have been deported or excluded from any country
- Your travel purpose and, for cruise passengers, the ship
Answer honestly. A declaration that needs assessment slows the decision down, but a false declaration can lead to refusal and affects future applications.
More on the NZeTA
Processing time
Most NZeTA requests are decided in minutes, but Immigration New Zealand asks you to allow up to 72 hours. What makes an application take longer.
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.