Visa Requirements for New Zealand Citizens

Visa requirements for New Zealand citizens are the applicable for citizens of New Zealand rules and regulations determining if they will need a visa/which type of visa they need for international travels.

Currently, as many as 105 countries welcome New Zealand citizens visa-free. Moreover, New Zealand passport holders can easily travel to Australia under the Trans-Tasman Arrangement, even for indefinite periods of time for working, studying, or living in Australia.

34 countries make it possible for citizens of New Zealand to get their visas online using the electronic visa system in place. This serves as an extremely easy way to handle one’s visa since it can be completed entirely online, with no visits to the Embassy.

There are also 45 destinations offering a Visa on Arrival option for all New Zealand passport holders visiting. This type of visa requires travelers to prepare for the application process before departure and wait in usually long lines at the closest border control checkpoint upon arrival to apply.

Embassy-issues visa, i.e., a regular one that requires travelers to go through an in-person application process is currently required of New Zealand citizens by 34 destinations. The processing of this type of visa may take quite some time, even up to a few weeks. That is why Embassy visas are considered to be the most difficult to get.

Detailed information on each type of visa/entry applicable for New Zealand citizens upon traveling abroad is available below along with lists of countries offering each visa/entry type.

Electronic visa

An electronic visa is a short-term travel authorization document issued by the appropriate officials of foreign countries and obtainable entirely online. Travelers need to simply follow a quick application process from home to receive a PDF file with their electronic visa via email a few days later.

List of countries offering eVisas for New Zealand citizens

34 countries currently offer electronic visas for New Zealand passport holders. The application process takes just a few minutes to complete and usually requires having just a valid passport, an active email address, and access to any online payment method.

Most eVisa applications get approved within 72 hours while the approved document gets sent to each applicant via email.

The approved eVisa allows its holder to stay abroad for a short period of time, usually 30, 60, or 90 days.

The stay can relate to leisure, business, or transit reasons, including going on vacation, visiting one’s family and friends, handling business matters, attending trade fairs, conferences, and seminars, or simply taking a layover while transiting to another final destination.

Visa on Arrival

A Visa on Arrival is a short-term travel authorization document that can be obtained after completing an application process at the closest border control checkpoint upon arrival at the selected destination.

List of countries that offer a Visa on Arrival option for New Zealand citizens

  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Benin
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cambodia
  • Cape Verde
  • Comoros
  • Egypt
  • Ethiopia
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Jordan
  • Kenya
  • Kuwait
  • Laos
  • Lebanon
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • The Maldives
  • The Marshall Islands
  • Mauritania
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Palau
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Rwanda
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Somalia
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Timor-Leste
  • Togo
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • The United Arab Emirates
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

45 countries make it possible for New Zealand passport holders to apply for their visas upon arrival at the nearest border control checkpoint.

To get a VoA, citizens of New Zealand must first check if there are any specific requirements they need to meet or any supporting documents to collect. This must be done before departure to be prepared for the application process upon arrival.

Once already at the selected destination, travelers should go to the closest border checkpoint and ask for a VoA application form to fill. The form must be completed thoroughly and with correct data.

The application along with the required supporting documents (if any) should be submitted at the border control checkpoint.

Some countries may require a few additional steps to be taken before approving one’s visa, e.g., covering the visa issuing fee, which may need to be done in cash using local currency.

The approved document can be used for short-term stays abroad, usually 30, 60, or 90 days. The trip may relate to leisure, business, or transit reasons.

Embassy visa

An Embassy visa is a traditional paper visa that is issued by an Embassy or Consulate of the country New Zealand citizens plan to visit upon completing an in-person application process.

List of countries that require New Zealand citizens to present a valid Embassy visa upon arrival

  • Afghanistan
  • Algeria
  • Bhutan
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • The Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • China
  • The Republic of the Congo
  • The Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Cuba
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Ghana
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Mali
  • Mongolia
  • Nauru
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • North Korea
  • Russia
  • Sudan
  • Syria
  • Turkmenistan
  • Yemen

27 countries require New Zealand passport holders to present a valid Embassy visa upon their arrival. This means that citizens of New Zealand must apply for a regular visa at least a few weeks ahead of the planned departure to any of the above-listed destinations.

To get an Embassy visa issued, travelers should first prepare the required supporting documents. It’s best to check which documents must be collected at least a few weeks prior to the planned trip abroad to have enough time for gathering them.

Next, all applicants should fill an Embassy visa application form by providing correct data. The completed form along with the required supporting documents should be submitted at an Embassy or Consulate of the country one plans to visit.

Some countries may require additional steps to be taken, such as going through a visa interview or covering the visa issuing fee.

There are many types of Embassy visas, some even include long-term documents that allow their holder to work, study, or join a significant other abroad. That is why the application process and the required supporting document may differ.

The processing time of an Embassy visa may take even up to a few weeks, which is why it’s crucial to apply well ahead of time to receive the approved document before departure.

Visa-free countries

105 countries allow citizens of New Zealand to arrive without any type of visa on hand. A visa-free stay can be short-term and relate to leisure, business, or transit reasons.

List of visa-free countries for New Zealand citizens

  • Albania
  • Andorra
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Bolivia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • The Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Dominica
  • The Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • El Salvador
  • Estonia
  • Eswatini
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Indonesia
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kiribati
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Latvia
  • Lesotho
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malaysia
  • Malta
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Namibia
  • The Netherlands
  • Nicaragua
  • North Macedonia
  • Norway
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • The Philippines
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Serbia
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Thailand
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom
  • Uruguay
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican City
  • Venezuela

Visa-free travel requires New Zealand passport holders to present a valid passport or a valid ID upon their arrival. This requirement depends on each destination.

Some countries may require additional documents to be presented; however, this may usually be easily gathered. The documents may include proof of having hotel bookings for the stay, a return ticket, or proof of having sufficient funds for the trip.

New Zealand passport holders can enjoy leisure, business, and transit-related stays in visa-free countries.

Moreover, under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement with Australia, New Zealand passport holders can even live, work, and study for an indefinite period of time with a Special Category Visa on Arrival!

Bogdan T
2022-10-10

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