NZeTA Questions Answered: Eligibility, Stays, Rules

Planning a trip to New Zealand raises a lot of practical questions, and the New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) is the source of many of them. Who needs one? How long does it last? Can children travel on a parent's? What happens if your passport changes, or if the request is not granted? Can you work on one?

This guide gives short, plain-English answers to the questions travellers ask most. Every answer is based on information published by Immigration New Zealand (INZ), the agency that decides NZeTA requests, as at 17 October 2026. Where a topic has its own deeper article, we link to it rather than repeating it, so you can read further only where you need to.

Three points frame everything that follows. An NZeTA is a travel authority linked to your passport, not a visa. It does not guarantee entry. And the rules depend partly on your nationality, so always confirm your own situation with INZ before you travel.

What Is an NZeTA, and Who Needs One?

An NZeTA is an electronic travel authority that most travellers who do not need a visa must hold before they travel to New Zealand. It is linked to your passport and you show the confirmation at check-in. INZ says most travellers need either an NZeTA or a visa before they travel.

Who the NZeTA is for is more specific than "visitors from many countries". INZ lists these groups.

Citizens of visa waiver countries and territories
Citizens of China or of Pacific Islands Forum countries who are travelling from Australia with an eligible Australian visa
Passengers on cruise ships and cargo ships
Australian permanent residents, who INZ says normally need an NZeTA unless they already hold a valid New Zealand visa
Passengers transiting through Auckland International Airport who are citizens of a visa waiver or transit visa waiver country, are Australian permanent residents, or are travelling to or from Australia with a current Australian visa

Who does not need an NZeTA

New Zealand citizens and Australian citizens do not need an NZeTA or a visa, according to INZ. Australian citizens are normally given an Australian Resident Visa on arrival if they meet its character requirements. Australian permanent residents normally need an NZeTA unless they already hold a valid New Zealand visa. Someone on a temporary Australian visa, such as a work or student visa, is not a permanent resident and may need a visa. INZ's pages word the Australian position slightly differently, so use INZ's eligibility tool to confirm your own situation. Crew members on ships use a different process: their employer requests a Crew ETA, not the NZeTA website or app. Travellers who are not from a visa waiver country and do not fall into one of the groups above generally need a visa instead, and our NZeTA versus visa comparison explains how the two differ.

Conditions that apply to some countries

Some visa waiver countries come with conditions. INZ lists, for example, particular passport types for Hong Kong, a passport issue date for Greece, citizens-only rules for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and permanent right-of-residence rules for the United Kingdom and Portugal. We do not reproduce the full list here because it can change. Check your own passport against INZ's current list, or see our country pages, for example our guide for UK travellers.

Do I need an NZeTA just to change planes in Auckland?

Transit passengers are one of the groups INZ includes, and INZ allows transit through Auckland for up to 24 hours in the transit area only. Auckland is the only New Zealand airport with a transit area. INZ says there is no accommodation in the transit area, so if you need to leave it, request an NZeTA as a visitor or get a visitor visa before you travel.

What Conditions Must a Visitor Meet?

An NZeTA is not granted automatically to everyone from an eligible country. INZ says you must meet the requirements that apply to visitors, and it can ask for evidence of some of them at check-in or on arrival.

Genuine visitor

You must be a genuine visitor with plans to leave New Zealand at the end of your stay. INZ considers what you declare in your request, your personal circumstances and information you have given before. If you have not complied with the conditions of a visa or visa waiver on a previous visit, INZ says you can be stopped from travelling or refused entry.

Enough money

You must have enough money to support yourself. INZ says visitors need at least NZD $1,000 a month, or NZD $400 a month if their accommodation has already been paid for. These are funds you may be asked to show at check-in or on arrival, not an application fee, levy or any amount you pay to INZ. Evidence can include accommodation prepayment, bank or credit card statements, and similar documents. INZ also says a visitor who needs a sponsor to cover their costs cannot use an NZeTA.

Onward travel

You must be able to show that you are leaving New Zealand. INZ says you need proof of onward travel, such as a ticket that has already been paid for, at check-in. Cruise passengers can use their cruise itinerary instead.

Health

You must be in good health. The NZeTA request asks whether you are coming for medical treatment or a consultation. If you are, you need a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa instead, which INZ says you apply for before travelling, even if you are from a visa waiver country.

Character

You are asked about criminal convictions, past deportation, removal or exclusion from any country, and whether you could be a risk to New Zealand's security, public order or public interest. If you do not meet the character requirements you will not get an NZeTA. INZ advises that if you are unsure whether you will qualify, you should apply for a visa and have it before you travel.

How Long Is an NZeTA Valid, and How Long Can You Stay?

There are two separate limits, and people often mix them up: how long the NZeTA itself lasts, and how long you can stay on each visit.

INZ says an NZeTA for travellers is valid for two years and can be used for multiple entries while it is valid. Each visit can last up to three months, or up to six months for UK citizens. Your total time in New Zealand also cannot exceed six months in any 12-month period, counted back from your intended departure date.

When you arrive on an NZeTA, border staff can grant you a visa on arrival, such as the Visa Waiver Visitor Visa. INZ describes that visa as single-entry. It expires at the end of the permitted stay or when you leave, whichever comes first, and each later arrival is a fresh decision by a border officer. The original two-year validity of the NZeTA does not give you an automatic right to enter again.

A simple example of the six-month limit

Suppose a traveller from a country with a three-month limit spends three months in New Zealand, leaves, and returns later in the same year for another three months. The total time in New Zealand over the period is six months, which is the most INZ allows in any 12-month window. A further visit that would take the total past six months within that window would not be permitted, even though the NZeTA is still valid. INZ advises that a traveller who has already spent that long in New Zealand within the past 12 months needs a visitor visa before travelling.

NZeTA validity and stay limits for travellers (INZ guidance as at 17 October 2026)
Question	Answer	Note
How long is the NZeTA valid?	Two years for travellers	Multiple entries while valid. Crew members have different validity.
How long can I stay on one visit?	Up to 3 months, or up to 6 months for UK citizens	The departure date must fall within that period from arrival.
Is there a total limit?	No more than 6 months in any 12-month period	Counted back from your intended departure date.
Passport validity?	At least 3 months after you intend to leave New Zealand	Check-in may be refused if the passport is close to expiry.
Can I extend a stay on an NZeTA?	No	If you need longer, you need to apply for a visa.

Children, Families and Groups

Each person needs their own NZeTA, including children, if they would otherwise need one. INZ says a partner and dependent children must each request their own NZeTA and meet the same requirements.

A few practical points for families:

On the website, each person needs a separate request. The NZeTA app lets you request for up to 10 people at once.
A child who is endorsed on a parent's passport can travel on that passport, but INZ says the child must still hold an NZeTA. When requesting a child's NZeTA, you enter the parent's passport details in that case.
School-aged children can study in New Zealand for up to three months in any calendar year on a visa waiver visitor visa. INZ says that if children will study for more than two weeks, their education provider must be a signatory to the relevant code of practice.
Check every family member's confirmation before you travel, because each person needs their own.

Families with mixed nationalities

A family with different passports may have different rules, because eligibility depends on each person's citizenship. One child may need an NZeTA while another, travelling on an Australian passport, does not. Work through each person's passport rather than assuming the family follows the parents.

Passport Renewals, Name Changes and Corrections

INZ says the NZeTA must be requested with the same passport you will travel on, and the details have to match exactly. If they do not, you may not be able to board your flight or ship.

If something changes after you have applied, INZ has a change request process. It can update a new passport number or expiry date, a change of name, an email address and small errors such as a spelling mistake or an incomplete passport number. INZ's change request page shows a minimum lead time for name or passport number changes. Follow the lead time shown on that page, and request the change as early as you can.

The form cannot change your nationality or passport issuing country, your declaration answers, or the type of NZeTA. If your new passport is issued by a different country, you need a new NZeTA request. Our article on NZeTA processing times explains how those lead times fit into your travel plans.

What If an NZeTA Is Not Granted, or You Are Refused Entry?

There are two separate moments when things can go wrong: the NZeTA request, and the border.

If you do not meet the character requirements, you will not receive an NZeTA, and INZ says you may be stopped at check-in or refused on arrival if you travel anyway. INZ's advice if you are unsure whether you will qualify is to apply for a visa and hold it before you travel. A visa application is assessed separately, and the decision is INZ's alone.

INZ also says the International Visitor Levy is not refunded if an application is declined. That is one reason to check the requirements before you pay, rather than after.

What to do if your request is declined

Read any message INZ sends carefully and contact INZ to understand your options. If your circumstances have changed, or you think a mistake was made on your request, INZ is the right place to ask how to correct it.

Why you can be refused entry even with an NZeTA

An NZeTA does not guarantee entry. Every traveller must request entry permission on arrival, and INZ lists these reasons entry can be refused: not being a genuine visitor, not meeting the character requirements, a change in circumstances since approval, refusing to provide photos, fingerprints or iris scans, and being unable to show onward travel or enough funds. Carry your evidence, answer questions truthfully and keep your confirmation email with you. For more on how requests go wrong, see our guide to common reasons NZeTA requests run into trouble.

What an NZeTA Does Not Allow

An NZeTA lets you travel to New Zealand as a visitor. INZ is clear about what it does not cover.

Working in New Zealand for a New Zealand employer or providing goods or services to New Zealand businesses or people. A work visa is needed (see the remote work exception below).
Living in New Zealand. A resident visa is needed for that.
Medical treatment or a medical consultation, which needs a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa.
Study beyond short courses of up to three months. Longer courses, such as a diploma or degree, need a student visa.
Staying beyond the permitted period. INZ warns that staying after your visa ends can lead to detention and deportation, and being unable to return in the future.
Extending your stay. An NZeTA cannot be extended.
A guarantee of entry. An NZeTA is not a visa and does not remove the border officer's decision.

Working Remotely, Studying and Business Activities

These are the areas where travellers most often assume too much, so the details matter.

Remote work

INZ says visitor visas applied for on or after 27 January 2025 allow remote work for an employer or clients outside New Zealand. Its Visa Waiver Visitor Visa page, covering the visa usually given on arrival to NZeTA holders, also lists remote work for an overseas business as an exception to the rule against working. INZ gives examples such as answering emails and calls, coding and testing, writing reports and attending meetings or giving presentations to colleagues outside New Zealand. It also covers self-employed people and digital nomads whose clients are outside New Zealand, and content creators, as long as they are not being paid or rewarded by a New Zealand business or person to promote something.

INZ is equally clear about what is not allowed: working for a New Zealand employer, providing goods or services to a New Zealand business or person (including work in exchange for goods or services, such as free accommodation in return for a review), and any work that requires you to be physically in New Zealand.

The visa waiver requirements still apply, so you must still be a genuine visitor who plans to leave at the end of your stay. INZ also notes you may have to pay tax, and it points to Inland Revenue for confirmation. Our article on remote work on an NZeTA goes into more detail.

Short-term study

INZ says visitors on a visa waiver can study one or more short courses of up to three months, and school-aged children can study for up to three months. Longer courses, such as three months of a diploma or degree, are not allowed and need a student visa.

Business meetings and conferences

INZ's Business Visitor Visa page says citizens of visa waiver countries do not need that visa but must hold an NZeTA. INZ's visitor visa page says that if you do any activity for gain or reward at a conference that is not an exception for visitors, INZ will consider you to be working and you will need a work visa. Remote work for an overseas business is one of the exceptions. If your trip includes anything beyond ordinary visiting, check INZ's rules before you travel.

Can You Extend or Stay Longer?

INZ says an NZeTA cannot be used to extend a stay. There are two routes if you want more time.

If you already know you want to stay for longer than three months (or six months for UK citizens), apply for the appropriate visa before you arrive. If you are already in New Zealand and have a genuine reason to stay longer, you must apply for a visa from within the country. For visitors on a standard visitor visa, INZ says an extension is made by applying for a new visitor visa before the current one expires, and an interim visa may be issued if your current visa runs out while you wait. Check INZ's guidance on your own visa type before relying on that.

Do not rely on staying and sorting it out later. INZ warns that staying after expiry without a valid visa can lead to detention and deportation and affect your ability to return.

Costs: How to Check What You Will Pay Before You Submit

We do not list fee amounts in this article because they change and depend on how and where you apply. Here is how to find the correct figure for your own request.

In most cases the total has more than one part. There is a charge for the NZeTA itself, and INZ says that charge differs between its website and its app. There is also the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), a separate levy that applies to many NZeTA requests and visa applications.

INZ shows the charges that apply to you once you enter your country details on its NZeTA information page, and it provides a fees tool on its website for other visas. These are the places to check the amounts. Check the total before you submit, and keep your receipt.

What an NZeTA is not

Paying for an NZeTA does not buy a visa, a right to enter or a guarantee of approval. INZ says the IVL is not refunded if a request is declined, and that the NZeTA fee is not refunded if INZ does not give you a visa at the border. The decision is made by INZ, and the border officer still decides on arrival. Any service that implies otherwise is overpromising.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get an NZeTA after I arrive in New Zealand?

No. INZ says an NZeTA must be obtained before you travel, unless you are exempt, and your confirmation email is needed at check-in. See our application guide for the steps.

Is an NZeTA the same as a visa?

No. An NZeTA is a travel authority, not a visa. Visa waiver travellers on an NZeTA are granted a visitor visa on arrival if the border officer allows entry, and INZ says an NZeTA is not a visa and that entry can still be refused at the border.

How long can I stay on an NZeTA?

Each visit can be up to three months, or six months for UK citizens, with no more than six months in New Zealand in any 12-month period. The NZeTA itself is valid for two years for travellers.

Does a baby or child need their own NZeTA?

Yes, if they would otherwise need one. INZ says each person must have their own NZeTA, including children, even if a child is endorsed on a parent's passport. In that case you enter the parent's passport details when requesting the child's NZeTA.

Can I work in New Zealand on an NZeTA?

Not for a New Zealand employer, and not by providing goods or services to New Zealand businesses or people. You may work remotely for an employer or clients outside New Zealand. See the remote work section above for the limits.

Can I extend my stay on an NZeTA?

No. INZ says an NZeTA cannot be used to extend a stay. If you need more time, you need to apply for a visa, and ideally before you arrive.

What happens if I get a new passport?

Your NZeTA must match the passport you travel on. INZ has a change request form for a new passport number or expiry date, and its change request page shows the lead time to follow. A passport issued by a different country needs a new NZeTA request.

How do I check my status or how long it will take?

INZ says to allow 72 hours, and its website has an NZeTA status check. See our article on NZeTA processing times.

Before You Apply: A Short Checklist

Run through this list before you request an NZeTA. If you are eligible and your plans are settled, you can request your NZeTA here. For broader trip planning, see our guide to New Zealand travel requirements.

Check that your passport and nationality are eligible for an NZeTA, including any country conditions
Confirm you are a genuine visitor with plans to leave New Zealand at the end of your stay
Have proof of paid onward travel ready for check-in, and be able to show enough funds if you are asked
Make sure your passport is valid for at least three months after you plan to leave
Plan each visit within the three-month limit (six months for UK citizens), and within six months in any 12-month period
Request a separate NZeTA for every traveller, including children
Check the total shown on the application page before you pay
Answer every health and character question truthfully
Keep your NZeTA confirmation email available for check-in
If you want to work, study long-term or stay longer, check INZ's rules for the right visa before you book

Common NZeTA Questions Answered: Eligibility, Length of Stay, Families, Work Limits and More