Aug 2, 2019, 5:03 pm
Last edit by: Mwenenzi
Beware of non government 3rd party look-a-like web sites that charge more, often found with a browser web search. Only the New Zealand government web site (govt.nz) issues a visa/NZeTA. These other scam-deceptive web sites just send your data to the NZ Govt web site. Some of these sites may have a disclaimer in the fine print.
NZ Government link ---> Check if you need a visitor visa or an NZeTA
NZ Government link ---> Request an NZeTA {as at 05 Aug 2019} Please note that travellers from visa waiver or transit visa waiver countries who are in transit through New Zealand are required to hold an NZeTA.
NZ Government link --->NZ Traveller Declaration On line or phone app. An option to the paper arrival form.
NZ Government web sites. Note: Check for yourself. The requirements and links may change
Link---> https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...a/visitor-visa
Link---> https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...out-visa/nzeta
Link---> https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...sa/visa-waiver
Link---> https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...sit-passengers Transit passengers
Refer to post 23 below
Wikipedia --> Visa policy of New Zealand This may be accurate nor does it replace official NZ Government information
Other related FT threads
NZ Government link ---> Check if you need a visitor visa or an NZeTA
NZ Government link ---> Request an NZeTA {as at 05 Aug 2019} Please note that travellers from visa waiver or transit visa waiver countries who are in transit through New Zealand are required to hold an NZeTA.
- From 1 October 2019, if you are from a visa waiver country you must request an NZeTA before you travel. It costs NZD$9 on our free app, or NZD$12 if completed online.
- You must also pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL). The IVL costs NZD $35 and is paid at the same time as the NZeTA.
NZ Government web sites. Note: Check for yourself. The requirements and links may change
Link---> https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...a/visitor-visa
Link---> https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...out-visa/nzeta
Link---> https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...sa/visa-waiver
Link---> https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...sit-passengers Transit passengers
Refer to post 23 below
Wikipedia --> Visa policy of New Zealand This may be accurate nor does it replace official NZ Government information
Other related FT threads
- New Zealand immigration & customs
- Smartgate at Australia & NZ immigration Click to open the wiki
NZeTA required from 1 October 2019 to visit or transit New Zealand
Oct 10, 2019, 10:49 pm
#76
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,803
Slightly OT but I agree: EU citizens will be kicked out of evisitor eligibility when ETIAS comes into effect. US and Canadian authorities have been charging EU citizens for ETAs for some time now.
I suspect evisitor eligibility will be retained for UK and Ireland, given they don't impose ETAs on Australians.
Personally I don't find any of these measures oppressive. Compared to say - HKers getting US visas or Americans and Brits getting PRC visas or trying to work their way around TWOV.
I suspect evisitor eligibility will be retained for UK and Ireland, given they don't impose ETAs on Australians.
Personally I don't find any of these measures oppressive. Compared to say - HKers getting US visas or Americans and Brits getting PRC visas or trying to work their way around TWOV.
Last edited by percysmith; Oct 10, 2019 at 10:55 pm
Oct 12, 2019, 5:25 am
#77
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Hertfordshire, UK
Programs: SQ,CX,LX
Posts: 343
Well, I applied for my electronic visa and after receiving the email saying that the visa had been issued I realised that when filling out my details I had mistakenly let my name auto-fill into the name fields and so missing out my middle name. After realising what had happened I emailed NZ (using the application identifier and the link on the "visa issued" email) and they asked me to send a copy of my passport which I had great difficulty in doing as the link they gave to send the passport to was not setup to receive emails so it got rejected each time but in the end they did give me a link that worked. Roll on a week and I have heard nothing more and they are not answering my emails asking if there is anything else I can do or if they have sufficient info to re-issue the visa with my middle name added so it matches my passport, I'm worried that I will not be able to board my flight from Zurich (first week of November) as the visa does not currently match the passport. Not sure what else I can do if they won't respond to me?
Oct 13, 2019, 9:44 am
#80
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: LA
Programs: AA Plat Pro, SPG/Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,193
Datapoint - my gf and I applied through the app at around 3:30 pm Pacific Time on yesterday, Saturday. 15 hours later, both of our applications are still pending
edit: approved for both of us at the same time 22 hours after we applied!
edit: approved for both of us at the same time 22 hours after we applied!
Last edited by chenalex; Oct 13, 2019 at 2:33 pm
Oct 13, 2019, 10:04 pm
#81
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 699
Thank you so much for all the replies and a big thank you to percysmith for asking the NZ immigration officer for me! 
I just arrived in Asia a few hours ago and had resigned myself to applying for the ETAs tomorrow because I hadn't received an email response from NZ immigration and the NZ embassy in the US was clueless; Percysmith's information only further validates the need for an ETA. Thanks again everyone for all the help!
I just arrived in Asia a few hours ago and had resigned myself to applying for the ETAs tomorrow because I hadn't received an email response from NZ immigration and the NZ embassy in the US was clueless; Percysmith's information only further validates the need for an ETA. Thanks again everyone for all the help!
Oct 14, 2019, 2:06 am
#82
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,161
It's automatic. During check-in the airline verifies you have an eTA based on passport number/name/etc. If you don't, it'll flag it and you will not be able to check in. Presumably it's the same on entry using the eGates.
Nov 11, 2019, 11:51 pm
#83
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 3
error in NZeTA
hi, i have already applied for an eTA through the mobile app, but when i received the email that the eTA has been issued, i noticed that there's an error on my name. There was an additional alphabet at the end of my name. ( It was a scanning error i presume? because we cant key in our details manually through the app right? the passport must be scanned).
I'm trying to get a hold of someone who can help me get that sorted.. does anyone know who i can contact? Is there any email address i can write to? because i have tried calling this number +6499144100 and have always just been put on hold and it is costly to keep calling as I am calling from outside New Zealand.
I just want to know, how this eTA thing works.. how crucial is it for that spelling mistake to be corrected because it is just an additional letter that appeared at the end of my name and when applying for the eTA through the app, a photo of my face has also been taken, and apart from my name, all other details are accurate. I just want reassurance that there will not be any problem entering New Zealand on the day I arrive.
I'm trying to get a hold of someone who can help me get that sorted.. does anyone know who i can contact? Is there any email address i can write to? because i have tried calling this number +6499144100 and have always just been put on hold and it is costly to keep calling as I am calling from outside New Zealand.
I just want to know, how this eTA thing works.. how crucial is it for that spelling mistake to be corrected because it is just an additional letter that appeared at the end of my name and when applying for the eTA through the app, a photo of my face has also been taken, and apart from my name, all other details are accurate. I just want reassurance that there will not be any problem entering New Zealand on the day I arrive.
Nov 12, 2019, 1:50 am
#84
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,803
hi, i have already applied for an eTA through the mobile app, but when i received the email that the eTA has been issued, i noticed that there's an error on my name. There was an additional alphabet at the end of my name. ( It was a scanning error i presume? because we cant key in our details manually through the app right? the passport must be scanned).
I'm trying to get a hold of someone who can help me get that sorted.. does anyone know who i can contact? Is there any email address i can write to? because i have tried calling this number +6499144100 and have always just been put on hold and it is costly to keep calling as I am calling from outside New Zealand.
I just want to know, how this eTA thing works.. how crucial is it for that spelling mistake to be corrected because it is just an additional letter that appeared at the end of my name and when applying for the eTA through the app, a photo of my face has also been taken, and apart from my name, all other details are accurate. I just want reassurance that there will not be any problem entering New Zealand on the day I arrive.
I'm trying to get a hold of someone who can help me get that sorted.. does anyone know who i can contact? Is there any email address i can write to? because i have tried calling this number +6499144100 and have always just been put on hold and it is costly to keep calling as I am calling from outside New Zealand.
I just want to know, how this eTA thing works.. how crucial is it for that spelling mistake to be corrected because it is just an additional letter that appeared at the end of my name and when applying for the eTA through the app, a photo of my face has also been taken, and apart from my name, all other details are accurate. I just want reassurance that there will not be any problem entering New Zealand on the day I arrive.
Name information should 100% match up to your name information in your passport's Machine-Readable Zone
If there're discrepancies, your airline will probably cause you problems even if NZ Immigration won't.
You're not travelling soon are you?
Nov 12, 2019, 7:19 am
#86
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,803
If they don't respond closer to date your only safe option is to reapply using correct info. We've done this before for Canadian ETAs. Pity you have to pay IVL twice, you might file a complaint after the trip to ask for a refund.
Nov 13, 2019, 12:01 am
#87
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 3
Yeah, I guess that would be the next thing to do. Thanks for your suggestion.
Nov 16, 2019, 11:35 am
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,025
New Zealand electronic visa
U.S citizen here who applied for (and got) new NZ electronic visa (and paid tourist fee). Can't find documentation of purchase outside of line-item on charge card statement. Is visa linked to my passport so NZ immigration sees it upon entry? Even before that, can Air NZ see it when I check in at HNL?
Mahalo in advance!
Mahalo in advance!
Nov 16, 2019, 12:20 pm
#89
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,030
U.S citizen here who applied for (and got) new NZ electronic visa (and paid tourist fee). Can't find documentation of purchase outside of line-item on charge card statement. Is visa linked to my passport so NZ immigration sees it upon entry? Even before that, can Air NZ see it when I check in at HNL?
Did you apply via the NZ Gov site or one of NZeTA the scam web sites?
Have you checked the status?
https://nzeta.immigration.govt.nz/check-status
Nov 16, 2019, 10:03 pm
#90
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,656
Two questions, if anyone knows:
1. When the application says "transit" - they mean transit in the form of staying airside between the flights? I.e. if I have a long transit (intl. to intl.) and want to get out of the airport (and thus go through immigration) - is this still transit, or is this a visit to NZ?
2. Wrt. APEC cards - does holding one (issued by the US) have any bearing on having to pay an IVL? (It's just that for a 3 hour jot into town I would prefer not to spend an extra $30, if possible).
1. When the application says "transit" - they mean transit in the form of staying airside between the flights? I.e. if I have a long transit (intl. to intl.) and want to get out of the airport (and thus go through immigration) - is this still transit, or is this a visit to NZ?
2. Wrt. APEC cards - does holding one (issued by the US) have any bearing on having to pay an IVL? (It's just that for a 3 hour jot into town I would prefer not to spend an extra $30, if possible).