Nayef

Does it have to be cash or something else? And what are your experiences with needing to show proof of funds at the border? This is for a visa-waiver nationality for tourism. I know about needing to show NZ$1,000 for each month or NZ$400 if accommodation is already paid for, but what's the best practice for showing proof of it?

CPMaverick

Cash is best, a bank statement should be OK too. Notice it says access to funds must be proven, so you don't necessarily need it on hand, but if you get asked, having it on hand would make it simpler.

Personally I've never been asked to prove this requirement, 10+ trips to NZ, US citizen.

txflyer77

I've never been asked even when I moved here.

I'd be very surprised to learn this is something they regularly enforce for visitors from visa-waiver countries.

Nayef

What about the other stuff such as asking for a return ticket and proof of accommodation? Do they ask about those more or less frequently than funds?

CPMaverick

I've never been asked for any proof to be honest. The agents will ask you what your plans are in NZ. After a short summary, they've always let me through.

If your story is suspicious, you meet some kind of profile that is a flag, or perhaps just randomly, they will ask you to provide some of this required information. I don't have any direct experience, but I'd wager that if you get to this next level then they will ask you to show all the requirements... so I wouldn't say any are more likely to be required than others.

Not sure why you are asking us this, just make sure you meet the requirements and you'll be fine. Even if these things are rarely checked, they might be, and you'd be foolish to hope they aren't.

Mwenenzi

Credit cards are widely accepted.

At airports in NZ & Australia I have witnessed people being refused travel from 1 country to the other when lacking a ticket out of the country.
All about unlawful immigration, overstaying visa's and people working on tourist visas. Profiling of the passengers does happen.

But 99.9% of people have no trouble. A genuine tourist, with funds/air ticket, for a short period of time will be OK. Like many other countries. No need to over-think this.

CPMaverick

?? What do you mean by this? There's nothing in the visa requirements saying a CC is acceptable proof of funds. And whether or not CC are widely accepted in NZ has nothing to do with the issue from the OP.

docbert

Presuming you are travelling with a US passport you won't even need to talk to an immigration official - you can just use the eGate and go straight through. You will need to talk to customs, but they are more interested in what you're carrying than you yourself.

Presuming you're travelling in/after October you will need an NZeTA

The only way they are going to care about proof of funds is if you don't look like you can support yourself. If they do ask, simply showing them a credit card will normally be enough. Absolutely no need to have cash on hand.
​​​​​​
US citizens (and those of most non-visa countries, excluding Australia) DO require a return ticket unless you've obtained official permissions to travel without one, or have a visa. NZ Immigration won't be your issue if you don't have one as you will be denied boarding on the flight to NZ.

Nayef

I'm a Saudi citizen (who's a permanent resident in the US), so I can't use the eGates. That would've been lovely. And I do have a couple of credit cards that would do the trick if needed. And of course I'll have a return ticket. I just asked because I wondered how prepared I should be to present proof funds/return ticket/etc. And I did get approved for an NZeTA already.

bensyd

Return ticket and accomodation are pretty common ways to sound out the intention of a person. "I don't have a return ticket, and I'm staying with my friend I met on the internet" is a pretty good way to get to the questions about how you will support yourself.

nancypants

Mwenenzi

Have the information readily available if they ask, but do not volunteer it

Enjoy your trip to Kiwiland

NZ or Au work visa?
They are likely to have access to your Au & NZ immigration records. A lot of shared information.
People from UK are high on the list of NZ visa over-stayers.
And people who do a (tourist) visa run Aust<---->NZ
May just have been profiling. Or bad luck on the day.

nancypants

Nayef

Part of my apprehension is that I'm a brown person and even with visa waivers I'm constantly forced to be ready for whatever may come.

_fx