General Visitor Visa

When you intend to stay temporarily in New Zealand, not study or work, you may need to apply for a Visitor’s visa. When you are outside New Zealand you need to apply for a Visitor’s Visa allowing you to travel to New Zealand. When you are granted a visa on arrival in New Zealand (stamp in your passport) you may remain in New Zealand for up to nine months. You will need to meet some requirements such as funds, health, and character. When you are already in New Zealand and wish to stay longer, you may need to lodge a further visitor visa application while your current visa is still valid.

If you like New Zealand while visiting and an employer offers you a job then you can apply for a work visa.

New COVID-19 short-term visitor visa

The New Zealand government has introduced a new two-month COVID-19 short-term visitor visa to allow temporary migrants stranded in New Zealand more time to arrange their travel home. Employment while on this visa is not permitted.

The COVID-19 short-term visitor visa is intended to help people reaching the end of their current visitor, work, student or partnership visa who may not meet the criteria for another visa, and need time to arrange travel home.

Individuals can apply for the COVID-19 short-term visitor visa from mid-September 2020. They will need to pay a fee when applying.