How do you apply for the NZeTA and IVL for New Zealand, and what does it cost?

Who needs an NZeTA, and who is exempt

Immigration New Zealand lists these groups as needing an NZeTA:

• Citizens of visa waiver countries, which include the US, Canada, the UK, Japan, South Korea and most of Europe.

• Australian permanent residents (but they don't pay the IVL).

• Cruise ship passengers of any nationality, even those who would otherwise need a visa.

• Transit passengers passing through Auckland Airport for up to 24 hours on an eligible passport.

You do not need one if you are a New Zealand citizen, an Australian citizen travelling on an Australian passport, or you already hold a valid New Zealand visa. If your nationality is not visa-waiver, you need a visitor visa instead, which is a different and longer process. Our New Zealand visa guide covers that side.

The IVL has its own exemptions. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment lists Australian citizens and permanent residents and citizens of listed Pacific Island countries (Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and others) as not paying it.

NZeTA cost, validity and processing time

• NZeTA fee: NZ$17 through the official NZeTA app, NZ$23 through the website form. The app is cheaper by NZ$6 per person, which adds up for a family.

• IVL: NZ$100, raised from NZ$35 on 1 October 2024. You pay it with the NZeTA, not separately. Some older pages still show NZ$35: ignore them.

• Total: NZ$117 in the app, NZ$123 on the website, per person.

• Validity: 2 years from approval, for as many trips as you like in that window. Each stay is up to 3 months, or 6 months for UK citizens. The NZeTA is tied to the passport you used, so a new passport means a new request.

• Processing: Immigration New Zealand says to allow 72 hours, and longer if your request needs extra checks. Many come back faster, but don't plan around that. Request it when you book flights, not the week you fly.

The fee is for processing, so it isn't refunded if you made a mistake and have to request again. Check the passport number twice.

What you need before you start

• The passport you will travel on. It must be valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave New Zealand.

• A photo, or a phone that can take one in the app. Plain background, no glasses glare, face square to the camera.

• A card to pay the NZeTA fee and IVL together.

• An email address where the confirmation will go.

You won't upload these with the NZeTA, but Immigration New Zealand states that visa-waiver visitors must be able to show them at the border if asked: proof of funds of at least NZ$1,000 per month of stay (or NZ$400 per month if your accommodation is already paid for) and proof of onward travel out of New Zealand. A return or onward ticket covers the second one.

How to apply, step by step

Use the official NZeTA app (published by Immigration New Zealand on the App Store and Google Play) or the official request form on immigration.govt.nz. Those are the only two government channels.

• Download the app, or open the NZeTA page on immigration.govt.nz and follow the link to the request form. Type the address yourself rather than tapping an ad.

• Scan or enter your passport details exactly as printed, including every middle name.

• Take or upload your photo.

• Answer the character and health questions (criminal convictions, previous deportations, tuberculosis-type questions) honestly. A yes isn't an automatic refusal, but a false answer can be.

• Pay the NZeTA fee plus the NZ$100 IVL by card.

• Wait for the confirmation email. The NZeTA is electronic and linked to your passport: there's nothing to print, though a screenshot is useful at check-in.

Each traveller needs their own NZeTA, including children. The app lets you do up to 10 people in one session, which is the easy way for families. Airlines and cruise lines check the NZeTA before boarding, so without an approval you won't get on the flight.

NZeTA scam and agency sites

Search ads for "New Zealand ETA online" lead to agencies that charge well over NZ$123 for the same request. Some are legitimate middlemen, some are not, and none get you a faster or better NZeTA. The only official channels are the NZeTA app and immigration.govt.nz. If you already paid an agency and haven't had a confirmation from Immigration New Zealand, contact the government directly rather than the agency.

A quick check: if the price is anything other than NZ$117 (app) or NZ$123 (website) per person, you are not on the government channel.

On the plane and at the airport: the NZ Traveller Declaration

The NZeTA is not your arrival card. New Zealand replaced the paper Passenger Arrival Card with the free digital New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) in 2023, available at all international airports. It covers customs, immigration and biosecurity questions.

• You can't submit it more than 24 hours before your first flight to New Zealand departs, so do it at the departure airport or the night before, not weeks ahead.

• It is free on the official travellerdeclaration.govt.nz site or app. Paper forms are still available on request for anyone who can't do it online.

• Passengers only transiting don't need one.

Biosecurity is where visitors actually get fined. Declare all food, and clean hiking boots, tents and outdoor gear before you fly: officers do inspect them. If you plan to tramp, our national park fees guide covers the separate park charges, and our South Island road trip is our route from Christchurch to Milford Sound and back. If you will rent a car, read driving in New Zealand and check whether you need an International Driving Permit.

Common mistakes

• Applying with an old passport and then travelling on a renewed one. The NZeTA won't follow you.

• Leaving it to the airport. 72 hours is the official guide, and processing can take longer.

• Paying an agency more than what costs NZ$117 in the app.

• Mixing it up with Australia. Flying Australia to New Zealand still needs the NZeTA, and Australia's ETA doesn't count. See our Australia ETA app guide for the other side of the Tasman.

• Submitting the NZTD too early. It opens 24 hours before your first flight departs.

For when to go and how long to stay, see best time to visit New Zealand and our New Zealand guide.

Frequently asked questions