New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)
An NZeTA is New Zealand's electronic travel authority for people who do not need a visa to visit. It is not a visa — it is permission to travel to New Zealand without one. It costs NZD $17 through the official app or NZD $23 through the website, and lasts 2 years.
Quick Facts
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| What it is | An authority to travel to New Zealand without a visa. Not a visa |
| Cost | NZD $17 via the official mobile app · NZD $23 via the website |
| Plus | NZD $100 International Visitor Levy, where payable |
| Total for a tourist | $117 (app) or $123 (website) |
| Validity | 2 years for travellers · 5 years for airline crew |
| Processing | Allow 72 hours |
| Who needs one | Citizens of the 60 visa-waiver countries and territories, plus other listed groups |
| Transit NZeTA | Same price, no IVL |
Fees from the INZ Fees Guide (INZ 1028, May 2026). Processing guidance as published by INZ, 20 August 2026.
Why it matters
Three things about the NZeTA cost people money or trips, and all three are avoidable.
The app is cheaper than the website. $17 against $23, for exactly the same authority. That is a 26% difference on the fee, published by INZ itself, and almost nowhere outside INZ's own fee guide. The app also lets you request an NZeTA for up to 10 people in one go.
It is not a visa. On arrival with an NZeTA you are granted a Visa Waiver Visitor Visa at the border. The NZeTA gets you to the plane; the visa is granted when you land. That distinction matters when a form asks what visa you hold, and it matters when people assume an NZeTA confers rights it does not.
Third-party sites resell it at a markup. Requests go through INZ's own app or the official INZ request site. Any site charging substantially more than $23 plus the levy is a reseller, and some are worse than that. See NZeTA scam websites and resellers.
How it works
The full guide is the NZeTA explained; the country list is at visa waiver countries and territories.
Who needs one. Citizens of the 60 visa-waiver countries and territories; cruise ship and cargo ship passengers and crew regardless of nationality; Australian permanent residents who are not Australian citizens; and transit passengers through Auckland International Airport who come from a visa-waiver or transit-waiver country.
Who does not. Holders of a valid New Zealand visa; Australian citizens travelling on an Australian passport; New Zealand passport holders and foreign passports carrying a New Zealand citizen endorsement; Antarctic Treaty scientific programme members; and visiting forces members.
That Australian distinction catches people constantly. Australian citizens on an Australian passport need nothing at all. Australian permanent residents who hold another country's passport do need an NZeTA. See Australian citizens and the NZeTA.
What it allows. Visa-waiver travellers may stay less than 3 months per visit — 6 months for United Kingdom citizens — with a maximum of 6 months in any rolling 12-month period. You must still meet funds, onward-ticket, health and character requirements, and complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration on arrival.
What it does not allow. You cannot work in New Zealand on an NZeTA. Remote work for a business overseas is a separate matter, permitted under the visitor visa rules that changed on 27 January 2025 — see remote work on a visitor visa.
What people get wrong about it
Paying too much. The app is $17 and the website is $23. Anything materially above that plus the $100 levy is a reseller. Compare at NZeTA cost: app vs website.
Leaving it to the last minute. INZ says allow 72 hours. Most requests come back much faster, but investigations can extend the time, and there is no paid fast-track for any New Zealand travel authority at any price.
Assuming it is a visa. It is not. It authorises travel; the visa is granted at the border.
Assuming a biometric or e-passport is required. No such requirement exists for visa-waiver entry. Your passport simply has to be valid for at least three months beyond your intended departure. This is one of the most commonly published errors about New Zealand travel. See do you need a biometric passport for New Zealand.
Assuming it cannot be refused. It can. Character and other requirements apply, and refusals happen. See NZeTA declined or refused.
Forgetting the levy on top. The $17 or $23 is the authority. The $100 IVL is separate and applies to most travellers, though a transit NZeTA carries none. See the IVL.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an NZeTA?
A New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority. It is permission to travel to New Zealand without a visa, required for citizens of visa-waiver countries and several other groups. It is not itself a visa.
How much does an NZeTA cost?
NZD $17 through the official mobile app or NZD $23 through the INZ website, plus the NZD $100 International Visitor Levy where payable. A tourist therefore pays $117 or $123 in total. A transit NZeTA carries no levy.
How long does an NZeTA last?
2 years for travellers, or 5 years for airline crew. Within that period you can make multiple trips, subject to the 3-month-per-visit limit (6 months for UK citizens) and the maximum of 6 months in any rolling 12-month period.
How long does an NZeTA take to process?
INZ tells travellers to allow 72 hours. Its published wait-time figures show most requests decided within about 24 hours, but investigations can extend that. Do not book on the assumption of an instant result.
Can I work in New Zealand on an NZeTA?
No. An NZeTA and the Visa Waiver Visitor Visa it leads to do not permit work in New Zealand. Remote work for an employer or client based overseas is permitted under visitor visa rules that took effect on 27 January 2025.
Do Australians need an NZeTA?
Australian citizens travelling on an Australian passport do not — they need neither a visa nor an NZeTA. Australian permanent residents who hold a different country's passport do need one.
Is the NZeTA the same as a visitor visa?
No. The NZeTA authorises travel; on arrival you are granted a Visa Waiver Visitor Visa. A full visitor visa is a separate product with its own fee, longer permitted stays and different conditions. See NZeTA vs visitor visa.
