The NZeTA From Australia Trial for China and Pacific Travellers
Since 3 November 2025, citizens of China and 12 Pacific Islands Forum countries who travel to New Zealand directly from Australia, holding an eligible Australian visa, can enter on an NZeTA instead of applying for a Visitor Visa. The trial runs for 12 months and is due for review around 2 November 2026.
Quick Facts
| Started | 3 November 2025 — running now |
| Length | 12 months, with a review due around 2 November 2026 |
| Who it covers | Citizens of China and 12 Pacific Islands Forum countries |
| The conditions | Travelling directly from Australia, holding an eligible Australian visa |
| What it gives | Entry to New Zealand for up to 3 months on an NZeTA rather than a Visitor Visa |
| NZeTA cost | NZ$17 in the official app · NZ$23 on the website, plus the NZ$100 IVL |
| NZeTA validity | 2 years |
| Requests to 31 July 2026 | 112,013 |
| Approved | 111,747 |
| Refused | 178 |
| Chinese visitor numbers | Up 40% over the trial period |
What the trial does
Citizens of China and of most Pacific countries normally need a Visitor Visa to enter New Zealand — an application with a fee, documents, processing time and a refusal risk. That requirement does not disappear under the trial. What the trial does is create a narrow route around it for one specific journey.
If you are a citizen of a covered country, hold an eligible Australian visa, and fly to New Zealand directly from Australia, you can request an NZeTA instead and be granted entry for up to three months.
All three conditions have to hold at once. It is not a general visa waiver for the nationalities involved. Someone flying to Auckland from Shanghai still needs a Visitor Visa; the same person flying to Auckland from Sydney on a valid Australian visa may use the NZeTA route.
The precise list of the 12 Pacific Islands Forum countries, and which Australian visa classes count as "eligible", are published by Immigration New Zealand. Check both against your own passport and Australian visa before you book — we are not reproducing lists here that Immigration New Zealand may vary during a trial.
What an NZeTA is, and what it costs
An NZeTA is a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority — a pre-travel authority, not a visa application. It is requested online, and on arrival the holder is granted a Visa Waiver Visitor Visa at the border.
| Channel | Cost |
|---|---|
| Official Immigration New Zealand mobile app | NZ$17 |
| Immigration New Zealand website | NZ$23 |
| International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) | NZ$100 |
| Total | NZ$117 in the app, NZ$123 on the website |
The NZeTA is valid for 2 years and one app request can cover up to 10 people. Immigration New Zealand asks travellers to allow 72 hours for processing, and investigations can take longer. See the NZeTA, explained and NZeTA cost: app vs website.
Two warnings that matter more for this audience than most. First, there is no e-passport or biometric passport requirement for visa-waiver entry to New Zealand. Guides that tell you otherwise are wrong. See whether New Zealand requires a biometric passport. Second, a large number of unofficial websites resell the NZeTA at several times the official price, and some imitate government branding. Only two channels are official: the Immigration New Zealand app and immigration.govt.nz. See NZeTA scam websites and resellers.
How the trial is performing
These are Immigration New Zealand's published figures to 31 July 2026:
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Requests | 112,013 |
| Approved | 111,747 |
| Refused | 178 |
| Chinese visitor numbers over the trial period | Up 40% |
The refusal count is the striking number. It is a tiny fraction of requests — which is what you would expect from a cohort that has already been assessed by another country's immigration system to hold an Australian visa. Much of the risk assessment has effectively been done upstream.
Two cautions on reading those figures. An NZeTA request approved is not the same as a person admitted: entry permission is granted at the border, and it can be refused there regardless of an approved NZeTA. And a 40% rise in Chinese visitor numbers over a period in which tourism was recovering generally is not evidence that the trial caused all of it.
What has not changed
- This is not a visa waiver for China. China is not on New Zealand's 60-entry visa-waiver list, and the trial does not add it. Direct travel from China still requires a Visitor Visa. See visa waiver countries and territories.
- The IVL is still NZ$100. Sixteen Pacific nations and Australians are exempt from it, so the total varies by nationality — see the International Visitor Levy, explained.
- Visa-waiver stay limits are unchanged: up to 3 months per visit, and a maximum of 6 months in any 12-month period. See how long you can stay in New Zealand as a visitor.
- Australian citizens on Australian passports need neither a visa nor an NZeTA. Australian permanent residents on a non-Australian passport do need an NZeTA — see Australian citizens and the NZeTA.
- The transit visa waiver is separate. A different list of 26 countries and territories can transit through Auckland without a transit visa, and that arrangement is not part of this trial.
The review date
The trial runs for 12 months from 3 November 2025 and is due for review around 2 November 2026. Three outcomes are possible: it is made permanent, it is extended, or it ends. No decision has been published.
Anyone planning travel for late 2026 or 2027 on this route should treat it as a trial arrangement rather than a settled rule, and check its status before booking. This page will be updated when the review outcome is published.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Chinese citizens visit New Zealand without a visa?
Not generally. China is not on New Zealand's visa-waiver list. Under a trial running since 3 November 2025, Chinese citizens who travel directly from Australia holding an eligible Australian visa can enter for up to three months on an NZeTA instead of a Visitor Visa.
How does the NZeTA from Australia trial work?
You must be a citizen of a covered country, hold an eligible Australian visa, and travel to New Zealand directly from Australia. If all three hold, you request an NZeTA rather than applying for a Visitor Visa, and you may be granted entry for up to three months.
Which countries are in the trial?
China and 12 Pacific Islands Forum countries. Immigration New Zealand publishes the list, and it is the authority — check it against your own passport before booking.
How much does an NZeTA cost?
NZ$17 through the official Immigration New Zealand app or NZ$23 on the website, plus the NZ$100 International Visitor Levy where it applies. It is valid for two years.
When does the trial end?
It began on 3 November 2025 and runs for 12 months, with a review due around 2 November 2026. No decision on what happens next has been published.
Does an approved NZeTA guarantee entry to New Zealand?
No. An NZeTA is a pre-travel authority. Entry permission is granted at the border, and border officers can refuse it. That is true of every NZeTA, not only those issued under this trial.
Does the NZeTA require a biometric passport?
No. There is no e-passport or biometric passport requirement for visa-waiver entry to New Zealand. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure.
Do I still need a visa if I fly to New Zealand directly from China?
Yes. The trial covers travel from Australia only. Direct travel requires a Visitor Visa — see do I need a visa for New Zealand?
This page is general information, not immigration advice. New Zealand regulates immigration advice under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, and we do not assess anyone's individual circumstances. For advice about your own case, use a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer, and check the licence on the Immigration Advisers Authority register.
