New Zealand Transit Visa Waiver Countries: The Complete List of 26
Twenty-six countries and territories are on New Zealand's transit visa waiver list. Their citizens may change planes at Auckland International Airport without a Transit Visa — but they still need an NZeTA. The list is separate from the 60-country visa waiver list, and being on one does not put you on the other.
Quick Facts
| Item | Detail (as at August 2026) |
|---|---|
| Countries and territories on the list | 26 |
| What the waiver removes | The Transit Visa requirement (NZD $235) |
| What it does not remove | The NZeTA requirement (NZD $17 app / $23 website) |
| Where it applies | Auckland International Airport only |
| Maximum transit time | Less than 24 hours |
| International Visitor Levy | Exempt for transit passengers at Auckland |
| Does it allow entry to New Zealand? | No |
| Most recent verified addition | Fiji, 4 September 2024 |
The complete list of 26
Counted directly from the list published on INZ's transit visa waiver page, read on 20 August 2026.
| # | Country or territory | Region |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bahamas | Caribbean |
| 2 | Bermuda | Caribbean |
| 3 | Bolivia | South America |
| 4 | China | Asia |
| 5 | Colombia | South America |
| 6 | Costa Rica | Central America |
| 7 | Ecuador | South America |
| 8 | Federated States of Micronesia | Pacific |
| 9 | Fiji | Pacific |
| 10 | Indonesia | Asia |
| 11 | Kiribati | Pacific |
| 12 | Nauru | Pacific |
| 13 | Palau | Pacific |
| 14 | Panama | Central America |
| 15 | Papua New Guinea | Pacific |
| 16 | Paraguay | South America |
| 17 | Peru | South America |
| 18 | Philippines | Asia |
| 19 | Republic of Marshall Islands | Pacific |
| 20 | Samoa | Pacific |
| 21 | Solomon Islands | Pacific |
| 22 | Thailand | Asia |
| 23 | Tonga | Pacific |
| 24 | Tuvalu | Pacific |
| 25 | Vanuatu | Pacific |
| 26 | Venezuela | South America |
The shape of the list is worth noticing: 11 Pacific nations, 8 from Latin America and the Caribbean, 4 from Asia, and Bermuda. It reflects flight geography. Auckland is a natural connecting point between South America and Asia, and between the Pacific and everywhere else.
It is 26, not 29
A count of "29 transit visa waiver countries" appears on a large number of third-party sites, and it surfaces in AI-generated answers about New Zealand transit.
It is wrong, and the way it goes wrong is instructive. A summarising pass over INZ's page — human or machine — reports "29" while listing 26 items underneath. The list is right and the count is invented. Once one site publishes it, others copy the count without recounting the list.
Our figure of 26 came from parsing the list out of the page source and counting the entries programmatically, not from reading a summary. If you want to check it yourself, count the table above.
This matters beyond pedantry. Anyone deciding whether they need a NZD $235 Transit Visa is relying on the list being accurate, and a source that cannot count a 26-item list is not a source you want making that call for you.
The waiver removes the visa, not the NZeTA
The most common mistake made by travellers who are on the list.
Being transit-waiver eligible means you do not apply for a Transit Visa. It does not mean you travel document-free. You still need an NZeTA — requested as a transit NZeTA — before you board.
| Transit Visa | Transit NZeTA | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Everyone not on either waiver list | The 26 transit-waiver and 60 visa-waiver countries |
| Cost | NZD $235 (NZD $195 Pacific band) | NZD $17 (app) or NZD $23 (website) |
| International Visitor Levy | None | None |
| Validity | The specified travel | 2 years, multiple entry |
| Processing | Not published by INZ | Allow 72 hours |
Transit passengers at Auckland are exempt from the International Visitor Levy, so NZD $17 or $23 is the entire cost. That is roughly a seventh of what a Transit Visa costs, which is why it is worth checking the list carefully before assuming you need the visa.
Transit waiver and visa waiver are different lists
New Zealand runs two separate lists, and they do very different things.
- The visa waiver list — 60 countries and territories — lets you visit New Zealand without applying for a visitor visa in advance. You hold an NZeTA and you can walk out of the airport.
- The transit waiver list — 26 countries and territories — lets you pass through the Auckland transit area without a Transit Visa. You hold an NZeTA and you cannot walk out of the airport.
Some countries appear on both. Many appear on only one. The consequences of the difference are large.
China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand
These four are on the transit waiver list and not on the visa waiver list. Their citizens can change planes at Auckland on an NZeTA costing NZD $17, and cannot leave the terminal on it.
To leave the terminal, a citizen of any of these four countries needs a Visitor Visa, which starts at NZD $441 and takes considerably longer to obtain.
This is the single most practically useful thing on this page, and almost nobody publishes it. The document that gets you through Auckland is not the document that gets you into New Zealand.
One nuance for Chinese citizens specifically. From 3 November 2025, citizens of China and of Pacific Islands Forum countries travelling direct from Australia on an eligible Australian visa have been able to enter New Zealand on an NZeTA under a 12-month trial. That is a separate concession from the transit waiver, and it concerns entry rather than transit.
India is on neither list
An Indian passport holder needs a Transit Visa to change planes at Auckland and a Visitor Visa to enter New Zealand. India is one of New Zealand's largest sources of visitors, students, workers and new residents, and it has the least streamlined entry of any major market. There is no shortcut here and no waiver to check — just the two applications.
The same applies to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Russia.
The Pacific pattern
Eleven Pacific nations are on the transit waiver list: Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Several of these overlap with other New Zealand concessions. Sixteen Pacific nations are exempt from the International Visitor Levy outright. A reduced Pacific fee band (Band B) applies to many visa applications, so a Pacific applicant who does need a Transit Visa pays NZD $195 rather than NZD $235.
One detail that is easy to get wrong: Timor-Leste is not on the transit waiver list, despite participating in New Zealand's Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme since September 2024. Scheme participation and transit waiver status are unrelated.
When the list was last verified, and what changed
- Fiji was added on 4 September 2024. This is verified.
- We read the list on 20 August 2026 and counted 26 entries.
- China appears on the list as published on that date. We were not able to verify independently when China was added, so no addition date for China is stated here.
Lists like this change by ministerial decision without a fixed review cycle. Check INZ's transit visa waiver page directly before you book a connecting flight — particularly if you are relying on a country having been added recently.
What the waiver does not cover
Being on the list does not change any of the following:
- Auckland only. INZ states there is no transit area at any other New Zealand airport. A Christchurch, Wellington or Queenstown connection is a full entry regardless of your passport. The Auckland-only rule is set out separately.
- Less than 24 hours. A longer connection is an entry.
- No baggage collection. Bags must be checked through to your final destination.
- No accommodation. There is nowhere to sleep in the transit area.
- Character requirements. These apply to everyone, including travellers who need no document at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which countries are on the New Zealand transit visa waiver list?
Twenty-six: Bahamas, Bermuda, Bolivia, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Indonesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Venezuela. Citizens of these countries transit Auckland on an NZeTA rather than a Transit Visa.
Are there 26 or 29 transit visa waiver countries?
Twenty-six. The figure of 29 is widely republished and is wrong — it comes from summaries that state a count while listing 26 items. We counted the list directly from INZ's page source on 20 August 2026.
Do transit visa waiver countries still need an NZeTA?
Yes. The waiver removes the Transit Visa requirement only. Every transit-waiver traveller still needs an NZeTA before boarding, requested as a transit NZeTA. It costs NZD $17 through INZ's mobile app or NZD $23 through the website, with no International Visitor Levy on top because transit passengers at Auckland are levy-exempt.
Can a Chinese or Filipino passport holder leave Auckland Airport on a transit NZeTA?
No. China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand are on the transit waiver list but not on the general visa waiver list. Their citizens may change planes at Auckland on an NZeTA, but entering New Zealand requires a Visitor Visa, which starts at NZD $441. This asymmetry catches a large number of travellers each year.
Which countries need a New Zealand transit visa?
INZ does not publish a list. The Transit Visa is what remains after the exemptions and the two waiver lists are applied — so it applies to travellers whose passport is on neither the 60-country visa waiver list nor the 26-country transit waiver list, and who are not New Zealand citizens or permanent residents, Australian passport holders, or on the exempt traveller list. India, Vietnam, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa and Russia are examples.
Is Fiji on the transit visa waiver list?
Yes, added on 4 September 2024. Fiji is also on New Zealand's International Visitor Levy exemption list and qualifies for the reduced Pacific fee band on visa applications. Fijian citizens still need an NZeTA to transit and a Visitor Visa to enter New Zealand, since Fiji is not on the general visa waiver list.
Does the transit waiver apply at Christchurch or Wellington?
No. INZ states there is no transit area at any New Zealand airport other than Auckland International. Connecting at Christchurch, Wellington or Queenstown means being cleared through the border as an arriving traveller, which requires a visa or an NZeTA that permits entry — not a transit product, and not the transit waiver.
