# What Is the NZeTA? New Zealand's Travel Authority Explained > The NZeTA explained: who needs it, the NZ$23 fee plus the NZ$100 IVL, 2-year validity, stay limits, the photo rules and the mistakes that get a request declined. Canonical: https://chartavisa.com/guides/what-is-nzeta Last updated: 2026-09-23 ## What is the NZeTA? The NZeTA — New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority — is Immigration New Zealand's online entry requirement for visitors from **visa-waiver countries**. It is **not a visa**: you request it online before you travel, Immigration New Zealand checks your details and your photo, and the approval is linked electronically to your passport. There is nothing to print — the airline or cruise line sees it when you check in, and you will not be allowed to board without one. New Zealand introduced the NZeTA in August 2019. It sits alongside the other pre-travel authorisations of the English-speaking world — the US ESTA, the UK ETA and the Canada eTA — which our [guide to which travel authorisation you need](https://chartavisa.com/guides/which-travel-authorization) compares side by side. ## Who needs an NZeTA? ### Visa-waiver visitors You need one if you hold a passport from one of the roughly sixty visa-waiver countries and territories — the EU member states, the UK, the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Gulf states, much of Latin America and others — and you are visiting New Zealand for tourism, business meetings, family visits or a short course. A few passports carry conditions on the official list: Greek passports issued from 2006, Hong Kong SAR or BNO passports, Macau SAR passports, Taiwan passports held by permanent residents, and Portuguese passports with the right to live in Portugal. ### Transit passengers and Australian residents Transit passengers passing through Auckland International Airport also need an NZeTA (with no levy), as do Australian permanent residents of any nationality. Cruise passengers need one regardless of nationality. We do not file transit requests, or requests from Australian permanent residents whose passport is not on the visa-waiver list — those go through the official Immigration New Zealand site. ### Who does not need one Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens and anyone holding a valid New Zealand visa do not need an NZeTA. Everyone else — nationalities outside the visa-waiver list — needs a **Visitor Visa** instead, which is a different process with a different fee. ## Cost, validity and what you get The government charge for a request made on the website is **NZ$123**: the **NZ$23** NZeTA fee plus the **NZ$100** International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), which funds conservation and tourism infrastructure. They are paid together, and Immigration New Zealand does not refund either of them if the request is declined. Requests made through the official mobile app cost NZ$17 plus the same levy. An approved NZeTA is valid for **2 years** or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. It covers multiple visits of up to **3 months** each — 6 months for UK passport holders — with a ceiling of 6 months in any 12-month period. A new passport means a new request, because the authority is tied to the passport number. ## How to apply and how long it takes The request itself takes about ten minutes: your passport details as printed on the passport, a photo of your face taken within the last six months (plain light background, no glasses or hair across the face, not edited), an email address and the answers to six eligibility questions about medical treatment, deportations and criminal convictions. Immigration New Zealand decides most requests **within 72 hours**, often much faster, but says complex requests may take longer — so request it before you book anything non-refundable. At the border you must also hold a passport valid for at least three months after the date you intend to leave, an onward or return ticket, and enough money for your stay (NZ$1,000 a month, or NZ$400 if your accommodation is already paid). Our free [passport checker](https://chartavisa.com/tools/passport-checker) applies the New Zealand rule to your dates. ## Common reasons a request is declined - Passport details that do not match the passport — a missing middle name is enough to cause trouble at check-in. - A photo that fails the biometric check: sunglasses, hair over the face, a photo of a photo, or an image older than six months. - An undeclared deportation, removal or exclusion from any country. - A serious conviction — a sentence of five years or more, or twelve months or more within the last ten years. - The wrong NZeTA type: choosing transit when you are visiting, or ticking Australian permanent resident without a valid travel facility or Resident Return Visa. Charta Visa's guided form asks the same questions as the official request, checks every answer against your passport before submission, and submits the request for you; Immigration New Zealand emails the decision to you. It is a private service — the NZeTA itself is only ever issued by Immigration New Zealand. See the [requirements for your nationality](https://chartavisa.com/visa) or check the [visa checker](https://chartavisa.com/tools/visa-checker) if you are not sure the NZeTA is the right document for your trip. ## FAQ **Is the NZeTA a visa?** No. It is a travel authority for visa-waiver visitors, linked electronically to your passport. Nationalities outside the visa-waiver list need a New Zealand Visitor Visa instead. **How much does the NZeTA cost?** NZ$23 for a request made on the website (NZ$17 in the official app), plus the NZ$100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy paid at the same time — NZ$123 in total on the web. Neither part is refunded if the request is declined. **How long is the NZeTA valid?** Two years, or until your passport expires. It allows multiple visits of up to 3 months each (6 months for UK passport holders), and no more than 6 months in New Zealand in any 12-month period. **How long does approval take?** Most requests are decided within 72 hours, often sooner. Immigration New Zealand recommends applying well before you travel because complex requests can take longer. **Do I need an NZeTA to transit through Auckland?** Yes, if you are from a visa-waiver or transit-waiver country and pass through Auckland International Airport. Transit passengers do not pay the levy. Transit requests are made on the official site, not through Charta Visa. **Do children need their own NZeTA?** Yes. Every traveller, including babies, needs their own NZeTA linked to their own passport. ## Sources - [Immigration New Zealand — Request an NZeTA](https://nzeta.immigration.govt.nz/) - [Immigration New Zealand — New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/new-zealand-electronic-travel-authority-nzeta/) - [Immigration New Zealand — Visa waiver countries and territories](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visit/what-you-need-to-visit-new-zealand/visa-waiver-countries-and-territories/) - [Immigration New Zealand — Paying the International Visitor Levy](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/process-to-apply/applying-for-a-visa/fees-processing-times-and-refunds/paying-the-international-visitor-levy/)