What Tourism Operators Need to Know About the NZeTA

Here are the fast facts about the new NZeTA visa rules starting October 1, 2019.

• Tighter border control has been implemented in NZ as of October 1, 2019
• It will affect approximately 1.5 million people from 60 countries
• Travelers who didn’t previously need a visa to travel to NZ will now need to declare their passport details and any criminal history
• The NZeTA (New Zealand electronic travel authority) visa costs either $9 or $12
• An additional cost of $35 for an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy will be due at the same time as the NZeTA

Travelers in need of a NZeTA will need to fill out a form which can takes up to 72 hours to process, before boarding a place or ship to NZ.

“Authorities are looking to identify anyone previously sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 12 months of longer, those considered a threat to national security or who are members of a terrorist group,” states Belinda Feek of the NZ Herald.

Before this implementation, visitors flying to NZ only received light-touch screening at check-in and cruise ship passengers and staff were not screed at all. This changes all that as visitors without an NZeTA will be denied boarding.

Once received, the NZeTA will be valid for two years and the visitor holding the visa will be able to come and go freely during that time.

Do tourism operators need to do anything about the NZeTA?

Immigration NZ states that our guests will need a NZeTA if they travel on a passport from the list of visa waiver countries and are visiting up to 3 months (6 months if from UK). Included in this list are America, Canada, Germany and the UK - some of our biggest groups of tourists to the country and your experience or accommodation. See the full list of visa waiver countries here.

Inform your guests of the new rules so that they don’t get stopped at the airport or need to delay their trip. Provide links on your website, at booking, on blogs and in FAQs.

Learn more about the NZeTA by clicking here.

Why do we need to go this extra step?

We want to do everything we can to make the experience for our guests as seemless as possible. When we go above and beyond to provide the information they need, they’ll gain trust in our brand and know that when they book with us, they are booking with a company that cares deeply about their entire experience of New Zealand, not just the hours they’re with us.