Immigration

New Zealand | NZeTA trial to simplify travel from Australia for Chinese and Pacific citizens

---

Summary

From 3 November 2025, people travelling from Australia with passports from China or Pacific Islands Forum countries will be able to visit New Zealand without needing to apply for a visitor visa beforehand, provided they hold an eligible Australian visa and obtain a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA).

This is part of a 12-month trial designed to make travel between Australia and New Zealand easier for Chinese and Pacific visitors; and reflect the important trade and diplomatic relationships New Zealand has with China and Pacific Islands Forum countries.

The detail

Who can appy

Travellers must:

• Be travelling to New Zealand from Australia
• Hold a passport from China or a Pacific Islands Forum country (see list below)
• Have an eligible Australian visa that is valid at check-in
• Hold a valid NZeTA

To be eligible for an NZeTA, travellers must be in good health and of good character, have a genuine reason for visiting, enough funds for their stay, and confirmed plans to depart New Zealand at the end of their visit.

Travellers can apply for an NZeTA while still in China or a Pacific Islands Forum country, or while waiting for their Australian visa, if they will hold an eligible Australian visa and will be travelling from Australia. Travellers must be able to show their eligible Australian visa on arrival in New Zealand. Failure to do so may result in refusal of entry. Airlines may also refuse boarding if travellers try to fly from China or a Pacific country to New Zealand on an NZeTA.

Travelling from any country other than Australia still requires a visitor visa.

Eligible Australian visas

A wide range of Australian visas qualify, including business, skilled, student, partner, and visitor visas (for example, subclasses 188, 417, 462, 482, 500, 600, 820, and others).

Pacific Islands Forum countries

This change applies to passport holders from: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Transit changes

From 27 October 2025, Chinese travellers will also be able to transit through Auckland International Airport on an NZeTA without having to apply for a separate Transit Visa. This is a permanent change.

New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)

With an NZeTA, travellers can:

• Travel to New Zealand without applying for a visa
• Stay in New Zealand for up to 3 months at a time
• Travel to New Zealand multiple times while the NZeTA is valid (if travelling from Australia)
• Transit through New Zealand for up to 24 hours

How to apply

Applications open 27 October 2025 via the NZeTA app (Apple or Android) or the NZeTA website.

• Apply at least 72 hours before travel
• Travel must occur on or after 3 November 2025

Travellers must also complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration online within 24 hours of departure.

Business visits

This trial will also make it easier for (Chinese and Pacific) employees working in Australia to travel to New Zealand for business visits.  However, it is important to note that employment in New Zealand is not permitted on an NZeTA and the scope of activities considered to be business (and not employment) is limited to the following:

• representatives on official trade missions recognised by the New Zealand Government;
• sales representatives of overseas companies in New Zealand for a period or periods no longer than a total of 3 months in any calendar year;
• overseas buyers of New Zealand goods or services for a period or periods no longer than a total of 3 months in any calendar year;
• people undertaking business consultations or negotiations in New Zealand on establishing, expanding, or winding up any business enterprise in New Zealand, or carrying on any business in New Zealand, involving the authorised representatives of any overseas company, body or person for a period or periods no longer than a total of 3 months in any calendar year.

Business visitors who need to be in New Zealand for longer than 3 months in any one year, and all other business visitors, must apply for a work visa.

Before travel, it is important for employers to check whether their employees’ planned activities are permitted under an NZeTA. Ensuring compliance is essential for both individuals and organisations.

Contact us

For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:

Jaq Chong
Director, Immigration

Kim Gibbs
Manager, Immigration

Want to know when a Regional Alert is posted?

Simply follow our Vialto Alerts page on LinkedIn and posts will be displayed on your feed. To ensure you don’t miss one, once you’re on our LinkedIn page, click on the bell icon under the banner image to manage your notifications.

Further information on Vialto Partners can be found here: www.vialtopartners.com

Vialto Partners (“Vialto”) refers to wholly owned subsidiaries of CD&R Galaxy UK OpCo Limited as well as the other members of the Vialto Partners global network. The information contained in this document is for general guidance on matters of interest only. Vialto is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will Vialto, its related entities, or the agents or employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this document or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

© 2025 Vialto Partners. All rights reserved.