New Zealand visaVisit New ZealandNew Zealand visitor visa for Indian passport holders
Indian citizens need a Visitor Visa for New Zealand: the fee is NZD 341 (NZD 300 fee plus a NZD 41 immigration levy) and the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy is added at payment, so the online application costs NZD 441 in total. Immigration New Zealand decides 80 per cent of visitor visas within 2 weeks, and the visa allows stays of up to 6 months in any 12 (multiple entry) or 9 months in 18 (single entry). You must show NZD 1,000 a month for living costs, or NZD 400 if accommodation is prepaid, plus a ticket out. India is not an NZeTA visa-waiver country, so every traveller applies for the full visa.
6 min read Verified 30 October 2026 against immigration.govt.nz · How we verify
New Zealand visitor visa: quick answers
- Do Indians need a visa for New Zealand?
- Yes. Indian passport holders are not on the visa-waiver list, so they cannot use the NZeTA and must hold a Visitor Visa before boarding, for tourism, visiting family, business meetings (Business Visitor Visa) or short courses of up to 3 months. Since 27 January 2025 visitors may also work remotely for an employer or clients based outside New Zealand. Partners and dependent children aged 19 or under can be included in one application. Stays above 9 months, paid work for a New Zealand business and study over 3 months need other visas.
- What does it cost?
- NZD 341 for the visa (NZD 300 fee plus NZD 41 levy) and NZD 100 for the International Visitor Levy, paid by card in New Zealand dollars when you submit online, so NZD 441 (about INR 22,500 in 2026). Children pay the same visa fee. If Immigration New Zealand asks for biometrics or a chest X-ray, the VFS Global centre and the panel clinic charge separately. The fee is not refunded on refusal. Vistolane charges the NZD 341 visa fee and the levy at the official rate and shows its service separately.
- How long does it take from India?
- Immigration New Zealand decides 80 per cent of Visitor Visa applications within 2 weeks and the rest mostly within a month; September to March is the busiest period because of the southern summer and Christmas, when complete files still move faster than incomplete ones. Apply 4 to 8 weeks before travel and do not buy non-refundable tickets until the eVisa arrives.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa type | Visitor Visa, multiple entry (6 months in 12) or single entry (9 months in 18) |
| Government fee | NZD 341 visa fee; NZD 100 International Visitor Levy added at payment |
| Processing | 80 per cent within 2 weeks; longest September to March |
| Funds | NZD 1,000 a month, or NZD 400 a month with prepaid accommodation, plus a ticket out |
| Where to apply | Online at apply.immigration.govt.nz; biometrics at VFS Global India only if requested |
| Work and study | No paid work for a New Zealand business; remote work for an overseas employer allowed; study up to 3 months |
| Health | Chest X-ray if staying more than 6 months (India is not a low-TB country) |
| Verified | 30 Oct 2026 against immigration.govt.nz |
Who qualifies, and how Immigration New Zealand reads a visitor file
Any Indian passport holder with a passport valid 3 months beyond the planned departure can apply online. The officer tests four things: genuine intentions to visit and leave (bona fides), funds, health and character. Bona fides is assessed from your personal circumstances: employment or business in India, family, property, previous travel and whether the itinerary makes sense for the dates. Visiting a child or sibling on a work visa in Auckland, a tourist loop of both islands or a business trip to a trade show are all ordinary purposes; the file fails when the purpose is thin and the applicant has few reasons to return.
Funds are NZD 1,000 for each month of stay, or NZD 400 a month when accommodation is already paid, shown on bank statements in your name, plus the money or ticket for onward travel. A sponsor in New Zealand (a relative or an organisation) can instead complete the Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) and show their own income and accommodation; sponsored applicants still need to show their own ties to India. Partners and dependent children aged 19 or under can be included with marriage and birth certificates.
Health and character: a chest X-ray is required when the total stay exceeds 6 months because India is not on the low-incidence tuberculosis list, and a full medical when it exceeds 12 months; police certificates are needed only when total time in New Zealand reaches 24 months. From 27 January 2025 visitors may work remotely for an overseas employer or clients while in New Zealand, which suits Indian professionals on long family visits.
Fees and what they cover
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor Visa | NZD 341 | NZD 300 fee + NZD 41 immigration levy; not refunded |
| International Visitor Levy (IVL) | NZD 100 | Charged with the visa; funds conservation and tourism infrastructure |
| Business Visitor Visa | NZD 341 | No IVL for business visitors |
| Partner of a New Zealander Visitor Visa | NZD 341 | No IVL |
| VFS Global biometrics or document scanning | About INR 1,500 to 2,500 | Only when Immigration New Zealand asks |
| Chest X-ray at a panel clinic | INR 1,500 to 3,000 | Stays over 6 months |
Fees have applied since 1 October 2024, when the visitor visa rose from NZD 211 to NZD 341 and the IVL from NZD 35 to NZD 100. Vistolane charges the government fee and levy at the official rate and shows its service separately.
How the application runs, step by step
- 1
Gather the evidence
Passport scan, photo, 3 months of bank statements, employer or business letter, itinerary, accommodation and ticket plan, sponsor form if any.
- 2
Create a RealMe account and apply online
Answer the health and character questions; upload documents as PDF or JPEG; include partner and children if travelling together.
- 3
Pay NZD 441
NZD 341 visa fee plus NZD 100 IVL by credit or debit card in New Zealand dollars.
- 4
Respond to any request
Biometrics at VFS Global, a chest X-ray or extra financial evidence; 80 per cent of files are decided within 2 weeks.
- 5
Receive the eVisa and travel
Complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration within 24 hours of departure; carry funds evidence and the onward ticket for the border.
Timeline for an Indian traveller
| Stage | Typical time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | 1 to 2 weeks | Statements, letters, bookings |
| Online application | 1 to 2 hours | RealMe account, upload, pay |
| Decision | 80 per cent within 2 weeks; up to 4 to 6 weeks in summer | Answer requests within the deadline |
| Travel declaration | Within 24 hours of departure | NZTD online |
| Validity | Travel within the dates on the eVisa | Multiple entry if granted |
Christmas and the January school holidays are the slowest period at the Mumbai and Beijing processing offices that handle Indian files; apply in October for December travel.
At the border and during the stay
Border officers at Auckland and Christchurch check the eVisa, the onward ticket, funds and the traveller declaration, and can refuse entry if circumstances have changed. The multiple-entry visa allows a total of 6 months in any 12-month period counted back from your intended departure date; a single-entry visa allows one stay of up to 9 months in 18. Visitors may study for up to 3 months, volunteer and work remotely for an overseas business, but any work for a New Zealand employer or client needs a work visa.
A visitor who finds an accredited employer applies onshore for the Accredited Employer Work Visa, and partners of workers or residents switch to the partner visas; both are covered on the other New Zealand route pages. Extending a visit beyond the visa means a new Visitor Visa application before the current one expires, within the 9-in-18-month cap.
Document checklist: identity and forms
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Passport valid 3 months beyond departure | Scan of the bio page; old passports with visas |
| Digital photo to INZ standards | Taken within 6 months, plain background |
| Online application in RealMe | Health and character declarations |
Trip
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Itinerary and accommodation plan | Bookings or a host's letter with their visa or citizenship evidence |
| Return or onward ticket, or funds for one | To a country you have the right to enter |
| Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) | If a New Zealand sponsor covers costs |
| Travel insurance | Recommended; visitors pay for healthcare |
Funds and ties
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| 3 months of bank statements | NZD 1,000 a month, or NZD 400 with prepaid accommodation |
| Employer leave letter or business registration | Designation, salary, dates of leave |
| Income tax returns | Last 2 years |
| Family and property evidence | Reasons to return to India |
Why applications on this route get refused, and the fix
Bona fides not established
Weak ties to India, long gaps in employment or a stay longer than the purpose needs.
The fix. Add the employer letter, tax returns, property and family evidence; match the length of stay to the purpose.
Insufficient funds
Statements below NZD 1,000 a month or a lump sum deposited days before applying.
The fix. Show three months of regular balances; add a sponsor's INZ 1025 form and evidence.
Sponsor's evidence incomplete
Host's visa, income or accommodation not evidenced.
The fix. Attach the sponsor's visa, payslips, tenancy or ownership papers and the signed form.
Health requirements not met
No chest X-ray for a stay over 6 months.
The fix. Book the panel clinic X-ray before applying for long visits.
Identity or document mismatch
Name or date of birth entered differently from the passport, or untranslated documents.
The fix. Copy the passport exactly and attach certified English translations.
Official sources
New Zealand visitor visa questions
Other New Zealand routes
Study in New Zealand
Fee Paying Student Visa
NZD 850 including the NZD 100 International Visitor Levy (2026)
Read the route
Work in New Zealand
Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
NZD 1,540 for the Accredited Employer Work Visa (employer accreditation and job check paid separately)
Read the route
Settle in New Zealand
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
NZD 6,450 for the principal applicant and included family (2026)
Read the route
Join a partner in New Zealand
Partner of a Worker Work Visa
NZD 1,630 for the Partner of a Worker Work Visa (Partner of a Worker Visitor Visa NZD 341)
Read the route