Major announcement: New Zealand grants visa-free entry to these Chinese visitors!

New Zealand to grant visa-free entry to these Chinese visitors

On 15 June, the New Zealand Government announced a series of new measures to make travel to New Zealand easier for Chinese visitors.

From November 2025，Chinese visitors holding valid Australian visitor, work, student or family visas can enter New Zealand without applying for a visa, using only a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), with stays of up to 3 months。

Immigration New Zealand said in its announcement: “China is one of New Zealand’s most important tourism markets, bringing significant opportunities for our tourism industry, promoting trade and business links, and strengthening connections between friends and family. New Zealand has long offered generous visitor visa policies for Chinese citizens, reflecting the importance of the relationship between China and New Zealand. Most Chinese visitors can currently obtain multiple-entry visitor visas valid for 5 years, making repeated visits to New Zealand more convenient.”

“As of June 2025, visitor visas for Chinese citizens take an average of 5 working days to process, and we continue to work towards further reducing processing times.”

Immigration New Zealand also said the policy does not apply to travellers transiting through Australia on their way to New Zealand, and applicants must still meet the relevant NZeTA eligibility requirements. The new policy will be trialled for 12 months。

To make visa applications easier for Chinese visitors, the New Zealand Government will also provide additional support services, including:

• Establishing a dedicated service contact point in China, staffed by employees based there, with telephone support available Monday to Friday, 07:00–18:00 New Zealand time (02:00–13:00 Beijing time)

• Providing Simplified Chinese content on selected pages of the official website

   

  Expert commentary

   

  YIJU New Zealand interviewed senior immigration lawyer Sonny Lam, who works at Queen City Law and has more than a decade of litigation experience, as well as experience as a former Immigration New Zealand immigration officer.

  His comments follow:

  1) This is an additional policy following the Parent Boost Visa — the Government needs money.

• 2) This policy will take effect from November 2025.

• 3) You need to apply for a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), just like holders of Hong Kong, Japanese, South Korean or other visa-waiver country passports.

• 4) How do you apply for an NZeTA? Please use the official website’s app: https://nzeta.immigration.govt.nz/

• 5) NZeTA applications are usually processed quickly, most within 72 hours — but it is advisable to apply a week in advance.

• 6) Can I still come to New Zealand this way if I have a criminal record?
  That depends on whether you can successfully obtain an NZeTA. If your NZeTA application is unsuccessful, you will need to apply for a visitor visa like other visitors.

• 7) Can I stay in New Zealand for more than 3 months on the strength of my Australian visa?
  No — stays longer than 3 months require a separate visitor visa application.

• 8) Question: If my Australian visa is about to expire, can I still use this new policy to come to New Zealand?
  There is no clear answer yet; further clarification from the Government is needed。

• 9) Hopefully, this policy will have a positive impact on tourism and the hotel industry.

   

• 10) A wave of visitors who cannot find work in Australia is expected to come to New Zealand instead, seeking a fresh start.

   

• 11) For New Zealand employers, more Australian visa holders coming to New Zealand to look for work could bring workforce benefits

• 12) Auckland’s traffic may become more congested as a result.