New Zealand has introduced new measures to make it easier for Chinese and Pacific Island travellers to visit the country from Australia, as part of a 12-month trial aimed at strengthening tourism ties and supporting regional mobility.
Under the new arrangements announced by the New Zealand Government, travellers holding valid Chinese or Pacific Islands Forum country passports can now visit New Zealand visa-free when travelling directly from Australia, provided they hold an eligible Australian visa. Instead of applying for a traditional visitor visa, travellers can now obtain a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), allowing them to stay for up to three months at a time.
Who is Eligible
To qualify for visa-free entry, travellers must:
- Travel to New Zealand from Australia (not just transit through).
- Hold a Chinese passport or a passport from one of the Pacific Islands Forum countries, including Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
- Possess a valid eligible Australian visa at the time of check-in.
- Hold a valid NZeTA.
Citizens of Niue and the Cook Islands already enjoy visa-free access to New Zealand and are not affected by these changes.
Eligible Australian Visas
The eligible visa categories include visitor, study, training, work, business, family, and retirement subclasses, such as:
- Visitor (Subclass 600)
- Student (Subclass 500)
- Work and Holiday (Subclass 462/417)
- Temporary Work (Subclass 400)
- Business Innovation and Investment (Subclass 188)
- Partner (Subclass 309/820)
- Retirement (Subclass 410/405)
Travellers can verify their visa subclass details through the Australian Department of Home Affairs’ Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system.
Applying for an NZeTA
The NZeTA is a convenient digital travel authority that allows eligible visitors to travel to New Zealand without applying for a visa. With an NZeTA, visitors can:
- Enter New Zealand multiple times from Australia while it remains valid.
- Stay for up to three months per visit.
- Transit through New Zealand for up to 24 hours (a new provision for Chinese travellers).
Applicants must meet health and character requirements, have genuine reasons for visiting, sufficient funds for their stay, and confirmed plans to leave New Zealand at the end of their visit. The NZeTA can be easily requested via the free mobile app or the official Immigration New Zealand website at least 72 hours before travel, subject to standard processing fees.
The visa-free travel initiative is part of New Zealand’s broader effort to simplify travel procedures, enhance people-to-people links, and stimulate tourism from key neighbouring regions. The trial period will be closely monitored over the next 12 months to assess its impact on travel demand, visitor experience, and border management efficiency.
