Since October 1st, 2019, New Zealand will add a new eTA requirement for visitors from selected countries. While the change starts on October 1st, the application process itself is live right now. What this means is that visitors from select countries will need to fill out a form and pay a small fee to enter New Zealand.

What Does the new ETA Requirement to Enter New Zealand Mean?

Effectively beginning from October 1st, all travelers from a group of selected countries (that includes the United States, Canada, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, UK, and Belgium) will require an Electronic Travel Authority (eta) to enter the country. The eTA also includes paying for a small fee which is the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy.

The motives behind this are to improve the way travelers are assessed and inspected before they arrive in New Zealand. This also is predicted to help decrease waiting time for border clearance and it is a move that further strengthens New Zealand’s border security from any potential harm.

Who Requires an ETA to Enter New Zealand?

The eTA will be mandatory for travelers from Visa Waivered Countries. This also includes if the traveler is merely passing by New Zealand through cruise ship travel, and it even includes permanent residents of their neighbor Australia. The countries which require the new eTA, according to official-newzealand-eta.org, are:

• Argentina
• Austria
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Canada
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
• The Netherlands
• Portugal
• Singapore
• Spain
• Sweden
• UAE
• UK
• USA
• And more

If you’re not a traveler from any of these countries, your best bet would be to enquire about the full list of eTA required members.

What is Required to Request a New Zealand Eta?

Some New Zealand authorities state that it could take as much as 72 hours to get approval for an Eta. However, news is coming out of the country that you can request the eTA from the comfort of your home. If you’re choosing this method, then all you would need is a valid email ID, credit, debit card, and even a PayPal account for the method of payment, valid passport for travel, and a place to stay in New Zealand such as a hotel address, relative, etc.

The process of applying for a New Zealand eTA Visa is fairly straightforward and it starts with the application process, followed by the payment process, and the last step is to receive the Eta Visa by mail.

Travelers from the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Norway, UK, Belgium, and Sweden members can expect a decision on their NZeTA application within 24 hours. This decision becomes mandatory starting from October 1st, 2019.

On the subject of the cost for the NZeTA, the pricing is different depending on where you apply from. If you apply for the NZeTA Visa through the New Zealand’s immigration’s mobile app, you can expect a fee of 9NZD, while you can expect a fee of 12 NZD if you use their website. The VISA itself is valid for up to two years, but it will expire after multiple visits.