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Visitor Visa
New Zealand visitor visa guide
Indian citizens need a Visitor Visa to visit New Zealand for a holiday, to see family or to attend a graduation. You apply online, and Immigration New Zealand looks at whether you are a genuine visitor with enough money and a clear plan to go home. The details below are as of October 2026.
Visa name
Visitor Visa
Maximum stay
A multiple-entry Visitor Visa lets you stay up to 6 months in any 12-month period. In some cases Immigration New Zealand issues a single-entry visa for up to 9 months in an 18-month period.
Fee (as of October 2026)
NZD 300 application fee plus NZD 41 immigration levy, paid once per application. The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) of NZD 100 is added for each person. One applicant pays NZD 441 in total; a couple on one application pays NZD 541.
IVL
NZD 100 per person, paid with the application. It is not refunded if the visa is declined.
How Indians apply
Online through Immigration Online. From 1 October 2026 paper forms for the Visitor Visa are accepted only in exceptional circumstances.
Processing
Check Immigration New Zealand's weekly visitor visa wait times before you book. September to March is the busiest period, so apply early.
1Visitor visa for a graduation ceremony
New Zealand has no separate visa for graduations. Parents and relatives apply for the standard Visitor Visa and explain that the ceremony is the reason for the trip.
Apply once the ceremony date is confirmed. Immigration New Zealand advises against booking non-refundable travel until the visa is approved.
Be ready to explain who is graduating, from which institution, the ceremony date, how long you will stay, who is paying, and why you will return to India afterwards. Your answers and documents should tell the same story.
Useful supporting documents: a cover letter giving your travel dates, the reason for the trip and who is travelling with you; the graduation invitation or confirmation from the institution; proof of your relationship to the student, such as a birth certificate showing the parents' names; a copy of the student's visa or enrolment; a day-by-day itinerary; and evidence of funds and of your ties to India.
2Visitor visa for an event or family visit
The Visitor Visa also covers visiting relatives, including a son or daughter studying in New Zealand, and attending family or social events.
Explain where you will stay and who you will see. If a relative in New Zealand is sponsoring you, they complete the Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) and can provide bank statements, pay slips and proof of their accommodation.
The Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa and the longer Parent Boost Visitor Visa are only for parents or grandparents of New Zealand citizens or residents. They do not apply if your child is in New Zealand on a student visa.
What is not allowed: you cannot work in New Zealand on a Visitor Visa. Remote work for an overseas employer is permitted. Study is limited to 3 months in any 12-month period. Paid conference activity generally needs a work visa.
Useful supporting documents: a letter from your relative with their address and visa or status in New Zealand; proof of your relationship; the INZ 1025 sponsorship form if you are sponsored; event details if relevant; and a simple itinerary.
3Visitor visa for tourism
For a holiday, the same Visitor Visa applies. Show a realistic plan: where you will go, where you will stay and how long the trip lasts.
You need enough money for your stay and a ticket out of New Zealand, or proof you can afford one. Immigration New Zealand may refuse an application, or refuse entry at the border, if you do not appear to be a genuine visitor.
Partners and dependent children aged 19 or younger can be included in your application. Each person pays the IVL.
Useful supporting documents: a day-by-day itinerary; hotel or other accommodation bookings; your travel plans out of New Zealand; copies of visas from countries you have visited before; and evidence of funds and of your ties to India.
4Renewal and applying again
Each application is assessed on its own. A visa you held before does not guarantee the next one, so give complete and current documents every time.
A multiple-entry Visitor Visa lets you visit as often as you like while it is valid, staying up to 6 months in each 12-month period. To get one, you must have been outside New Zealand for at least 9 months in the 18 months before applying.
If you are in New Zealand and want to stay longer, apply for a new Visitor Visa before your current visa expires. If approved, it is single-entry, for up to 9 months in an 18-month period, and your old visa ends.
Useful supporting documents: copies of your previous New Zealand visas, evidence that you left on time, and updated financial and employment documents.
How the application process works
Prepare
Check that your passport is valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave New Zealand. Gather your photo, funds evidence, travel plans and proof of your ties to India. Get English translations of any documents not in English.
Apply online
Create an account and complete the Visitor Visa application in Immigration Online. Include your partner and dependent children if they are travelling with you. Upload your documents.
Pay the fee and IVL
Pay the NZD 300 application fee and NZD 41 immigration levy, plus the NZD 100 IVL for each person, online. None of these are refunded if the visa is declined.
Supply biometrics or passport if asked
Immigration New Zealand collects photos and fingerprints for visa applications. If they ask for biometrics, your passport or more information, provide it promptly. Refusing biometrics can lead to your application being rejected.
Decision
Track your application in Immigration Online. Complete applications are usually decided closer to the average wait time. Do not book non-refundable travel until your visa is approved.
Travel with your eVisa
New Zealand issues visas electronically. You do not need a sticker in your passport. Print your eVisa letter and carry it with the passport the visa is linked to.
Documents to keep ready
Application documents
Passport valid for at least 3 months after your planned departure, with identity details matching the application exactly; a photo that meets INZ standards; proof of your plans in New Zealand; proof you can leave New Zealand; relationship and identity documents for any partner or children included; a consent letter from a non-travelling parent if a child travels with only one parent; English translations of non-English documents; and a cover letter and itinerary if you choose to add them.
Financial evidence
Immigration New Zealand's guide is at least NZD 1,000 per month of your stay, or NZD 400 per month if your accommodation is prepaid. Evidence can include bank statements, savings history, salary slips for the last 3 months, credit card statements and limits, and income tax returns for the last two years. Accounts must be in your name and show the bank and currency. If someone sponsors you, include their INZ 1025 form and financial evidence. You also need money for a ticket out of New Zealand, on top of your living funds.
Reasons to return
Show your work, study and living arrangements in India. This could be a leave letter from your employer confirming your return, business registration and tax returns, a retirement certificate or pension evidence, proof of property or other assets, and evidence of close family in India.
The NZD per-month figures are Immigration New Zealand's own guide. There is no official rupee figure. Show funds that clearly cover your stay and your return ticket, and make sure large recent deposits are explained.
Before you travel
You cannot work in New Zealand on a Visitor Visa. Study is limited to 3 months in any 12-month period.
Check the stay allowed on your visa: up to 6 months in a 12-month period on a multiple-entry visa. Leave before your visa expires.
You do not need an NZeTA if you hold a New Zealand visa.
Complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration before you travel. For flights you can submit it from 24 hours before your journey starts.
Carry your eVisa letter, your return or onward ticket, and evidence of funds.
A visa does not guarantee entry. Border officers can refuse entry if they find you are not a genuine visitor, cannot show funds or onward travel, or your circumstances have changed.
If you renew your passport, transfer your visa to the new passport before you travel.
Golden Globe Overseas Education can help you understand the process, organise documents and prepare for the interview. Visa decisions are made by the immigration authorities of New Zealand.
