Each year New Zealand welcomes millions of people from around the world to our shores.  Many come for a short-term visit, but many also come to live, work or study in our country.  Your decision to come to New Zealand – whether to live, work, invest, study, or visit – could be a significant and life-changing decision.

In the following sections, you can find more information on the various visa options:

Section 1 - Temporary Visas - visitor, student and work visas

Section 2 - Residency Visas - the options and procedures for permanent residency

1.  Temporary Visas

Visiting New Zealand
The United States is a "visa free" country under New Zealand’s visitor immigration policies.  Holders of valid United States passport may visit New Zealand for up to (90) days or 3 months without a visa.

Provided they have:

- a passport valid for three months beyond the date they are leaving NZ,
- a return air ticket. Or holding a valid onwards ticket to a country the

  traveller has a right to enter,
- who has proof of sufficient funds for the duration of the visit, and
- is only wishing to visit for the time granted on arrival.

Please Click here for full details.

If the intension is to stay longer, the traveller should obtain a Visitor Visa (external link).

Please note that US citizens travelling on valid "regular" US passport do not have to pay fees for visitor, work, or student visas.

ALL Non US Passport Holders should access the Immigration New Zealand (external link) website for forms, fees and processing information. The immigration site also lists other qualifying visa waiver countries.

US and Non US Passport holders should review the VISA Checklist’s further below before submitting an application with the Los Angeles Visa Section. Making sure all requirements are supplied, to avoid any delays in processing of your application.

PROCESSING TIMES: Please allow seven to ten working days for processing of a Visitor Visa and up to three weeks for Student and Work Visas applications.

Transit Visa

You do not need a visitor visa if you are stopping off at a New Zealand airport on your way to another country, staying in New Zealand for less than 24 hours, and not leaving the transit area of the airport. However, you may require a transit visa. Please visit the following site Transit (external link) of further details.

Working In New Zealand

US and Other passport holders who wish to work temporarily in New Zealand must obtain a Work Visa (external link) before going to New Zealand. 

People, who are NOT citizens or permanent residents of New Zealand or Australia, must apply for a work or residency visa in order to work in New Zealand.

Working Holiday Visa
US passport holders 18-30 years old might wish to consider a Working Holiday Visa (external link).   The working holiday visa allows young people to travel to New Zealand and work for up to 12 months in any job or jobs they are offered. For details of other programs including those for Americans up to the age of 35 see this additional link: www.immigration.govt.nz/whswork

Studying In New Zealand
Applications for Student Visas (external link) from the Westen States listed below are also processed by the Consulate General in Los Angeles.

Visa Checklists
The following checklists will help you when applying for visas through the New Zealand Consulate Generals office in Los Angeles and the Embassy in Washington.

Visitors Visa Checklist

Working Visa Checklist

Student Visa Checklist

Working Visa (based on partnership) Checklist

Returning Resident's

Applications for New Zealand Returning Residents Visas and transfer of existing resident visas to new passports are to be lodged directly with the New Zealand Embassy in Washington DC.

The Embassy details can be found the following website: New Zealand Embassy (external link).

Additional Information 

The New Zealand Consulate-General in Los Angeles accepts only applications for visitor, transit, working holiday, student and work visas and only from people currently living in the following states:

Alaska	Arizona	California	Colorado
Hawaii	Idaho	Montana	Nevada
New Mexico	Oregon	Utah	Washington
Wyoming

Applications from all other states MUST be sent to the New Zealand Embassy (external link) in Washington DC or other offices as directed.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

AS WE DO NOT HAVE CREDIT CARD FACILITIES, ALL VISA FEE PAYMENTS
MUST BE BY MONEY ORDER OR BANK CASHIERS CHEQUE ONLY.

• Visa application processing fees are to be made payable to the New Zealand Immigration Service, or the correct amount in cash. Please confirm appropriate fees from the Immigration website Office and Fees Finder (external link). Note as of 01 May 2007 Fees have increased and may differ from the visa checklist. The NZ Immigration website quotes the correct fees.
• All applications must be accompanied by a self-addressed, prepaid courier airway bill (For example, Express Mail, Federal Express or UPS) for the safe return of your passport and original documents. OR you can enclose a MONEY ORDER or BANK CHEQUE (no personal cheques will be accepted) for the amount of US $15.00, made payable to the New Zealand Consulate General. Please note this fee must be submitted separately from the Immigration processing fee above.
• Incomplete visa applications will be returned to you.
  The NZ Consulate General is NOT responsible for any documents or passports lost in
  transit.
• This office does not accept payment by credit cards, personal or company cheques.
• Please allow up to 10 working days for your visitor visa to be processed and up to three  weeks for Student and Work Visas from submitting your application If, however, we are unable to determine whether or not you are in good health, our processing time may take up to 2 to 3 months.
• Visa application forms and information on our current Immigration Policies may be
  found on the New Zealand Immigration Service website at: www.immigration.govt.nz

• Postal Address: Visa Section
  New Zealand Consulate General
  2425 Olympic Boulevard
  Suite 600E
  Santa Monica CA 90404

Please also note: All applications from outside New Zealand are called VISAS. If an applicant was in New Zealand, they would apply for a PERMIT. Therefore, ignore any sections of the application form that refer to PERMIT.

If, after reading the information on these sites, you require further information on visas, please contact either the Visa Unit at the New Zealand Consulate General in Los Angeles or The New Zealand Embassy, Washington DC, (see below). PLEASE ONLY USE ONE MEDIUM FOR CONTACT - I.E. IF YOU E-MAIL, PLEASE DO NOT TELEPHONE OR FAX AS WELL.

2.  Residency Visas

New Zealand offers a unique living and working environment and we welcome those individuals and families who can contribute to the development of our country.  If you wish to invest in New Zealand or have skills or talents that are in demand in New Zealand, obtaining permanent residency may not be as difficult as you might think.

If you are interested in New Zealand Residency, please visit the following link to New Zealand Immigration, where you can register your details and interests.  In return you will be sent tailored information that fits your circumstances:

http://newzealandnow.info/us