E2.1 Who does not need to apply for a temporary visa or permit

E2.1.1 New Zealand citizens

Immigration Act 1987 ss 3, 14A 126

1. Every New Zealand citizen has the right to be in New Zealand at any time and is not liable to removal or deportation in any circumstances.
2. New Zealand citizens do not need a visa to enter New Zealand or a permit to be in New Zealand but they must show a passport on arrival in the country if required to do so.

E2.1.5 People exempt from having to obtain a temporary visa

Immigration Regulations 1999 Schedule 1, Part 1

The following people are exempt from having to obtain a temporary visa:

1. people who hold
   1. a current permanent residence visa issued by the Government of Australia, or
   2. a current resident return visa issued by the Government of Australia; and
2. people listed in E2.1.10 below; and
3. people listed in the Immigration Regulations 1999 Schedule 1, Part 1B (see below); and

   Visits up to 3 months

   Citizens of:

   Andorra	Hungary	Poland
   Argentina	Iceland	Portugal*
   Austria	Ireland	Romania
   Bahrain	Israel	Qatar
   Belgium	Italy	San Marino
   Brazil	Japan	Saudi Arabia
   Brunei	Korea (South)	Singapore
   Bulgaria	Kuwait	Slovak Republic
   Canada	Latvia****	Slovenia
   Chile	Liechtenstein	South Africa
   Cyprus	Lithuania****	Spain
   Czech Republic	Luxembourg	Sweden
   Denmark	Malaysia	Switzerland
   Estonia****	Malta	Taiwan******
   Finland	Mexico	United Arab Emirates
   France	Monaco	United States of America**
   Germany	Netherlands	Uruguay
   Greece *****	Norway	Vatican City
   Hong Kong ***	Oman

   * Portuguese passport holders must also have the right to live permanently in Portugal.

   ** Including nationals of the USA.

   *** Residents of Hong Kong travelling on Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or British National (Overseas) passports.

   **** Visa waiver does not apply to people travelling on alien's (non-citizen's) passports issued by these countries.
   ***** Greek passport holders whose passports were issued on and after 1 January 2006. (Greek passports issued before 1 January 2006 are not acceptable for travel after 1 January 2007, see A2.10.50.)

   ****** Permanent residents of Taiwan travelling on Taiwan passports (see A2.10.40).

   People travelling on a United Nations (UN) laissez-passer.

   Visits up to 6 months

   British citizens, and other British passport holders who produce evidence of the right to reside permanently in the United Kingdom.

E2.1.10 People exempt from having to hold a temporary permit

Immigration Act 1987 ss 4A, 11, 12, 14E(4)
Immigration Regulations 1999 Schedule 1, Part 2

People exempt from having to hold a temporary permit include but are not limited to:

1. citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia; and
2. those exempted by special direction; and
3. those entitled to immunity from jurisdiction under the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Act 1968 or the Consular Privileges and Immunities Act 1971; and
4. members of the armed forces of any country, or crew members of any craft transporting such people to New Zealand, while in New Zealand:
   1. at the request or with consent of the Government of New Zealand, and
   2. in the ordinary course of the member's duty or employment; and
5. crew or passengers on any seagoing craft carrying passengers or cargo or both in the ordinary course of business of the craft, from the time the craft arrives at a port of entry in New Zealand until whichever of the following occurs first:
   1. the craft is given clearance to leave its last port of entry in New Zealand on the same voyage, or
   2. 28 days have expired, beginning with the day the craft arrived at its first port of entry in New Zealand on that voyage; and
6. crew or passengers on any foreign fishing craft licensed or seeking to be licensed under section 15 of the Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone Act 1977 for a period of 7 days after the date:
   1. on which the licence expires if a licence has been granted, or
   2. of first arrival in New Zealand if a licence is refused; and
7. aircraft crew on any commercial aircraft flying between any other country and New Zealand, for 7 days beginning with the day on which the aircraft arrived in New Zealand; and
8. a member of any scientific programme or expedition under the auspices of Operation Deep Freeze while in the Ross Dependency; and
9. crew or passengers on any ship authorised by the Minister of Transport under section 198(2) of the Maritime Transport Act 1994 to carry passengers or cargo for a period of 28 days from the date the ship first arrives in New Zealand.
10. holders of transit visas who are in New Zealand for less than 24 hours and who during that time remain:
    • on the craft; or
    • in a customs controlled area; or
    • in the custody of the police; and
11. children born in New Zealand on or after 1 January 2006 to a parent who is exempt from having to hold a temporary permit (see A17.5).

Effective 30/11/2009

(visa free list)