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 Immigration & Visa Information |
26 Aug 08 |
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Immigration New Zealand |
Immigration and Visa Information
If you want to immigrate
to New Zealand, or visit us, then you should read through the following
information about what you need, what you can bring into the country,
and additional costs.
Passports
All visitors to New
Zealand must carry a passport that is valid for at least three months
beyond the date you intend to leave the country.
Visa Exemptions
You do not need a visa or permit to visit New Zealand if you are:
* A New Zealand citizen
* A New Zealand Resident Permit holder
* An Australian citizen travelling on an Australian passport
* An Australian resident with a current Australian resident return visa
* A citizen of a country, which has a visa waiver agreement with New Zealand
Visa Waivers
Currently
travellers from more than 50 countries do not require a Visitor's Visa
for stays less than three months. You do require:
* A passport that is valid for at least three months after your planned departure from New Zealand
* An onward or return ticket to a country that you have permission to enter
* Sufficient money to support yourself during your stay - approximately NZ$1000 per month per person
To
find out if your country qualifies for a visa waiver, check out the
Visiting New Zealand section of the New Zealand Immigration Service Web
site, where you'll find a list of all eligible countries and other
useful visa information.
Your travel agent, airline or nearest New Zealand Embassy will also be able to advise you if you require a visa.
British
citizens and other British passport holders who have evidence of the
right to live permanently in the United Kingdom may be allowed to stay
in New Zealand for up to six months.
Visitor's Visa Applications
If
your country is not on the visa waiver list, or you wish to stay longer
than three months, you will need to apply for a Visitor's Visa. You can
download application forms from the New Zealand Immigration Service Web
site, or contact your nearest New Zealand Embassy.
Study and Work Visas
The
New Zealand Immigration Service also has information on work, business
or student visas. If you are interested in studying in New Zealand,
check out the Web sites in the Language Schools and Student Study
section of this Web site.
Immigration
If you're thinking
about living permanently in New Zealand, read the Migration section of
the New Zealand Immigration Service Web site. It contains a brief
summary of immigration requirements and information on obtaining a
residence application pack.
Also check out the companies who specialise in immigration and visas.
International Gateways
New
Zealand's international airports are at Auckland, Wellington and
Christchurch. Some flights from Australia also land at Hamilton,
Palmerston North, Queenstown and Dunedin.
Every person arriving in New Zealand must complete the arrival card handed out on the aircraft.
Customs
Comprehensive advice for travellers is available on the New Zealand Customs Service Web site.
Agricultural Restrictions and Quarantine
New
Zealand's agricultural industries are free of many insect pests, and
plant and animal diseases common elsewhere in the world. We put a lot
of effort into minimising the risk of these being introduced at ports
and airports.
Heavy fines may be imposed on people caught
carrying prohibited materials. On arrival visitors should place any
questionable items, particularly fruit, in the bins provided.
You will find details of restricted items on the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Web site.
Domestic
pets such as cats and dogs also pose disease and pest risks, and entry
requirements are strictly enforced. Import requirements for live
animals differ according to the country of origin, so please check with
your nearest Embassy before attempting to bring your pet to New Zealand.
Other Prohibited Items
You should not bring the following items into New Zealand:
* Firearms and weapons, unless a permit is obtained from New Zealand
Police on arrival at the airport, this includes sporting firearms (The
New Zealand Police Web site has more information on importing firearms)
* Class A drugs
* Certain drugs (e.g. diuretics, depressants, stimulants, heart drugs,
tranquillisers, sleeping pills), unless in their original bottle with a
doctor's prescription
* Ivory in any form
* Tortoise or turtle shell jewellery and ornaments
* Medicines using musk
* Rhinoceros or tiger derivatives
* Carvings or anything made from whalebone or bone from any other marine animals
* Cat skins or coats
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