Which New Zealand visa now needs to go online
From 1 October 2026, Immigration New Zealand stops taking paper forms for the Visitor Visa, the Transit Visa and over twenty other visitor categories. An application already filed on paper before that date keeps processing as normal.
Once your application is in, compare flights into Auckland or Christchurch.
Every visa on the list
See all 25 categories going online and the 11 staying on paper
Now online only, from 1 October 2026
- Transit Visa
- Visitor Visa
- Business Visitor Visa
- Group Visitor Visa (including Approved Destination Status)
- Academic Visitor Visa
- Adoption Visitor Visa
- Adoption Pre-citizenship Visitor Visa
- Antarctic Traveller Visitor Visa
- Arts and Music Festival Visitor Visa
- Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa
- Crew Joining a Ship or Plane Visitor Visa
- Dismissed Worker Visitor Visa
- Escort of Medical Patients Visitor Visa
- German Law Student Visitor Visa
- Guardian Visitor Visa
- Medical Treatment Visitor Visa
- Occupational Registration Visitor Visa
- Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa
- Pitcairn Islander Visitor Visa
- Private Yacht or Plane Visitor Visa
- Short-term Entertainment Act Visitor Visa
- Sports Events Visitor Visa
- Super Yachts Visitor Visa
- Tour Escort Visitor Visa
- Visiting Media Visitor Visa
Stays on paper for now
- Partner or Child of a Military Visitor Visa
- Partner or Child of a Student Visitor Visa
- Partner or Child of a Worker Visitor Visa
- Partner or Child of a New Zealander Visitor Visa
- Trafficking Child Victim Visitor Visa
- Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa
- Refugee Claimant Visitor Visa
Where to stay in Auckland and Christchurch
Auckland International Airport is the only one that accepts transit passengers, so every Transit Visa holder lands there. Christchurch is the main gateway for the South Island.
Questions
Does this change affect the NZeTA visa waiver?
No. The New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority already exists online only, so nothing changes for eligible passport holders who travel on it instead of a full visa.
What happens if I already submitted a paper application?
It keeps processing as normal. Immigration New Zealand says you do not need to resubmit or take any further action.
Can I still apply on paper after 1 October 2026?
Only in exceptional circumstances. Contact Immigration New Zealand directly to discuss your situation before you apply.
Which visa does this affect the most people?
The Visitor Visa, New Zealand’s general tourist visa, and the Transit Visa, since these are the two most commonly used categories on the list.
Where do I apply online?
Through Immigration New Zealand’s enhanced Immigration Online system, linked from each visa’s own page on immigration.govt.nz.
Sources
- Immigration New Zealand, “Changes to use of paper applications for some visitor and transit visas”, the full list of affected and unaffected visa categories, published 4 September 2026, retrieved 18 September 2026.
- Immigration New Zealand, Visitor Visa, confirms the 1 October 2026 changeover date and the NZD 441 fee, retrieved 18 September 2026.
- Immigration New Zealand, Business Visitor Visa, confirms the 1 October 2026 changeover date and the NZD 341 fee, retrieved 18 September 2026.
- Immigration New Zealand, Transit Visa, confirms the 1 October 2026 changeover date and the NZD 235 fee, retrieved 18 September 2026.
- Immigration New Zealand, Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa, confirms the 1 October 2026 changeover date and the NZD 441 fee, retrieved 18 September 2026.
- Wego hotel search, Auckland and Christchurch, sampled 18 September 2026 for stays of 15 to 17 October 2026, in NZD.
How these figures were produced
- Hotel rates were sampled for 15 to 17 October 2026, a shoulder-season window that carries no New Zealand public holiday, so the sample is not skewed by a peak weekend.
- Results were restricted to properties Wego tags as hotels. Homestays and serviced apartments were excluded because the star-rating field on that inventory is unreliable in Auckland: most carry no star rating at all.
- Each city’s Cheapest, Step up and Best reviewed picks come from that city’s own hotel-only result set. Step up and Best reviewed both require at least a 4-star rating and an 8.0 guest score; Cheapest is exempt from both, since the label already discloses what it is.
- Visa processing times, fees and required documents vary by category and nationality. Always confirm your own requirements on Immigration New Zealand’s own site before you apply.
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
