Starting 6 July 2025, New Zealand has made it easier for citizens of Pacific Islands Forum countries to visit:
- Visitor Visas will allow multiple entries over a period of 24 months.
- Stay up to 6 months in any 12-month period, and 9 months in any 18-month period.
- Standard visa conditions still apply. If your passport is close to expiring, or if there are other concerns, you may receive a shorter visa than the maximum period allowed.
See our website for general information about visitor visas.
What will this mean for some of our clients?
- For those approved, the increased use of multiple entry visas will reduce the need to re-apply for visas from offshore.
- You will need to track the 6 months from your entry into New Zealand and leave before then, or risk breaching your visa conditions and being deported.
- Once you have stayed a total of 9 out of 18 months you will need to remain outside of New Zealand for 9 months.
- If you are intending to stay more than 6 months, you will generally need an X-ray certificate, and 12 months or more will require a medical certificate. See our website for general information about health requirements.
- Parents with children New Zealand already have a range of options including the Parent and Grandparent visitor visa. This is a 3-year-visa that comes with multiple-entry travel conditions. You can stay up to 6 month per visit to a maximum of 18 months. A medical certificate is required. A new, but very expensive, 5 year parent boost visa begins in September 2025. See our blog for more information.
High risk applicants
- High risk applicants e.g. single, young, unemployed, with no previous immigration history, past overstaying, or stating an intention to stay permanently or to work, will continue to face high decline rates in the Pacific. It is best to contact our office before applying in these circumstances.
Visa-Free Travel Trial from Australia – Coming November 2025
New Zealand will also launch a 12-month trial allowing eligible Pacific travellers coming directly from Australia to enter visa-free for up to 3 months, using just a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA).
To qualify, travellers will need to :
- Hold a passport from a Pacific Islands Forum country.
- Have a valid Australian visitor, work, student, or family visa.
No names
Due to security risks to their staff, Immigration New Zealand is no longer including their names on many letters to applicants in the Pacific. We can find that information for you if we are assisting.
Countries Included
Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Palau, Marshall Islands, Micronesia.
More info will be released soon. Until then, current visa rules remain in place.
If this resonates with you or a loved one, we would love to hear from you.
Contact us today!