New Zealand Publishes 1 Country Whose Citizens Do Not Need Visa, NZeTA to Visit

• New Zealand's Immigration authority has published the entry requirements for travellers visiting the country, revealing which nationalities get the easiest access
• While most visitors must obtain either a visa or a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), one country's citizens are exempt from both
• This country stands alone as the only one whose citizens and permanent residents can enter New Zealand without any form of travel authorisation

New Zealand's Immigration authority has confirmed one country whose citizens and permanent residents can enter New Zealand without a visa or a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA).

For the rest of the world, the requirements vary. Most nationalities must apply for a standard visa before travelling to New Zealand. However, travellers from designated visa waiver countries sit in a middle category — they do not need a full visa, but they are still required to obtain an NZeTA before departure.

New Zealand: Country without visa, NZeTA requirement

According to Immigration New Zealand, the country, Australia, and her citizens, along with permanent residents travelling on an Australian passport, face no pre-travel authorisation requirements at all when entering New Zealand. These two categories do not need a visa application or NZeTA to visit.

The NZeTA is an electronic travel authorisation linked to a traveller's passport. While it does not carry the same weight as a traditional visa, it is a mandatory pre-travel step for visa waiver country nationals and must be secured before boarding.

New Zealand: Australia's unique status

Australia's exemption from both requirements puts it in a category entirely its own. No other country on the Immigration New Zealand list enjoys the same level of access, making Australia the sole nation whose passport holders and permanent residents can enter New Zealand with zero prior authorisation.

The distinction matters particularly for African travellers. Citizens of countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa are required to apply for a full visa before visiting New Zealand.

In a similar report, Legit.ng published that New Zealand announced five things foreigners must provide while applying for its NZeTA in 2026.

New Zealand changes visa application process

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that New Zealand made the decision to end paper applications for selected visitor and transit visas from October 1, 2026. The affected applicants must use the enhanced Immigration Online system to submit and track their applications.

The change is part of Immigration New Zealand’s wider move towards a fully digital visa service, with most visitor visa and all transit visa applications already handled online. But applicants who submitted paper forms before the deadline have been assured that their applications will continue to be processed.