Headed to New Zealand? Don’t neglect to use for entry and pay a payment first. As of Oct. 1, 2019, the New Zealand authorities requires vacationers from a listing of 60 international locations, together with the US, to use for an Digital Journey Authority (NZeTA) previous to getting into the nation. The NZeTA waives the necessity for a visa, however have to be requested and accredited earlier than the traveler enters New Zealand — even simply to transit by means of to a different vacation spot.
TPG Lounge reader Leela S. posted her cautionary anecdote in regards to the NZeTA requirement on Christmas Eve, saying, “Shout out to Virgin for the ‘reminder’ electronic mail, or I’d have had a nasty airport shock.” Leela additional acknowledged that the straightforward course of took lower than 5 minutes to approve her software, though the location says to permit as much as 72 hours for processing.
New Zealand’s official web site claims that the brand new NZeTA will “improve security and cut back immigration dangers, tackle smuggling and biosecurity dangers, enhance the traveler expertise, assist New Zealand’s worldwide relationships and agreements, [and] adapt to the altering wants and necessities of the federal government, stakeholders and vacationers over time.”
There’s one different factor…
Along with implementing entrance necessities for all vacationers arriving from visa waiver international locations, New Zealand additionally started implementing a brand new levy on guests as of Oct. 1, 2019. The Worldwide Customer Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) is legitimate in the course of your NZeTA, and prices NZ$35 — simply over $23. You’ll pay for it on the similar time that you just apply for the NZeTA.
Each the NZeTA and IVL are required for cruise vacationers as nicely, though you’ll not want to use for one beforehand should you’re arriving by cruise ship.
Right here’s what vacationers can anticipate:
The NZeTA prices simply NZ$9 ($6) by means of the devoted app, or NZ$12 ($eight) by means of the net kind. Common traveler NZeTAs are legitimate for 2 years, whereas worldwide airline crew NZeTAs are legitimate for 5 years.
I examined out the appliance course of for TPG, following the directions on the location. You’ll have to have a legitimate passport, a Visa or MasterCard credit score or debit card and an electronic mail tackle helpful to your software:
The web software requires the entire commonplace data, with just a few attention-grabbing write-in choices for questions corresponding to “homeland.” I assume you could possibly get artistic with this, so long as it aligns with public data should you had to offer proof to again up your response.
One progressive little contact? There’s a non-binary choice for gender. Properly achieved, New Zealand.
There’s a bit for Australian nationwide residents, who should apply for the NZeTA however should not required to pay the NZ$35 for an IVL. Australian residents are exempt from each the NZeTA and IVL necessities.
Because you’ll want an NZeTA even should you’re passing by means of to a different nation like Australia, you’ll pay the identical payment regardless. The distinction, nonetheless, lies within the IVL payment. You received’t be charged for it should you don’t enter the nation, however can’t go to New Zeland
So should you assume there’s an opportunity that you just would possibly wish to step foot within the nation over the following two years, it might be price checking “Sure, I can be coming to New Zealand to go to.”
After I submitted my cost, I started checking my software to see how shortly it might course of. To this point, it’s been almost an hour and no success but, so I’m assuming that my expertise will fall someplace between Leela’s five-minute approval and the 72 hours warned by the New Zealand authorities.
Featured Picture by Ian Montgomery/EyeEm.
Katherine Fan
began out as a TPG reader in 2013, becoming a member of the editorial crew as a contributor in 2015 and going full-time originally of 2018. As Senior Journey Options Reporter, Katherine reviews on aviation, factors and miles, and journey information.
