How to Apply for a New Zealand Tourist Visa Online

After a few attempts, I finally pushed through and applied for a New Zealand Visa. Since I have a multiple entry visa for Australia, my plan was to utilize it by flying out to New Zealand to visit friends and explore the country, and fly back to Melbourne to get another three month’s stay upon my arrival.

Like Australia, Philippine passport holders can now apply for a New Zealand visa online. However, unlike Australia, they still affix a visa label on your passport, so you would still need to arrange to submit your passport through VFS.

Here’s how I applied for my New Zealand Tourist visa online:

Create a RealMe account

You need this account to access the online application portal of Immigration New Zealand.

Gather and scan required documents

While applying online is the faster way to apply for a visa, it requires some computer know-how. Aside from having access to a scanner, you would also need to convert, merge, and optimize your PDF files to meet the limits set by the website. For example, all tickets must be merge into one PDF file, and not separate files. The entire file must not exceed 2MB in size.

The requirements I submitted are:

  • My passport bio page
  • Birth certificate
  • Passport photo
  • Bank statement for the past 3-6 months
  • Credit card statements
  • Itinerary in New Zealand
  • Booking confirmation for my flights into New Zealand, within New Zealand, and flight back to Australia
  • My Australian visa grant notice
  • Photos with my friend Upper, who is hosting me in Auckland
  • Business registration documents

Unlike in Australia where you are not encouraged to buy a ticket before applying for a visa, New Zealand requires you to have a ticket — more importantly, a ticket that you will use to exit New Zealand, or at least prove you have the means to buy an onward ticket.
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Fill out the online form and upload your documents

This one you can actually do anytime. The great thing about the online form is that you can save it and come back to finish it anytime. As you go through the form, it will highlight fields you have missed.

At the end of the form, you can start uploading your supporting documents. There are fields provided to guide you what you need to upload, and there is also a field for Others, so you can also upload supporting documents that is not on their list.

Once you finish filling out the form and uploading your documents, you can submit your application. Thanks to a bilateral agreement between the Philippines and New Zealand, here is no fee to apply for a tourist visa.

Submit your passport

After lodging your application, you will be instructed to submit your passport to VFS. You can opt to submit it in person at their office in Makati, or call their hotline to request for a two-way courier pick-up and delivery. Two-way courier fee is Php 600.

NZ

Celebrate getting your visa

I lodged my visa application on April 27, and dropped off my passport at the VIA (the previous third-party collecting agency) office on April 28. My visa was granted on May 3, and was delivered to my house on May 4. You would need to receive this in person or at least leave an authorization letter so that others can receive it for you.

Make sure to check the visa conditions. My visa had an “Expiry Date Travel 02 August 2016,” which meant that I have to enter New Zealand before that date. It wouldn’t work for me since I wasn’t flying into the country until September, so I called the embassy and asked what I can do to change the entry date.

The immigration officer I talked to was very nice, and quickly emailed me to send my passport back via VFS so they can reissue the visa label. The previous visa was cancelled, and a new label that expires in November. This took much longer than my initial application. My passport was picked up on May 11, and was returned on May 31.

Resources

New Zealand Visitor Visa
Small PDF – Convert, merge, compress

Comments

21 responses to “How to Apply for a New Zealand Tourist Visa Online”

  1. Tina Avatar

    This is very helpful post indeed. Thanks Nina.. Keep it up…

  2. Reese Avatar

    Very informative! Thanks!

  3. Armando Dela Cruz Avatar

    Helpful post, Nina! Bookmarking for when I take that trip. Thanks a million!

  4. Geri Avatar
    Geri

    Hi! I would like to ask if you know anything about the below. I was also granted a multiple entry tourist visa in Australia. I am planning to visit New Zealand while I’m here. I plan to lodge my application for a visitor visa to New Zealand here in Australia. Would you know if i’m still required to submit my passport to Manila or can i send it to any New Zealand embassy here in Australia?

    Appreciate in advance your help. Thank you!

    1. Jo Avatar
      Jo

      Hi Geri! I am in the same situation as you were. I would love to know if you succesfully applied and was granted with a tourist visa to NZ. Please let me know how you did it. Thanks

    2. Meann Avatar

      Hi, Jo! i wantwd to aalthe same question? I wonder hpw did it go? Did u have to send your passport back to Phil? Hope to hear from you soon.

      1. Nina Fuentes Avatar

        If you are a resident in the country you’re in now, I think you can send your passport to the embassy there.

      2. Meann meann Avatar

        Oh! No, i’m not resident here. i’m alao ok multiple tourist visa here in Oz. thata why i wonder if i apply online how to get the label as im currently in oz too

  5. jc Avatar
    jc

    HI to All,

    Just sharing if ur at australia and staying for 3 months you can apply online just provide your current address and they will email you where you can send your passport, just make sure your still living in that place. I send my passport at sydney living in Victoria.

  6. Ging Avatar
    Ging

    Hi. I would just like to ask for the NZ embassy phone number that you called. Did you have to go through VFS Global Manila? Thanks!

    1. Nina Fuentes Avatar

      I called the number in the New Zealand embassy website: +63 2 234 3800

      For the reissuance of my visa, after the advice of the consul, I sent it back through VFS.

  7. Nessa Avatar
    Nessa

    Hi po. Ask ko lang po, if I will be staying at my friend’s house in NZ, does he still needs to fill out the sponsorship form? I will be the one paying for my trip but I will be staying at my friend’s house po during the stay. ?

    1. Nina Fuentes Avatar

      Nope, but you need to list their address as your accommodation.

  8. Nessa Avatar
    Nessa

    Ok. Thank you. And also po, does he need To write an invitation letter?

    1. Nina Fuentes Avatar

      I don’t think it’s required, but I included it with my application

  9. nessa Avatar
    nessa

    Ok. Thank you so much po. 🙂

  10. Catherine Corpuz Avatar
    Catherine Corpuz

    I was also granted a multiple entry tourist visa in Australia. I lodged my application for a visitor visa to New Zealand here in Australia exactly 1 month today (paper application). I would like to know if anyone of you succesfully granted with a tourist visa to NZ and how long did it take for you to get the said visa.
    Thank you in advance.

  11. Kim Avatar
    Kim

    Catherine Corpuz — Hi. My NZ visa was emailed 3 days after lodging my application. I also have an Australian visa (multiple entry).

    1. Con Avatar
      Con

      Hi Kim,

      I am also in Australia applying for a visa to NZ… did you send your passport after you lodge your visa online application to Sydney or no need to send the passport? please reply… thanks!

      1. Kim Avatar
        Kim

        Hi, Con. No need to send your passport. Everything’s done online. Your visa will also be emailed, not stamped on your passport.

  12. kC Avatar
    kC

    i’m here in the philippines and wanted to be granted a mulitiple (unlimited) visa from NZVAC, i just came home from my j1 internship in the philippines and would like to explore new and exciting countries like NZ so could you recommend or suggest how you were able to get the “Multiple” tourist visa? and also was your onward ticket’s date from your application? thanks for your reply!

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