Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has announced that a temporary reduction in visitor visa fees for Pacific nationals will take effect from June 1, 2026 for 12 months. The total cost will be reduced to NZD 161 from NZD 216 (this includes the standard immigration levy of NZD 41).
This fee reduction only applies to individuals applying outside of New Zealand.
Pacific visitors already pay lower fees than visitors from other countries and are not required to pay the International Visitor and Conservation Levy. For comparison, the total visitor visa cost for visitors from other countries is NZD 441.
Parent Boost Visitor Visa and Group Visitor Visas are not included in this fee reduction.
Other recent changes to visa arrangements for Pacific nationals include:
- longer default visa durations (24 months);
- the current trial of a visa-free pathway for Pacific travelers from Australia.
People visiting from the following Pacific nations will have reduced visitor visa fees:
- American Samoa
- the Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- Kiribati
- Nauru
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Samoa, Solomon Islands
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
Note:
- People from the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau are New Zealand citizens and do not need visas.
- Citizens and permanent residents of Australia also travel visa-free under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement.
- People from New Caledonia and French Polynesia are French citizens and already eligible for visa-free travel. While people from Pitcairn Islands may be eligible for the reduced fee, as British citizens they are also already eligible for visa-free travel.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.