On June 15, 2025, the New Zealand government announced changes to visa settings and processes for Chinese visitors.
Most Chinese visitors receive a five-year multiple entry visitor visa.
From November, for 12 months, New Zealand will trial visa waiver status for Chinese passport holders travelling from Australia with a valid Australian visitor, work, student or family visa, allowing them to visit for up to 3 months. This does not include people transiting through Australia.
Eligible Chinese travelers will still have to obtain a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), although this costs less than a visitor visa and is processed more quickly.
The changes will also be supplemented by additional support to make it easier for Chinese tourists applying for a visa.
This includes:
- Additional dedicated contact points for the Chinese travel industry with staff based in China, and a phone number they can call for direct support between 07:00 and 18:00 NZT (02:00 to 13:00 CST) Monday to Friday.
- Specific web content is now available in Simplified Chinese.
- Visitor Visa applications for Chinese nationals are currently being processed in just five days on average as of June 2025.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.