New Zealand eTA for UK citizens: fee, levy and how to apply

Yes. A British citizen does not need a visa for a visit of up to six months, but you must hold an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) before you travel. It costs from NZ$17 (about £7) on the official app, and most visitors also pay a separate NZ$100 visitor levy (about £42).

This guide is for travellers leaving the UK on a British passport. It covers who needs the NZeTA, what it costs on the app and on the website, how long it lasts, what the passport and funds rules are, and what to do on arrival. It does not sell an NZeTA and files nothing for you: Immigration New Zealand sets the rules and decides each request. The NZeTA is also searched as the NZ ETA or the New Zealand ETA; it is the same authorisation.

The NZeTA is the permission that replaces a visa for citizens of visa waiver countries, and the United Kingdom is one of them. GOV.UK says visa-free visitors need an NZeTA before travelling, and INZ describes it as the way to visit or transit New Zealand without first applying for a visa.

• Visiting. Every British passport holder travelling for a holiday or a short visit needs one, whether you arrive by air or by sea.
• Changing planes. GOV.UK says transit passengers generally need an NZeTA or a transit NZeTA. INZ adds that transit is allowed at Auckland International Airport only, for no more than 24 hours.
• Cruise passengers. INZ says cruise passengers can travel on an NZeTA and are treated as holding a visitor visa when they arrive.
• Crew. A ship or cargo crew member does not use the ordinary NZeTA: INZ says the employer requests a Crew ETA through its batch system.

An NZeTA is permission to travel, not a promise of entry. INZ lists the conditions that apply to every traveller, and they are covered further down this page.

A stopover in Auckland on the way to somewhere else still needs the authorisation, in its transit form. INZ says you must stay in the transit area, for no more than 24 hours, and that you cannot collect your bags there. Ask your airline to transfer them through, or use the International Transit Desk.

There is no accommodation in the transit area, and INZ says transit passengers do not need to complete a traveller declaration. If your connection involves an overnight wait, plan around those limits before you book rather than after.

The NZeTA costs NZ$17 (about £7) if you request it on the INZ mobile app and NZ$23 (about £10) on the INZ website. On top of that, INZ charges the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) of NZ$100 (about £42) to most visitors who request an NZeTA, so a first-time British visitor on the app pays NZ$117 (about £49) in all, and NZ$123 (about £52) on the website.

The levy is non-refundable and is collected through the immigration system with the NZeTA fee, so you pay both in one go. The fee table we read does not say whether the levy is also charged on a transit request, so check the total on the official screen before you pay.

The app is cheaper. The difference is NZ$6 per request, about £3, and INZ says the app also lets you request an NZeTA for up to 10 people at once. The website takes a separate request for each person.

For a couple or a family the saving adds up, because each person is a separate request on the website. Either way, use the passport you will travel on: INZ says the same passport must be used for the request and for the journey.

An NZeTA is valid for two years for most travellers, according to INZ and GOV.UK, and you can use it for several visits in that time. Each visit can last up to three months, or up to six months for UK citizens, but you cannot spend more than six months in New Zealand in any 12-month period.

• Per visit. Six months for a British passport, compared with three months for most other nationalities on the NZeTA.
• Per year. No more than six months in any 12 months, counted back from the date you plan to leave.
• Departure. INZ says your departure must fall within six months of arrival for UK passport holders.
• Work or study. GOV.UK says a visa is needed for either, so the NZeTA does not cover a job or a course.

The two-year clock runs on the authorisation, but it is tied to your passport. Check the expiry date of the passport you plan to use before you pay, because a new passport means a new request.

Your passport must be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave New Zealand, according to both INZ and GOV.UK. GOV.UK adds that some countries on your route may ask for six months, so check every stop. Count from your departure date, not your arrival.

INZ also sets a funds test. You need enough money to support yourself: at least about £420 a month, or about £170 a month if your accommodation is already paid for. Travellers who are sponsored need a visa rather than an NZeTA. At the border you may be asked to prove it, and GOV.UK says you must also show a return or onward ticket.

• Onward travel. A paid flight out of New Zealand, or a cruise itinerary, is the usual proof. Keep it on your phone and on paper.
• Genuine visit. INZ expects a real intention to visit.

You can request an NZeTA on the INZ app or on the INZ website. Whichever you use, have your passport and a card ready, and expect to upload an acceptable photo.

1. Go to the official source. Start from the INZ NZeTA page, which links to the app and the website.
2. Enter your passport details exactly as printed. Use the passport you will travel on.
3. Add a photo. INZ asks for an acceptable photo with the request.
4. Answer the questions. They follow the requirements INZ sets, covered under eligibility below.
5. Pay the fee and the levy. Payment is made online with the request.
6. Keep the confirmation email. INZ says you must show it at check-in, so save it on your phone.

You can check the status of a request online, or ask for a change after you have sent it.

Allow up to 72 hours, which is about three days. INZ and GOV.UK give the same figure. Neither source promises a faster answer, so we would not leave it to the week of departure.

Because you must show the confirmation at check-in, a request still pending on the day you fly puts the trip at risk. Apply once your flights are booked and your passport details are final.

INZ lists the requirements, and a request can fail on any of them. The two that surprise travellers most are health and character.

• Health. INZ says you must be in good health. Someone who is coming for medical treatment or a consultation needs a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa instead of an NZeTA.
• Character. A criminal conviction, a past deportation or exclusion, or a perceived security risk may prevent approval, according to INZ.
• Funds and onward travel. The money and ticket rules above apply at the request as well as at the border.
• Intention to leave. INZ requires a genuine intention to leave at the end of the stay.

If you have a conviction, the NZeTA pages we read do not set out which offences count or how long they matter. Ask INZ directly before you book instead of relying on a guess.

Everyone entering New Zealand, including NZeTA holders, must complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD). It is free and available on the official NZTD site and in the NZTD app, and each traveller needs their own, babies and children included.

You can submit it up to 24 hours before your trip starts, and it must be done by the time you reach passport control. The questions are offered in several languages, but the answers must be in English. Customs and biosecurity are part of the same form.

GOV.UK is blunt about biosecurity: most food cannot be brought in, and wood and leather products, golf clubs, tents and fishing equipment can carry pests or disease and must be checked. Penalties can reach about £42,200 or a prison sentence. Declare anything doubtful rather than hope it passes.

We checked the rules on 30 October 2026 against the INZ NZeTA page and the GOV.UK foreign travel advice for New Zealand, and the fee table against INZ's own rates from 1 October 2024. None of these pages shows a last-updated date, so we cannot say when the wording last changed. Fees and levies change, so confirm the amount on the official screen before you pay.

Planning more than one trip? Our entry requirements hub for British passport holders lists the rules destination by destination. Another online permission worth comparing is the Canada eTA for UK citizens, and the Australian visa guide for UK citizens covers the neighbouring route many travellers combine with New Zealand.

The rule to remember fits in one line: a British passport holder flying to New Zealand needs an NZeTA first, from NZ$17 (about £7) on the app plus a NZ$100 levy (about £42), valid for two years.

• Do I need an NZeTA to visit New Zealand with a British passport?

  Yes. GOV.UK says visa-free visitors need an NZeTA before travelling. You do not need a visa for a visit of up to six months.

• How much is the NZeTA in pounds?

  It is NZ$17 (about £7) on the INZ app and NZ$23 (about £10) on the website, at the European Central Bank rate of 29 October 2026. Most visitors also pay the NZ$100 levy (about £42).

• What is the New Zealand visitor levy?

  The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy is NZ$100 (about £42) per eligible person, according to INZ’s fee table. It is non-refundable and is paid with the NZeTA fee.

• How long is an NZeTA valid?

  Two years for most travellers, according to INZ and GOV.UK. It is tied to your passport, so use the one you will travel on.

• How long can I stay in New Zealand on a British passport?

  Up to six months per visit, but no more than six months in any 12-month period, according to INZ.

• How long does the NZeTA take?

  Allow up to 72 hours. INZ and GOV.UK both give that figure, so apply as soon as your flights are booked.

• Is the app really cheaper than the website?

  Yes. INZ charges NZ$17 on the app and NZ$23 on the website, and the app can handle up to 10 people at once.

• Do I need an NZeTA to change planes in Auckland?

  Yes, GOV.UK says transit passengers generally need an NZeTA or a transit NZeTA. INZ limits transit to the Auckland transit area for no more than 24 hours.

• How valid must my passport be?

  At least three months after the day you plan to leave New Zealand, according to INZ and GOV.UK. Check any other country on your route too.

• What is the New Zealand Traveller Declaration?

  A free form every traveller must complete, NZeTA holders included. You can submit it up to 24 hours before you travel and must do so by passport control.

• Can I get an NZeTA if I have a criminal conviction?

  INZ says a conviction, a past deportation or exclusion, or a security concern may prevent approval. The pages we read do not list which offences count, so ask INZ before you book.

• Do UK citizens need a visa for New Zealand?

  No visa is needed for a visit of up to six months, but you must hold an NZeTA before you travel. GOV.UK says visa-free visitors need an NZeTA before travelling.