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New Zealand Travel Tips & Questions

Do I need to apply for a Visa before my trip starts?

If you do not intend to do any work while you are in New Zealand the rules are straightforward. If you are a UK citizen you are automatically entitled to stay in New Zealand for 3 months which is instantly extended to 6 months if you request it at airport immigration. Once you are in the country you can apply to extend this stay even further to 9 months or even 12 by visiting an immigration office. A fee is applicable and you will have to prove you have sufficient funds to support yourself without working.

For those aged between 18 to 30 you can apply for a working holiday visa before you go which can be done online. This is valid for 12 months and can be extended to 23 months once you are in New Zealand with certain conditions attached. There is a recent exception to the upper age limit of 30 on temporary/holiday work in New Zealand through the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme which aims to fill vacancies in the horticulture and viticulture areas (most commonly fruit picking).

For further details of all the above see NZ's Immigration website.