New Zealand Visa FAQs for Indians: 25 Questions Answered

These answers are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. Several INZ pages were read from recent archived captures because immigration.govt.nz was returning errors, so re-check figures on the live site before paying. Our New Zealand visa page for Indians has the full fee and route list.

Getting started: which visa and which channel?

Q1. Can Indians visit New Zealand without a visa?

No. India is not on New Zealand's visa-waiver list, and there is no visa on arrival. You need a visa before you travel.

Q2. I hold Australian PR. Do I still need a visa?

No. Holders of a current Australian permanent resident or resident return visa travel on an NZeTA and are normally given a visa at the border.

Q3. Can I still apply on paper?

Not for most visits. From 1 October 2026, visitor and selected transit visa applications must be made through Immigration Online. INZ emails the decision.

Q4. How long can a Visitor Visa let me stay?

Up to 9 months in an 18-month period. INZ issues either a multiple-entry visa (up to 6 months in each 12 months) or a single-entry visa (one stay of up to 9 months).

Q5. Do I need a visa just to change planes in Auckland?

Yes, a Transit Visa, unless you hold a valid New Zealand visa, are an Australian permanent resident or are travelling to or from Australia. Transit is allowed only at Auckland, for up to 24 hours in the transit area.

What will you pay INZ and VFS?

Q6. What makes up the NZD 441?

The application fee, a non-refundable immigration levy and the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL). Pay by Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay.

Q7. Why is the business visa cheaper?

Business Visitor Visas are exempt from the IVL: the NZD 341 is a NZD 300 application fee plus a NZD 41 levy.

Q8. Is the INZ fee published in rupees?

No. Only the VFS charges are published in INR. The passport handling fee is paid by demand draft to VFS GLOBAL SERVICES PVT LTD.

Q9. Will I get the fee back if I am declined?

No. The Visitor Visa fee is not refunded if the application is declined.

Which documents does INZ look for?

Q10. How much money must I show?

At least NZD 1,000 for each month of your stay, or NZD 400 a month if your accommodation is prepaid. A sponsor using form INZ 1025 is the alternative.

Q11. Which financial papers suit an Indian applicant?

INZ's India checklist (INZ 11223) lists bank statements or payslips for the previous 3 months showing salary credits, bank deposit books, credit card statements and limits, and income tax returns for the last two years.

Q12. Do I need to show a return ticket?

You must prove you can leave: an onward ticket, or funds to buy one on top of your living funds, or a sponsor's agreement. A verifiable flight reservation shows your planned dates without buying a ticket.

Q13. Is a cover letter required?

It is optional. INZ 11223 says you may include a cover letter on when you plan to travel, why and with whom (on business letterhead for business trips), plus a day-to-day itinerary and previous visas.

Q14. What photo does the online form accept?

A JPG or JPEG of 512 KB to 3.14 MB, portrait with a 3:4 ratio, taken within 6 months, with your face filling 70-80% of the image. No filters, editing or AI tools.

Q15. When are a chest X-ray or police certificate needed?

A chest X-ray if you will stay more than 6 months, because India is not a low-TB country. Police certificates if your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer.

Passports, centres and waiting time

Q16. Where are the VFS centres?

New Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai. Appointments are required. The New Zealand High Commission does not help with visa enquiries.

Q17. Do I have to hand over my passport?

Only if INZ instructs you on its 'Thank You' page or application PDF. Otherwise the online application proceeds without it.

Q18. How long does a Visitor Visa take?

INZ's headline figure is 80% within 2 weeks. It is busiest between September and March, especially for Christmas travel, so apply early.

Q19. Can I ask INZ to rush my application?

Only for a compelling reason, such as compelling personal or business circumstances, humanitarian factors or the national interest. Visitor applicants outside the Pacific call the Immigration Call Centre. Escalation affects only when your file is allocated.

Q20. How does VFS return passports?

By courier, with no more than two passports per bag. Pre-paid self-addressed envelopes are not accepted.

Refusals, students and workers

Q21. Can I ask INZ to reconsider a decline from India?

No. Reconsideration (NZD 220) is only for people who applied while in New Zealand and are still there on a valid visa. From India, you make a new application.

Q22. How often are Indian student visas declined?

INZ data for 2025 shows 39% of decided offshore student visa applications from Indian nationals were declined (2,838 of 7,235), against 15% for all nationalities. In 2024 the Indian figure was 50%. These are past results, not predictions.

Q23. What does a student visa cost and how much money is needed?

The Fee Paying Student Visa costs NZD 850. Self-funded tertiary students show NZD 20,000 for each year of study, or NZD 1,667 a month for shorter courses. INZ asks students to apply at least 3 months before travel.

Q24. What is the main work visa?

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), at NZD 1,540, with 80% decided within 5.5 weeks. You need a job offer from an accredited employer for at least 30 hours a week. INZ warns that job offer scams are common in India and that employers cannot charge you for a job.

Q25. What changes with the New Zealand-India FTA?

The agreement enters into force on 20 October 2026. It commits New Zealand to a working holiday scheme of up to 1,000 places a year and new India Skilled Work and India Iconic Work visas, which are exempt from the NZD 100 IVL. INZ had not published application details at the time of checking.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files. Packages range from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter; WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or reach us here.

Frequently asked questions

Is travel insurance mandatory for a New Zealand visitor visa?

No. INZ does not require it, but recommends full medical insurance for your stay because you or your sponsor must pay for any health care in New Zealand. Student visa holders must hold insurance acceptable to their education provider as a visa condition.

What does the Parent Boost Visitor Visa cost?

Applying from India, the Parent Boost Visitor Visa costs NZD 3,100, made up of a NZD 1,940 application fee, a NZD 1,060 immigration levy and the NZD 100 IVL. INZ expects processing to take around 4 months, so check its eligibility rules well before your parents plan to travel.

Can Indians get a New Zealand working holiday visa now?

Not as at October 2026. India is not on INZ's list of working holiday countries. The FTA scheme of up to 1,000 places a year had no published opening date or criteria when we checked.

Who can sponsor an Indian visitor to New Zealand?

A sponsor completes the Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) and shares their ID. Sponsorship can cover your living costs and your ticket out of New Zealand instead of your own funds.