The New Zealand government has introduced streamlined visa measures for Chinese passport holders already holding valid Australian visitor, work, student, or family visas. Under the new policy, eligible travelers can visit New Zealand for up to three months without needing a separate visa, as part of a 12-month trial aimed at attracting more Chinese tourists.
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford emphasized the initiative’s role in strengthening New Zealand’s appeal as a travel destination. “In 2024, we issued over 240,000 Chinese visitor visas, and we aim to grow this number further,” she stated in a press release. “This change will simplify, expedite, and reduce costs for Chinese travelers crossing the Tasman Sea to visit New Zealand.”
As part of the trial, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will establish a dedicated hotline and support system for Chinese “Approved Destination Status” travel agents. The agency will also launch simplified Chinese web content to improve accessibility. Additionally, applicants for visitor visas will no longer need certified document translations, eliminating extra fees for all applicants—not just those from China.
These updates complement existing measures, including a five-year multiple-entry visitor visa and an average processing time of five working days for Chinese applications. Stanford highlighted China’s significance as a key tourism market, noting that visitors from China contributed NZ$1.24 billion to the economy in the year ending March 2025. However, she stressed the need for further growth to maximize economic benefits across hospitality and tourism sectors.
The announcement aligns with broader efforts to ease visa restrictions, including calls from Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and reciprocal visa-free travel arrangements for New Zealanders visiting China last year.
