
By Gurbir Singh:
The government has now confirmed details of the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) for travellers to New Zealand from visa-waiver countries.
From July 2019 travellers will be able to request an ETA, and it will become mandatory for travel from 1 October 2019 onwards.
The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will also be introduced alongside the ETA from the same day.
The ETA is a new facilitation measure that will help to speed things up at the border and aims to enhance security and reduce immigration risks.
According to the announcement, from 1 October 2019, all air travellers from 60 visa waiver countries, and all cruise travellers, will need to hold an ETA before travelling to New Zealand. An ETA will be valid up to 2 years and cost NZD $9.00 for mobile application requests and NZD $12.00 for web browser requests.
The IVL will cost NZD $35.00 and once paid, the IVL will last as long as the ETA is valid.
Similarly, all airline crew and cruise line crew will need to hold a Crew ETA before travelling to New Zealand. A Crew ETA will last up to 5 years and cost NZD $9.00.
New Zealand citizens (provided they travel on their New Zealand passports) and holders of valid New Zealand visas (both resident visas and temporary visas) will continue to be able to enter New Zealand without an ETA.
Passengers from a visa waiver country or a transit visa waiver country, who are transiting through New Zealand, are also required to hold an ETA from 1 October 2019, even if New Zealand is not their final destination.
Australian citizens will be exempt, however, Australian permanent residents will need to hold an ETA, but will not be required to pay for an IVL.