New Zealand cuts Visitor Visa fee to NZD 161 for Pacific nationals

NZD 161 visitor visa fee runs through May 2027 for Pacific nationals

New Zealand cut its visitor visa fee for eligible Pacific nationals to NZD 161 from NZD 216, with the reduction taking effect June 1 under a 12-month trial, Immigration New Zealand confirmed. The price drop covers the application charge and the NZD 41 immigration levy and applies only to standard Visitor Visa applications lodged from outside New Zealand.

The trial expires May 31, 2027, when regulations restore the higher fee. For context, visitor visa applicants from most other visa-required countries pay roughly NZD 441.

Who gets the lower fee

The reduced rate covers nationals of Pacific Islands Forum countries: American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Travelers from Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau hold New Zealand citizenship and need no visa. Australian citizens and permanent residents enter visa-free under the Trans-Tasman arrangement, so the change doesn't affect them.

Eligible applicants include tourists, family visitors and Pacific passport holders living abroad who apply offshore. Remote workers on Pacific passports can use the visa for tourism stays, though standard visitor rules still bar employment with New Zealand entities. Several categories sit outside the trial: Parent Retirement Visitor Visas, Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visas, Group Visitor Visas and any visitor application filed inside New Zealand.

How to apply at the reduced rate

Applications must be lodged from outside New Zealand between June 1, 2026 and May 31, 2027 to qualify. Travel dates can fall later, provided the application itself sits inside the window.

Standard Visitor Visa conditions still apply. Stays run up to six months in any 12-month period, with some cases extending to nine months. Applicants need a valid passport, onward travel evidence and proof of funds at NZD 1,000 per month or NZD 400 per month if accommodation is prepaid. Health and character requirements remain unchanged.

Applications go through Immigration New Zealand's online portal under the standard Visitor Visa pathway, with the lower fee calculated automatically for eligible nationalities.

Read our full New Zealand guide for the complete picture.