Source: New Zealand Government
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Immigration Minister Erica Stanford have announced further changes to visitor visa settings for Pacific people, making it more affordable for Pacific visitors to travel to New Zealand.
“From 1 June this year, the total cost of applying for a visitor visa for Pacific nationals will drop from $216 to $161, for a 12-month period, as part of New Zealand’s ongoing work to deepen Pacific connections,” Mr Peters says.
“This is a practical update to visitor visa settings that reduces cost, supports easier travel and helps strengthen the relationships that matter most.”
“These updates build on earlier improvements, such as longer visa durations – from one year to two years with multiple entries – along with reduced processing times, new escalation processes to support urgent travel, and the current visa‑free trial for Pacific travellers coming from Australia,” Ms Stanford says.
“Together, these changes make it easier and cheaper for Pacific visitors to come to New Zealand, while ensuring the system remains clear, predictable and secure. The Government will review the impacts in a year’s time, before deciding what happens next.”
Further details on eligibility and timing will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
For more information, visit Immigration New Zealand’s website: www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/news-centre/visitor-visa-fees-temporarily-reduced-for-pacific-nationals/
Media contacts:
Mr Peters: John Tulloch +64 21 868 943
Ms Stanford: Michael van der Kwast +64 21 875 347
Notes to editor:
This change applies to people visiting from American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
As part of the Realm of New Zealand, people from the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau do not need visas to travel to New Zealand. Neither do citizens and permanent residents from Australia, given the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement.
People from New Caledonia and French Polynesia are French citizens and already eligible for visa-free travel. While people from Pitcairn Islands may be eligible for the reduced fee, as British citizens they are also already eligible for visa-free travel.
Visitor visas for Pacific Islands Forum nationals moved to a 24‑month multi‑entry default from 6 July 2025.
A 12‑month trial, from 3 November 2025, allows Pacific passport holders travelling from Australia on a valid Australian visa to enter New Zealand visa‑free with an NZeTA for visits of up to three months.
These changes follow two earlier updates announced in April 2025:
