How to Apply for a New Zealand Visa in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is America’s second most populous city after New York.  Greater Los Angeles—which includes Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Ventura County, and Orange County—has a population of nearly 19 million people.  Known for its endless sprawl, Greater Los Angeles is the largest metropolitan region in the United States by land area and includes over 200 cities such as Santa Monica, Pasadena, Culver City, Burbank, Long Beach, Carson, Irvine, Anaheim, and Inglewood.  Los Angeles and the Southern California region have always attracted newcomers from all over the world because of its huge economy.  It is an especially attractive destination for young people interested in the film and music industry.  Sharing a common language and culture, it’s not uncommon for New Zealanders to make their way to Los Angeles in search of new career opportunities.  Los Angeles is also home to America’s largest seaport and is an important entry point for New Zealand exports like wine, meat, and dairy products.  The government of New Zealand has a consulate in Los Angeles along with an office that promotes trade ties with America (called New Zealand Trade and Enterprise).  Kiwis in LA is an organization for New Zealanders that hosts social and business networking events. 

New Zealand consists of two large islands (the North Island and the South Island), as well as more than 700 smaller islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.  Located more than 1,000 miles southeast of Australia in the area known as Australasia, New Zealand’s remote location made it one of the last areas on Earth to be settled by humans.  It is a country of diverse climates, vast wildernesses, and unique wildlife (such as the kiwi), including volcanic craters, majestic mountains, and more than 9,300 miles of rugged coastline.  The stunning and exotic landscapes of New Zealand make it a favorite location for Los Angeles filmmakers and tourists alike.  Native-born filmmaker Peter Jackson put the country’s rugged beauty front in center in his “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” trilogies. Projects ranging from “The Chronicles of Narnia” to “Wolverine” to “Mission Impossible” have followed, using New Zealand’s towering mountains, mist-cloaked fjords and golden beaches to create untamed and mystical backdrops.    

Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand and the main entry point for travelers from Los Angeles, sprawls amongst volcanic hills on the North Island between two major harbors.  The city is a multi-cultural hub of food, music, arts and culture. Popular Auckland tourist activities include touring the Auckland Art Museum; climbing the Sky Tower; visiting Waiheke Island, the “island of wine”; and exploring the beaches, villages, and Farmers' Market at Matakana.  Outdoor attractions around Auckland include a whale and dolphin safari in the Hauraki Gulf; stargazing at the Great Barrier Island, kayaking to the volcanic cones at Rangitoto Island, and bungee jumping into Waitemata Harbour.  The cities of Christchurch, Queenstown, Rotorua, and the national capital of Wellington also draw a steady flow of foreign visitors with a blend of Western amenities, local cultural delights, and distinctive outdoor destinations.  Other well-known draws in less populated areas include mountain climbing at Aroki/Mount Cook in the Southern Alps, the highest peak in New Zealand; visiting the fjords of Milford Sound; surfing and scuba diving off the coast; fishing and sailing in the Bay of Islands; touring the peaks and valleys of Arthur's Pass National Park; and exploring the Waitomo Caves.

New Zealand Visa Eligibility

From early 2020 through January 2022, New Zealand severely limited international travel to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.  While many preventative measures remain in place, the rules may change frequently as new COVID variants arise.  The U.S. Embassy in New Zealand tracks current information at https://nz.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information.

Citizens of the United States living in the Los Angeles area and permanent residents of the United States with foreign passports, are eligible to enter New Zealand if they meet various criteria.  All airline passengers from the United States ages 17 years and older, regardless of vaccination status or citizenship, must provide a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within 48 hours of travel.  The government is also ending its quarantine and isolation requirements as it reopens its borders.

Beyond COVID-19 restrictions, applicants for New Zealand tourist, student, work, and other types of traditional visas are required to meet a number of requirements, as detailed at https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/options/visit.  Required documentation that may be needed for traditional visas include:

  • U.S. passport valid for at least the next six months.
  • Two passport-sized photos.
  • Visa application
  • Round trip itinerary, including air travel tickets
  • Letter outlining reasons for visiting
  • Police certificates/criminal checks for certain long-term visas
  • Proof of good character
  • Medical certification
  • Have enough money to cover your stay and return trip home.

Obtaining an Electronic Travel Authority Visa from Los Angeles

New Zealand offers a number of visa options, but the best choice for most residents of Los Angeles is the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visa issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the New Zealand government https://nzeta.immigration.govt.nz.  The ETA replaces the traditional paper visa.  It is good for up to two years and allows you to arrive in New Zealand multiple times and stay up to 90 days during each trip. 

The fastest way to apply is through the NZeTA mobile app, which is available at the Apple App Store and Google Play for iOS and Android devices, respectively.  It takes about five minutes to apply. Fill out the form, attach the necessary paperwork, and submit.  You will typically receive notification from the government within 72 hours (although it can take as little as 10 minutes).  You can check your status using the following website: https://nzeta.immigration.govt.nz/check-status.

The basic ETA fee is NZD 9 (about $6 US) if you use the app or NZD 12 (roughly $8) if you apply online.  You will also have to pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) of NZD 35 (about $23) at the same time you apply for the ETA.

To apply using the app, you must have:

  • Valid U.S. passport. (The app can scan an image of your passport.)
  • Passport-type photo, or a camera-ready device that can take your photo
  • Valid email address to verify application
  • Credit/debit card (Visa or Mastercard) to pay fee

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you live in Los Angeles or anywhere in Southern California and have difficulty applying for a New Zealand visa or require assistance with any part of the visa process, please give our office a call at 404-682-5445 or schedule an appointment with our company.  We are a private agency in Atlanta providing New Zealand visa services for Americans and other U.S.-based residents.  Our number one goal is to ensure your application documents for a visa are submitted accurately to the New Zealand government.  Our services eliminate delays and give you the peace of mind to focus on your travel plans. 

We provide the following New Zealand visa services for our customers in Los Angeles:

  • New Zealand Tourist E-Visa (ETA)
  • New Zealand Tourist Visa
  • New Zealand Business E-Visa (ETA)
  • New Zealand Business Visa
  • New Zealand Work Visa
  • New Zealand Student Visa
  • New Zealand Hotel Accommodations