New Zealand
New Zealand Moves Selected Visitor and Transit Visa Applications Online: Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is set to end the use of paper application forms for a range of visitor and transit visas, as part of a wider move towards digital immigration services.
From 1 October 2026, applicants for selected visitor and transit visas will be required to submit their applications through INZ’s enhanced Immigration Online system. The change is aimed at making the visa application process simpler, faster and more transparent for travellers, while reducing paperwork and improving the efficiency of visa processing.
Paper applications to end for selected visas
The new requirement will apply to the Transit Visa as well as a wide range of visitor visa categories.
These include the General Visitor Visa, Business Visitor Visa, Group Visitor Visa, Academic Visitor Visa, Guardian Visitor Visa, Medical Treatment Visitor Visa, Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa, Sports Events Visitor Visa, Visiting Media Visitor Visa and several other specialised visitor categories.
Applicants who have already submitted paper applications before 1 October 2026 will not be affected. Immigration New Zealand has confirmed that those applications will continue to be processed normally.
Digital system offers greater convenience
INZ said the move reflects several years of progressively transferring visa application and processing services to enhanced Immigration Online. Most visitor visa applications and all transit visa applications can already be submitted digitally.
The online system allows applicants to upload supporting documents electronically, reducing the need for physical paperwork and, in some circumstances, physical copies of documents such as passports.
Applicants will also be able to receive real-time updates on their applications, providing greater visibility of the process.
The system includes built-in guidance and questions designed to help applicants understand what information and documentation they need to provide. Applications can also adapt to an applicant’s circumstances, potentially reducing incomplete submissions and processing delays.
Another feature is the Identity Document Reader, which can automatically capture passport information, helping reduce the possibility of data-entry errors.
Limited exceptions for paper applications
While online applications will become mandatory for the affected visa categories, INZ said paper applications will still be considered in exceptional circumstances.
People who believe they cannot apply online are advised to contact Immigration New Zealand to discuss their individual circumstances before submitting a paper application.
Some visas remain outside the change
The October transition does not cover every visitor visa category. INZ will continue accepting applications through existing channels for a number of visas, although the agency has indicated that paper applications could be phased out for additional categories in the future.
Visas currently excluded from the change include several partner and child visitor visas, including Partner of a Student Visitor Visa, Partner of a Worker Visitor Visa, Partner of a New Zealander Visitor Visa, as well as corresponding child categories.
Other excluded categories include the Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa, Refugee Claimant Visitor Visa and Trafficking Child Victim Visitor Visa.
Important date for travellers
For people planning travel to New Zealand, the change means that applications for the affected visa categories should be prepared through the enhanced Immigration Online system from 1 October 2026.
Immigration New Zealand is encouraging applicants to use its online visa information and application services to check requirements and submit applications.
The move represents another step in New Zealand’s broader digitalisation of immigration services, with the government seeking to make the visa process more accessible while improving the accuracy and efficiency of applications and processing.
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