How to apply for a New Zealand tourist visa? In this article, we’ll be enumerating all the requirements we submitted and the steps we’ve taken in order to be granted a short-stay New Zealand visa for tourism or visiting family or friends. Please note that this is simply a compilation of everything I know based on my own and my friends’ personal experience. This should NOT be taken as official Immigration advice. If you’re after a Resident visa, student visa, or work visa, know this article will not be able to help you as it is focused only on Visitor Visa.
New Year, new adventure! It does feel like a new start because last year, we have closed our country count at 60. And what better way to kick off a new era than by exploring the breathtaking landscapes of New Zealand! Yes, New Zealand is our Country #61!
Whether you’re dreaming of hiking through Milford Sound, saying hello to the glowworms of Rotorua, or finally living out your Lord of the Rings fantasy, there’s one thing you’ll need before booking that flight: a New Zealand visa.
The good news? The entire application process can be done online! No need for embassy visits or long queues: just a few clicks, some documents, and you’re on your way to Middle Earth. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of applying for a New Zealand visa for Filipinos, including requirements, fees, and some tips to boost your chances of approval. Let’s get started!
1. Determine the right visa type for you.
New Zealand offers plenty of visit visa options, with varying lengths of stay allowed and documents required. If your purpose of visit is tourism and you enter it on the official Immigration website, you’ll mainly be presented with three types:
- New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), the e-visa version, but unfortunately, most Filipinos are not eligible for this for now unless they’re arriving by cruise ship. You may check eligibility criteria here.
- Visitor Visa, which will allow you to visit on a holiday or for tourism, stay with family and friends, play amateur sport, or get married in New Zealand.
- Group Visitor Visa, similar to the regular Visitor visa but a more convenient option for groups traveling together with the same purpose and travel arrangements (same flights, same accommodations).
In this article, we’ll be focusing on the Visitor Visa only because that’s what I applied for.
2. Complete the requirements.
While the entire application can be done online, before you start the process, you must first gather all the requirements. But take note of the following:
- Scan all these documents and save them as a PDF file, except the photo which must be JPEG.
- You can only upload one file per item. If your document has multiple individual pages, combine them all in one file. For example, if your bank statement has one page per month, make sure to merge all these pages to create just one file.
- Submit as many document types as you can for better chances of approval. Only the first three items — passport, photo, and itinerary — are tagged as “required” on the website. The other items on this list are marked “Optional”. Technically, you can submit your application with just the passport, photo, and itinerary. But of course, we highly urge you to also submit the other documents, too, because it is not realistic to expect being granted a visa with only those three.
Anyway, below is the list of the documents to submit for your New Zealand visa application.
a. Passport
Must be valid. Make sure you still have at least 6 months of validity so you won’t run into PH Immigration problems later.
Text must be readable.
b. Photo
- Passport-size. Dimensions should NOT be smaller than 900 x 1200 pixels, but not larger than 2250 x 3000 pixels.
- Soft copy (JPEG). File size should be between 500 KB and 3 MB.
- Non-white background. Gray, ideally.
You can take the photo yourself as long as you follow the specifications listed by the government. You can find the full photo guidelines here.
But I suggest that you just go to a photo studio and let the professionals do it.
c. Evidence of Purpose of Visit
This can be an itinerary detailing your day-by-day stay in New Zealand.
This is the format I submitted:
d. Evidence of Genuine Intent
With this, you must prove that the purpose of travel that you declared is true, and that you will be coming back home after your trip. You can submit any or all of the following:
- Proof of leave of absence from work, showing that you have a job to return to after the trip. I submitted a Certificate of Employment that also indicates that my leave of absence has been filed and approved.
- Passport stamps and visas, proving you have visited other countries before.
- Proof of accommodations, which can be a hotel booking for tourists. This is optional and you may choose to skip this. But if you want to submit to increase your odds, book a hotel that has a FREE CANCELLATION policy so you can easily refund should you be refused a visa. Search for free-cancellation hotels here! Make sure the room you’re booking is marked “Free cancellation.” Use promo code THEPOORTRAVELERKLOOK for extra discount!
- Flight booking, to show you plan to exit New Zealand. Again, this is optional only. If you already have this, then go ahead and submit. But if you don’t have it yet, you may opt to not submit. But if you really want to submit this for better chances, don’t submit an actual ticket. Submit a flight reservation instead, which can be cancelled in case you get denied a visa. You can get this from travel agencies. We usually get ours from Gazelle Travel & Tours, a licensed and accredited travel agency here in the Philippines. You can order flight reservations online here!
- Australian visa, only if applicable. If you don’t have this, you can ignore this. If you do, submit it. I think this could massively help your application. In our group, those who submitted an Australia visa got approved a lot faster than those who didn’t.
e. Evidence of Funds
This can be bank statements and/or bank certificates.
I submitted two bank accounts: payroll account and savings account. I created one PDF file per bank account. One file, I uploaded under Evidence of Funds, while the other under Other Evidence (which I will discuss below).
f. Evidence you are visiting family or friends
Only if applicable. If you have family or friends in New Zealand that you plan to visit, you must provide your contact’s:
- names
- addresses
- contact numbers
- their New Zealand visa or citizenship status
I didn’t provide any of these because I was traveling for tourism.
If you’re visiting a partner or family member working in New Zealand but they cannot support a visa for you, you may also be asked to submit a cover letter stating the details of your trip and the purpose of your visit.
g. Credit card or debit card
You will be paying the NZD 100 visa fee online, so make sure you have a valid credit card of debit card.
Other Optional Documents
You’ll also encounter a section for “Other Evidence.” This refers to other documents that can help prove your character and genuine intent. It can be any of the following:
- Cover letter
- ITR (tax document)
- Certificate of Employment
- Additional bank accounts (other financial information)
- Birth certificate
Yes, I also uploaded a cover letter because remember, everything’s online. Having a cover letter allowed me to properly explain my purpose of travel and clarify any aspect that needs clarification. You can use the cover letter to explain if you’re just new at your current job or why your bank account is newly opened, or whatever.
I also uploaded a birth certificate only because I had a digital copy of it. If you don’t have one, it’s OK. I don’t think it’s going to make or break your application. But if you have it, feel free to submit it.
3. Create a RealMe Account.
RealMe is the official account management portal of the New Zealand Immigration department. To be able to apply for a New Zealand visa, you must first register for a RealMe account. Here’s how:
- Visit the Visitor Visa page.
- Click on APPLY ONLINE.
- Click on the LOG IN button. It will then take you to the REALME page.
- Click on CREATE A REALME LOG IN button. If you’re viewing the site on a mobile phone, you first need to tick off “I need to create a log in” in order for the log-in button to appear.
- Enter a valid email address. Then click SEND CODE. Check your inbox and enter the confirmation code in the designated field. Click CONFIRM CODE.
- Set a username and password. Click CONTINUE.
- Enter your mobile number. You’ll also be asked a choose security questions and provide answers. Click the CONTINUE button.
That’s it!
You’ll be redirected to your RealMe dashboard. You may be asked to log in again.
4. Start your online application.
To do this:
- Click on MY VISAS. On the next page, you’ll find a section called DRAFT APPLICATIONS.
- Click on APPLY FOR A VISA. On the next page, scroll down.
- Under YOUR SITUATION, select TEMPORARY VISA. Since this guide is for those traveling for tourism only, make sure you select answers pertaining to TOURIST or HOLIDAY purpose. Towards the bottom of the page, you should see GENERAL VISITOR VISA.
- Click on START MY APPLICATION.
That’s it. Now, it’s time to fill out the application form.
5. Fill out the application form.
If you’re coming from the application dashboard and you’re applying for yourself, look for the row labeled PRINCIPAL APPLICANT under the APPLICANTS section. Then click CONTINUE on the same row. It will then take you to the application form.
The good news is: this form is not too complicated. There are only a few questions. Unlike the US Visa and Australian visa application form which have around 20 pages, the New Zealand visa application form has only seven (7) pages, which are about the following:
- Page 1: Identity Details. You’ll be asked to enter your name, passport details, immigration history, photo with gray background, email address, contact numbers, and physical address.
- Page 2: Purpose of Visit. You’ll be asked to declare that you can afford to pay for this trip. It will also ask you if you possess NZD 1000 per person per month, if you have already booked your accommodations, and if there is anyone below 16 in this application.
- Page 3: Character. Questions are about whether you have been convicted for a crime, deported from another country, or refused a visa before. You must answer truthfully.
- Page 4: Health. In particular, you’ll be asked whether you have tuberculosis, whether you’ll be needing medical care during your stay in New Zealand, and whether you have undergone a medical examination for this application. The last bit made me pause for a bit because it made me think a medical test was required. But don’t panic. I answered NO to this but I was not asked for medical test results.
- Page 5: Employment History. Input your employer’s details including the name of the company and how long you have been employed. If you’re self-employed, enter your business information. The form only requires your CURRENT employment.
- Page 6: Relationships. You’ll be asked for your relationship status: single, married, engaged, widowed, etc. You’ll spot a Partner/De Facto option, which refers to people in a relationship and live together in the same address for a considerable length of time. Straight and LGBTQIA+ relationships are covered here. You’ll also be asked if your partner is included in this visa application. If so, enter their details.
- Page 7: Immigration Assistance. You need to declare whether you’re accomplishing the form on behalf of someone else or you have sought the assistance of an Immigration adviser. I answered NO to both questions.
That’s it!
💡 TIP! At any point, you can SAVE your progress. You don’t need to complete the form in one sitting. If there are details that you don’t have yet or are unsure of or you simply cannot finish it, you can click on SAVE & EXIT to save your progress and pick up where you left off another time.
But once you’re through, you’ll be led to the next section, which is….
6. Upload supporting documents.
Before you could upload, you’ll be asked if all the documents you’re submitting are in English. If so, select YES. Having your documents in English will make things easier.
Then it’s time to upload your supporting documents. To do that, just click on BROWSE and select the file you intend to upload.
- Identity evidence: a copy of your passport. You’ll also find this question: Are you living in a country that is not your country of citizenship? If you’re based in the Philippines, answer NO.
- Purpose of visit evidence: detailed itinerary.
- Evidence of genuine intent. proof from employer that your leave of absence is approved. There is also a section about Australian visa. An AU visa is NOT required, but if you have one, upload it because it’ll help improve your chances. Otherwise, you can just skip this part. You’ll also be encouraged to upload other documents that can serve as proof of genuine intent. I attached a Certificate of Employment, flight reservation, and hotel booking.
- Evidence of funds. Under “Are you providing bank or financial statements…?”, answer YES, upload your bank documents, and enter the details of your bank account.
- Other evidence. You can upload your BIR Income Tax Return (ITR) and additional bank accounts under OTHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION. You can also submit a cover letter.
💡 IMPORTANT NOTES!
- Your documents must all be in PDF file format. Make sure they are all readable and NOT password-protected. Bank statements, especially those downloaded online, are usually encrypted. If that’s the case, ensure that you remove the password before uploading so the evaluator could access them.
- If you upload the wrong file, you can delete and replace it with the right one. It’s not final until you submit the application.
If everything looks good and correct, check the tickboxes under DECLARATION and click SAVE & CONTINUE.
7. Submit and pay for your application.
After uploading, on the next page…
- Review all the information you entered. If you spot a mistake, you can go back and correct it.
- If everything is in order, click READY FOR SUBMISSION. You’ll be redirected back to the Application dashboard.
- On the right side of the dashboard, find the button labeled PAY & SUBMIT APPLICATION. Hit it and review the application costs.
The total amount for a Visitor Visa is only NZD 100 (roughly PHP 3,300).
You can pay via credit card, debit card, or Union Pay. Once done, you should receive a message stating that the transaction is successful.
After this, there’s nothing else you can do but wait.
8. Wait for the result.
According to the New Zealand Immigration website, the usual wait time is 4 weeks.
But to be honest, I got my visa after only 2 days, while Vins got his after 6 days. Below are our timelines:
- YOSH
December 11 – I submitted my application
December 13 – I received the visa (approved) - VINS
December 21 – Vins submitted his application
December 27 – Vins received the visa (approved)
Note that both Vins and I had valid Australian visas, too, and submitted them as supporting docs. One of our companions who didn’t have an AU visa got approved after exactly two (2) weeks or 14 days.
That said, you’re highly encouraged to apply early and have at least four weeks of allowance to be safe. We actually applied two months before our travel date.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the validity period of the visa?
I was granted a multiple-entry visitor visa, valid for one (1) year, starting on the day the visa was issued.
How long can I stay in New Zealand?
Two months per trip, in our case.
How much money should you have to get approved?
No idea. At the very least, you should have NZD 1000 per month because that’s what’s indicated on the application form. But of course, you should have more.
At one point in the uploading process, you will be asked the following questions:
It’s important to remember, however, that it’s not just the funds that are being inspected. More importantly, you should be able to show that you have strong rootedness or ties to the Philippines and that you have no reason to overstay in New Zealand.
Is flight ticket required?
No, flight booking is optional. But if you already have one — say, you got it from a seat sale — go ahead and submit. If you don’t have one yet, you may opt to not submit.
But if you really want to submit this for better chances, don’t upload an actual ticket. Use a flight reservation instead. This is different from an actual flight booking because a flight reservation can be cancelled in case your application is rejected. You can get one from travel agencies.
We usually get our flight reservation from Gazelle Travel & Tours, a licensed and accredited travel agency here in the Philippines. Since we’re always asked about where we get ours, we decided to put up a page where you can easily order one.
✅ GET A FLIGHT RESERVATION HERE!
Is hotel booking required?
No, this is optional and you may choose to skip this. But if you want to submit to increase your odds, book a hotel that has a FREE CANCELLATION policy so you can easily refund should you be refused a visa. Search for free-cancellation hotels here!
Here are some top-rated hotels available online. Make sure the room you’re booking is marked “Free cancellation.” Use promo code THEPOORTRAVELERKLOOK for extra discount!
✅ SEARCH FOR MORE AUCKLAND HOTELS!
Is a cover letter required?
NO, a cover letter is NOT required. But we recommend submitting one especially if your case is complicated or if you have to explain something.
Remember, there will be NO interview, so a cover letter is your only opportunity to explain away anything that could be confusing or dubious.
What are the common reasons for visa denial?
I don’t know what the most usual reasons for refusal are, but a friend of mine who was denied a visa showed me the refusal letter. In her case, the main reasons cited were “weak ties in home country” and “weak family ties.”
This is why you should submit as many relevant supporting documents that you could, especially those proving genuine intent and rootedness in the Philippines. You must be able to show that you have a good life here in the Philippines and you have a stable job or source of income here.
We think that in particular, the reason for her denial was that she has just transferred to a new company, so the employer details in the application form and the employer in her ITR didn’t match. And she didn’t submit a cover letter to explain this, either.
Can you appeal after being rejected a visa?
NO, if you applied outside New Zealand. I’m assuming most of you reading this article are not based in NZ.
What you can do is reapply. This means you’ll need to start a new application and pay another visa fee. But before you reapply, make sure you have new supporting documents to add that could address the reasons for refusal. If you’ll be submitting the exact same pile of documents, you might just be wasting another NZD 100.
If you’re currently in New Zealand, YES, you can appeal as long as you make the request within 14 days.
What does a New Zealand visa look like?
Like this:
It’s a simple PDF file with an NZ Immigration logo and visa conditions. It’s NOT the sticker type that is affixed on the passport.
That’s all for now. Remember, plan smart, travel safe, and make every trip WORTH IT!
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