Question about visas and New Zealand

fisher22

I'm travelling to Australia on Dec 17th, meeting a friend in Sydney and we're flying out from there to NZ for around 10 days, from the 24th of Dec. (She's handling the NZ flights and accomodation).

I've sorted out an Aus visa through my travel agents, but I was told that I didn't need one to get into NZ. However a couple of people recently have cast doubt on this, in fact one person (a friend of a friend who is a travel agent but who I can't readily contact again) insisted that I need a visa to get to NZ.

From searching the web I gather that I *won't* need a visa to enter NZ as I'm a british passport holder - there is a clause about needing to provide evidence for the right to reside permanently in the UK, but from what I can tell, the passport itself is evidence for this. Am I correct in thinking this? My travel date (to Aus) is less then 2 weeks and time is ticking and I'm suddenly in a bit of a panic..!

Any advice much appreciated.

drsmum

British citizens do not need a visa for a 10day holiday to New Zealand. Myself , DH and our two children visited at Easter for 3 weeks .
It is a beautifull country , have a great holiday

danandjens_worldtravels

To get a tourist visa for 6 months you will need your British passport and evidence that you are leaving NZ (eg a flight booked). Its Australia that you will need to show this as they won't put you on the flight without it. I found those in Australia were more strict than the boarder in NZ.

You should find the UK is on the visa waiver list. If you click the blue link on the page I've linked to here http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/visit/ a pop up box will appear with what you need

Just checking - you do need a visa for Australia - have you done this (its easy online and no charges)

danandjens_worldtravels

And NZ is fab, I've currently been here for 12 months. If you need any ideas let me know, 10 days may be too short a time.

Sorry - just read you've got your Aus visa - its so lovely and warm here in the South Island this morning I am rushing, to get out and walk into town.

zagfles

We got in without a VISA. I think the important thing to check is that your passport says "British Citizen" and NOT "British Subject".

alanrowell

fisher22 wrote: »

from what I can tell, the passport itself is evidence for this. Am I correct in thinking this?

Can't see how that is true - as all visitors to NZ will have a passport

loobs40

danandjens_worldtravels wrote: »

?........and evidence that you are leaving NZ (eg a flight booked). Its Australia that you will need to show this as they won't put you on the flight without it. I found those in Australia were more strict than the boarder in NZ.

Indeed! The check in guy in Sydney demanded evidence in what seemed to me an aggressive manner. Luckily I had an itinerary printed from my Trailfindrs booking on me which showed the flights booked out of NZ

danandjens_worldtravels

loobs40 wrote: »

Indeed! The check in guy in Sydney demanded evidence in what seemed to me an aggressive manner. Luckily I had an itinerary printed from my Trailfindrs booking on me which showed the flights booked out of NZ

Australia was hard work (that country is far to hot!). We made a last minute decision to leave it and go to NZ, it was only $10 more to go to Christchurch than Sydney. We hadn't booked onward travel from NZ; in our minds we could spend 6 months there so plenty of time to book a flight when we had more time to look at the options. Anywho...the Australians wouldn't let us get on a flight unless we booked something - but only gave us 40 mins to do it, although we had a 4 hour stop over in Sydney and asked if we could show them evidence of a flight before they put us on the NZ leg of the journey they refused.

We sorted out internet access and booked the flight, we showed them the confirmation email on our computer and they told us off for not having it printed out :eek: How I disliked Australia.

On landing in Christchurch I showed the (English) immigration guy the written down booking number, explained we'd decided to leave Australia sooner than planned and hadn't been as thorough in our research as maybe we should have been and he waved us through, gave us some travel tips and told us to enjoy ourselves.

I love NZ, and have since returned to Australia and found it better. This year I had two Australian Immigration officers sing me 'Happy birthday'

VickyA_2

Here's the official entry advice for New Zealand from the FCO. I'm slightly obsessed with this website, having visited a couple of "new" countries this year.

dannny_2

fisher22 wrote: »

I've sorted out an Aus visa through my travel agents,

Why? The evisitor is free.

http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/651.aspx

fisher22

Thanks so much for all the replies.
I'm booked in to do the Milford Trek from 26th Dec and am hoping to spend the extra days touring around the South Island. It's a shame the trip is so short but I'll hope to do a much longer one if circumstances allow, maybe a 6 monther, if this trip is as good as I hope it will be!