New Zealand Releases List of 25 Visitor and Transit Visas That Must Now be Applied for Online
- Immigration New Zealand has announced that paper applications for selected visitor and transit visas will no longer be accepted from 1 October 2026
- The change affects 24 visa categories, including the standard Visitor Visa, Business Visitor Visa, and Transit Visa, among others
- Applicants who already submitted paper forms before the deadline will still have their applications processed without any changes
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Immigration New Zealand has announced that from 1 October 2026, paper applications for a range of visitor and transit visas will no longer be accepted, with all submissions required to go through its enhanced Immigration Online system.
The authority confirmed the shift is part of a broader move to digitalise the visa application process, making it simpler for travellers to submit and monitor their applications while allowing immigration staff to process cases more efficiently.
Source: UGC
What is changing for visa applicants
The requirement to apply online will cover 24 visa types. Any paper application received before 1 October 2026 will still be processed without disruption, so those who have already submitted forms do not need to take further action.
The 25 visa categories now requiring online submission are:
- Transit Visa
- Visitor Visa
- Business Visitor Visa
- Group Visitor Visa (including Approved Destination Status (ADS))
- Academic Visitor Visa
- Adoption Visitor Visa
- Adoption Pre-citizenship Visitor Visa
- Antarctic Traveller Visitor Visa
- Arts and Music Festival Visitor Visa
- Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa
- Crew joining a Ship or Plane Visitor Visa
- Dismissed Worker Visitor Visa
- Esc'ort of Medical Patients Visitor Visa
- German Law Student Visitor Visa
- Guardian Visitor Visa
- Medical Treatment Visitor Visa
- Occupational Registration Visitor Visa
- Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa
- Pitcairn Islander Visitor Visa
- Private Yacht or Plane Visitor Visa
- Short-term Entertainment Act Visitor Visa
- Sports Events Visitor Visa
- Super Yachts Visitor Visa
- Tour Esc'ort Visitor Visa
- Visiting Media Visitor Visa
How to apply through immigration online
Immigration New Zealand noted that the majority of visitor visas and all transit visa applications can already be submitted through the enhanced online system, meaning the infrastructure is in place ahead of the October deadline.
Applicants planning to visit New Zealand for medical treatment, sports events, business, or any of the other listed purposes will need to ensure they complete their submissions digitally through the official Immigration New Zealand portal ahead of or after the cut-off date.
In a similar report, Legit.ng published that New Zealand announced five things to provide while applying for its NZeTA in 2026.
New Zealand to delete unfinished visa applications
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that New Zealand announced its plan to move 20 visitor visa categories to its enhanced online system and delete unfinished applications left in the old system.
Applicants have until October 8, 2026, to submit their drafts—or risk losing their progress and having to start again.
Source: Legit.ng
