Quick answer
Yes. Indian passport holders need a New Zealand Visitor Visa; India is not a visa-waiver country, so the NZeTA is not an option. For an Indian applying online from India, the cost is NZD 441 (this includes the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy), and 80% of applications are decided within 2 weeks. You can stay up to 6 months in any 12 months on a multiple-entry visa (up to 9 months in 18 on a single-entry visa); apply online and the visa is issued as an eVisa.
New Zealand visa for Indians at a glance
| Visa needed for tourism? | Yes — Visitor Visa (no NZeTA for Indians)1 |
|---|---|
| Cost (Indian, applying online in India) | NZD 441, including the NZD 100 IVL1 |
| Processing time | 80% within 2 weeks1 |
| Stay — multiple-entry visa | Up to 6 months in each 12-month period1 |
| Stay — single-entry visa | Up to 9 months in an 18-month period1 |
| Money needed | NZD 1,000 a month (NZD 400 a month if accommodation is prepaid), or a sponsor1 |
| How to apply | Online; paper forms for this visa end on 1 October 20262 |
Visa options for Indian passport holders
Visitor Visa (tourism / visiting family or friends)1
- Who can use it
- Indian passport holders
- Stay
- Multiple-entry: up to 6 months in each 12 months. Single-entry: up to 9 months in 18 months.
- Validity
- From the date you enter New Zealand (if approved while you are outside NZ)
- Entries
- Single or multiple — INZ decides
- Fee
- NZD 441 per person (includes the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy); not refunded if declined
- Processing time
- 80% of applications completed within 2 weeks
- Where to apply
- Immigration Online — https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/visas/visa/visitor-visa
- Good to know
- You can include your partner and dependent children. You cannot work, but can study for up to 3 months. For a multiple-entry visa you must have been out of NZ at least 9 months in the 18 months before applying. INZ advises not booking non-refundable travel until approved.
Documents to prepare
- Passport valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave New Zealand.1
- One acceptable photo for an online application.1
- Proof of funds: NZD 1,000 per month (NZD 400 if accommodation is prepaid) — bank or card statements, or a sponsor.1
- A ticket out of New Zealand, proof you can buy one, or a sponsor's agreement to pay for it.1
- English translations of documents not in English. INZ has a Visitor Visa checklist for India (stays under 6 months).1
- Chest X-ray or medical certificate and police certificates only if required (for example stays over 6 months, or total time in NZ of 24 months or more).1
Before you fly and on arrival
- Complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD); by air, you can submit it from 24 hours before your journey starts. A paper form is available if you cannot do it online.1
- You can be refused entry if you are not a genuine visitor, cannot show onward travel or funds, or refuse to have your photo, fingerprints or iris scan taken.1
Applying from Kerala
- Apply online from Kerala — INZ's fee tool shows the NZD 441 cost and 2-week timeframe for an Indian national applying online in India (Cochin region).1
- From 1 October 2026, Visitor Visa applications must be made through INZ's enhanced Immigration Online; paper forms only in exceptional cases.2
- INZ contacts you if it needs an X-ray, medical or police certificate. No interview is part of the standard process.1
Extending your stay
- If you need more time for a genuine reason, apply for a new Visitor Visa before your current one expires. If approved, it is single-entry, within the 9-months-in-18 limit.1
- If your visa has no multiple-entry condition and you leave New Zealand, it expires.1
What changed recently
- 1 October 2026: INZ stops accepting paper applications for the Visitor Visa and other selected visitor and transit visas (announced 4 September 2026). Paper applications made before 1 October continue to be processed.2
How Albah Holidays can help
- We handle New Zealand visa applications from our office in Kozhikode — we check your case, give you the exact document checklist, fill in the application and book any appointment.
- Where fingerprints or an interview are needed, you attend in person — we prepare you for it and follow up until the decision.
- Flights from Calicut, Kannur or Kochi, hotels and travel insurance — booked together with us.
- Send your passport copy and travel dates on WhatsApp, or visit our office in Eranhipalam, Kozhikode.
- Flights to New Zealand from Calicut, Kannur or Kochi, booked with your visa so the dates line up and the name on the ticket matches the passport.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for New Zealand?
Yes. India is not a visa-waiver country, so Indians need a Visitor Visa and cannot use the NZeTA.31
How much is the New Zealand visitor visa for Indians?
NZD 441 for an Indian applying online from India. This includes the NZD 100 tourism levy (IVL).1
How long does a New Zealand visitor visa take?
INZ says 80% of applications are decided within 2 weeks.1
How long can I stay in New Zealand?
On a multiple-entry visa, up to 6 months in any 12 months. On a single-entry visa, up to 9 months in 18 months.1
Official sources
- Visitor Visa (incl. fee and timeframe for Indian nationals applying online from India, Cochin region) — Immigration New Zealand. checked 24 September 2026.
- Changes to use of paper applications for some visitor and transit visas — Immigration New Zealand. Page updated 2026-09-04; checked 24 September 2026.
- Visa Waiver Visitor Visa — visa waiver countries and territories — Immigration New Zealand. checked 24 September 2026.
Rules, fees and processing times can change without notice. Every fact on this page was checked against the official sources above on 24 September 2026. Confirm before you travel — we recheck the current rules for every application we handle.