New Zealand to Require Electronic Travel Visa Starting October 1

New changes in New Zealand’s tourism and travel laws will make it more complicated for travelers from 60 visa waiver countries to visit the country.

Starting Oct. 1, New Zealand will start requiring tourists from any of the 60 visa waiver countries, which includes the United States and Canada, to apply for and obtain a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) visa. The NZeTA visa, which was first launched in July, is expected to impact about 1.5 million international travelers a year who do not currently need visas.

Travelers will not need to go to an embassy or consulate to get the visa, instead, they’ll be asked to fill out an online application form that the eTA says only takes a few minutes to fill out and about 10 minutes to be processed. The questions require applicants to enter some personal information such as full name, address, birthdate, and travel plans.

The visa costs NZ$12 (less than $8 USD and $11 CAD) to apply online and NZ$9 (less than $6 USD and $8 CAD) to apply via the NZeTA app. The visa fee does not include New Zealand’s International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, which is NX$35 and paid at the same time as the NZeTA.

Once approved, the NZeTA is valid for two years and can be used for multiple visits.