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Moving to NZ From Australia: How the Rules for Australians Work

Immigration New Zealand grants an Australian Resident Visa at the New Zealand border for NZD 0 to Australian citizens and to permanent residents who hold an NZeTA. It lets the holder live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely, but Australian temporary residents are not eligible.

New Zealand treats Australians differently from almost every other nationality. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) describes the Australian Resident Visa this way: "If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident you can visit, work and live in New Zealand." It can only be applied for on arrival and costs nothing. That makes the rules look simple, and for many people at the border they are. But the details matter: the visa is not automatic, it is tied to character rules, it expires every time the holder leaves unless travel conditions are added, and it is not open to Australian temporary residents.

This guide explains how those rules work, using INZ's Australian Resident Visa page, its pages on Australian citizens and permanent residents travelling to New Zealand, its arrival and NZeTA pages and its fee finder, all read on 9 October 2026. It describes published rules. It does not say whether any reader will be granted the visa, whether any character history is a problem, or what anyone should do about a particular situation. Those are questions for a licensed immigration adviser or lawyer.

The short version of INZ's rules

INZ's visa page gives the basics in its summary box: length of stay, "Live, work and study indefinitely"; processing time, "Visa granted at New Zealand border"; cost, "NZD $0". Its requirements are three. The applicant must be an Australian citizen, or a permanent resident with an NZeTA; must have arrived in New Zealand, because "you cannot apply for this visa before you travel"; and must meet the other requirements of the visa, which are identity and character.

The page then draws the line that most people ask about: "Australian temporary residents cannot get this visa." A person on an Australian student, work or other temporary visa does not qualify under this route. INZ's travel page for Australians says a temporary Australian resident "may need a visa before you can visit New Zealand" and points to its "Check if you need an NZeTA or visa" tool.

The visa lets the holder live, work and study in New Zealand. Once inside, there is no restriction on the kind of work: the page states "You can work in any occupation for any employer in New Zealand." It also lets the holder study.

Australian citizens: no visa or NZeTA before travelling

For Australian citizens, INZ's pages say two things in different places. On the visitor visa page: "You do not need a Visitor Visa or an NZeTA if you are an Australian citizen travelling on an Australian passport." On the Australians page: an Australian citizen "can usually live, work and study in New Zealand without applying for a visa or New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before you come here."

On arrival the citizen is normally given the Australian Resident Visa. INZ sets two conditions for this: a valid Australian passport, or a foreign passport endorsed with an Australian declaratory visa as evidence of Australian citizenship, and meeting the character requirements for the visa.

Every traveller completes the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD). Air travellers can submit it from 24 hours before the journey begins. Section 7 of the NZTD asks whether the traveller holds an Australian passport or Permanent Residence Visa, and INZ's instructions say to answer it correctly if a resident visa is wanted on arrival. At the border the traveller can use an eGate or SmartGate if their passport allows, or go to the main passport control line and explain that they are applying for a resident visa. "If there are no issues, you will be given a resident visa."

Australian permanent residents: an NZeTA first

A permanent resident follows the same pattern with one extra step. INZ says: "If you are an Australian permanent resident, you will normally need a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before you travel — unless you already have a valid New Zealand visa." The visa page adds that the NZeTA is needed even though the permanent resident does not pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL).

The Australian status must be real and current. INZ requires one of two documents: a current Australian Permanent Resident Visa, or a current Australian Resident Return Visa. The visa must not be a temporary resident visa, must be linked to the passport being used for travel, and must carry travel conditions that let the holder return to Australia. INZ advises that an electronically issued visa should be checked against the passport and suggests contacting the Australian immigration authorities to confirm. It also suggests carrying a printed copy of the Australian visa in case an officer asks to see it. For anyone unsure of their status, INZ points to Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO), where the visa type should read "Permanent resident".

INZ notes one process point that matters for people who already hold a temporary New Zealand visa: the steps on arrival are "especially important" in that case, because the resident visa on arrival is what changes their status. It also says a person who becomes an Australian permanent resident only after entering New Zealand must leave and return on their Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa to get the New Zealand resident visa.

The character requirement

Both groups must meet the character requirements. INZ's page says a person may not meet them if any of these applies:

  • they have a criminal conviction;
  • they have been deported, removed or excluded from another country; or
  • INZ has reason to believe they may be a risk to New Zealand's security, public order or public interest.

INZ adds that registered sex offenders and people associated with a gang may be considered a risk. The questions appear on the arrival card or NZTD, and for permanent residents also in the NZeTA request.

INZ's wording is explicit that the visa is not automatic. The page warns: "If you do not meet our requirements for good character, we can stop you from travelling to New Zealand at check-in or refuse you entry permission when you arrive." It also states: "If you are not sure you meet our requirements for good character, apply for a visa before you travel to New Zealand." The visa page also lists other reasons entry permission can be refused, including refusing to let INZ take a photo or provide fingerprints or an iris scan when asked, and providing false or misleading information in a visa application, to an immigration officer or on any part of the arrival card.

Whether a given history is a character problem is a matter of INZ's assessment of the facts, not something a guide can decide. INZ's pages on character requirements and police certificates are the reference, and a licensed immigration adviser or lawyer can look at a specific history before travel.

What the visa costs, and the NZeTA for permanent residents

The Australian Resident Visa itself costs NZD 0. INZ states: "There are no fees to pay when you are given a resident visa as an Australian citizen or permanent resident, on arriving in New Zealand." The IVL of NZD 100 that visitors pay is not charged for this visa.

An Australian permanent resident still pays for the NZeTA. INZ's fee finder, queried on 9 October 2026 with an Australian passport, returned NZD 17 for a request made in the NZeTA mobile app and NZD 23 for a request on the online form. Queried with an Indian or UK passport and an Australian residence, the finder returned NZD 117 and NZD 123, the amounts that include the NZD 100 IVL for ordinary visitors. INZ's Australian Resident Visa page says permanent residents do not pay the IVL, and the NZeTA page headline reads "From NZD $17". Because the finder returned different results for different passports, anyone requesting an NZeTA should check the amount shown on the NZeTA request screen before paying. On the separate Visa Waiver Visitor Visa page INZ says the NZeTA fee is not refunded if no visa is given at the border.

Later steps carry their own fees. INZ's fee finder showed NZD 320 to vary travel conditions on a resident visa, with INZ completing 80% within 3 weeks, and NZD 315 for a Permanent Resident Visa, with 80% within 2 weeks, both as read on 9 October 2026. The latter figure is the "from" cost, and the permanent resident guide explains the visa's rules.

Leaving New Zealand: travel conditions

The detail that catches people is in the sentence INZ gives about travel: "You can travel to and from New Zealand as often as you wish, but each time you leave New Zealand your resident visa will expire." The visa is a resident visa that expires on departure unless the holder has multiple-entry travel conditions.

INZ's visa page says that a holder can apply for a variation of travel conditions allowing travel for up to 24 months without it affecting New Zealand residence status. Its Australians page says the same in the context of the Permanent Resident Visa: Australian citizens "can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa after living in New Zealand as a resident for 24 months in a row", and anyone who wants to travel outside New Zealand within those 24 months "will need to get" a variation of travel conditions on the Australian Resident Visa "so you can travel without losing your New Zealand resident status".

A passport expiry rule applies as well. If the Australian passport expires while the holder is in New Zealand, they can get a new passport or apply for a Permanent Resident Visa if they meet the requirements. INZ says they can continue to stay but cannot leave New Zealand unless they get a new passport, and to travel and keep resident status they will need travel conditions added to the visa. If no multiple-entry conditions are in place, the visa expires on departure.

None of this tells a reader how to plan trips. It is the rule: the visa expires on departure unless travel conditions are in place, and the conditions are a separate application with its own fee.

Staying permanently, and what INZ's pages do not cover

INZ's visa page says that an Australian citizen or resident who wants to stay in New Zealand permanently "can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa", and that the applicant must meet the visa requirements, "including those for bringing family". The rules of the Permanent Resident Visa are in a separate guide. Under the first of the Govt.nz citizenship presence rules, an Australian citizen or permanent resident can apply for New Zealand citizenship if they have lived here for at least the last 5 years; the other presence, English and character rules still apply, and the guide to citizenship by grant covers them.

Two limits are worth stating plainly. First, the Australian Resident Visa page does not describe family members as included. It is a visa for Australian citizens and permanent residents, and the page points to the Permanent Resident Visa requirements for family. A partner or child who is not an Australian citizen or permanent resident is therefore not covered by what INZ describes on this page; INZ's other visa pages, such as those for partners and dependent children, are where family members are described. Second, the INZ pages are about immigration status only. What a resident can claim from the New Zealand health, welfare, tax or student-loan systems is set by other agencies, and nothing in INZ's visa page answers it; Govt.nz and the relevant agency are the places to check.

For readers with a character question, a gap in Australian permanent resident status or a temporary Australian visa, the practical point is that INZ itself recommends applying for a visa before travel when unsure. That application is a standard INZ process with a fee, and the advice on which visa suits a person's circumstances is the kind that only a licensed immigration adviser or lawyer may give.

Finding a licensed immigration adviser

Migratio lists licensed immigration advisers so you can compare them and contact one directly. Every listing shows the adviser's licence number, which you can check on the Immigration Advisers Authority's public register before you book. We don't assess cases and don't tell anyone which visa or pathway fits them; that is the adviser's job.

Questions people ask

Can Australian citizens live in New Zealand without a visa?

INZ says an Australian citizen can usually live, work and study in New Zealand without applying for a visa or NZeTA before travelling, and is normally given an Australian Resident Visa on arrival, provided they meet the character requirements. The visa costs NZD 0.

Do Australian permanent residents need an NZeTA for New Zealand?

Yes, normally. INZ says an Australian permanent resident must hold an NZeTA before travelling unless they already hold a valid New Zealand visa. They are then normally given an Australian Resident Visa at the border and do not pay the International Visitor Levy.

Can Australian temporary visa holders get the Australian Resident Visa?

No. INZ states that Australian temporary residents cannot get the Australian Resident Visa and may need a visa before they can visit New Zealand. Its Check if you need an NZeTA or visa tool shows which applies.

Does the Australian Resident Visa expire?

INZ says each time the holder leaves New Zealand the resident visa expires, unless travel conditions have been added. It lets the holder apply for a variation of travel conditions to travel for up to 24 months without affecting resident status. INZ's fee finder showed NZD 320 for that variation on 9 October 2026.

How long before an Australian can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa?

INZ's Australians page says an Australian citizen can apply after living in New Zealand as a resident for 24 months in a row. The visa has its own requirements, including those for bringing family.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • NZ Permanent Resident Visa: The 2-Year Rules and Five Commitment Tests — The Permanent Resident Visa is for people who have held a resident visa for at least 2 years in a row and can show commitment to New Zealand in one of five set ways, of which the 184-days-a-year test is only one. INZ showed NZD 315 and 80% within 2 weeks on 9 October 2026.
  • NZ Citizenship by Grant: Fees, Requirements and Timeframes — From 28 August 2026 the Department of Internal Affairs charges NZD 641 for an adult (16 and over) and NZD 320 for a child to apply for citizenship by grant. Govt.nz lists three presence rules, an English requirement and a character requirement, and says 90% of applicants receive an outcome within 4 months of applying.
  • NZ Visitor Visa or NZeTA: How the Two Differ, Fees and the NZD 100 Levy — A Visitor Visa costs from NZD 441 and an NZeTA NZD 117 (app) or NZD 123 (online form), each including the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. An NZeTA is not a visa: INZ says it lets visa-waiver travellers visit without applying for a visa first, and a visa is still granted at the border.
  • NZ Visa Fees 2026: The Main Visa Costs in One List — Immigration New Zealand's fee finder showed these main application costs on 9 October 2026: visitor visa NZD 441, AEWV 1,540, Fee Paying Student 850, Post-Study Work 1,670, residence under the Skilled Migrant, Straight to Residence and Work to Residence visas 6,450, and Partner of a New Zealander Resident 5,360. Each is a stated amount for the passports and places queried.
  • Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa: How It Works — The Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa is for people whose partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident and who have lived with that partner in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 12 months. INZ showed NZD 5,360 and 80% of applications completed within 7 months on 9 October 2026.