New Zealand tries visa waiver to Chinese citizens travelling from Australia

The New Zealand government announced a visa waiver policy on Sunday for Chinese citizens traveling from Australia.

According to Immigration New Zealand, starting November 2025, New Zealand will be trialing visa waiver status for Chinese passport holders traveling from Australia with a valid Australian visitor, work, student or family visa, allowing them to visit New Zealand for up to three months with a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) rather than applying for a visa.

This does not include people transiting through Australia, and applicants will still need to meet the criteria for an NZeTA.

Sunday's visa waiver announcement is a trial policy for 12 months and is believed to boost New Zealand's attractiveness as a destination for Chinese tourists.