News:
A growing number of companies that have no connection with INZ or the New Zealand Government are operating under potentially misleading names and charging visit
INZ’s General Manager Stephen Dunstan is encouraging visitors to ensure they are using the official government website or official NZeTA mobile apps (available via the Apple Store or Google Play), to avoid unnecessary charges.
Apply for an NZeTA(external link)
“We are seeing a growing number of third parties charging visitors for something they can very quickly and easily do themselves and that’s concerning,” Stephen Dunstan says.
“An NZeTA costs just NZD$12 using the website or NZD$9 using the mobile apps and only takes a matter of minutes to complete.
“Travellers shouldn’t need to fork out more money than the official cost and should make sure that they aren’t being misled into paying more.
“Some third parties are also claiming to be able to provide an expedited service. However, an expedited service is not available and third parties are only able to submit the traveller’s information to INZ using the same web form or mobile app travellers can use themselves.
“In some cases, these third parties are also collecting additional information from travellers, which isn’t actually required as part of the NZeTA request.”
Stephen Dunstan says INZ is working hard to ensure that travellers know to use the official government website through its global marketing campaign.
“Our global digital marketing campaign, which links directly to the INZ website, is helping to ensure travellers use the official channels to request their NZeTA. We’re also working closely with airlines, travel agents and cruise operators to make sure they’re directing travellers to the official government website or mobile app,” Stephen Dunstan says.
Background information
The NZeTA became mandatory on 1 October 2019 for visitors from around 60 visa waiver countries (including Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic) and 24 transit visa waiver countries including the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and most other European countries.
More than 280,000 NZeTAs have already been processed by INZ and 106 requests have been refused.
At the same time a traveller requests their NZeTA, they also pay the new NZD $35 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), which allows tourists to contribute directly to the infrastructure they use and the natural spaces they enjoy during their visit.