How to Apply for a New Zealand Visitor Visa From Pakistan: From NZD 441

Short answer: Pakistanis apply online for a New Zealand Visitor Visa, which costs from NZD 441. Immigration New Zealand says 80 percent are decided within 2 weeks. You need NZD 1,000 a month to live on (or NZD 400 if accommodation is prepaid), a ticket out, and a passport valid 3 months past your trip.

Summer is the busy season in New Zealand, and the visa queue grows with it. We read the Immigration New Zealand (INZ) Visitor Visa page on 14 October 2026. This guide turns it into a plain checklist for a Pakistani applicant. We could not confirm from the INZ page whether Pakistan appears on the NZeTA list, so we explain how to check that first.

Check first whether you need a visa or an NZeTA

INZ says people on a passport from some countries must apply for a Visitor Visa, while citizens of other countries can travel with a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) instead. INZ runs a tool for this check. Use it before you pay anything.

Australian citizens on an Australian passport need neither. If you are also planning a trip to Australia, read the rules for the Australia Visitor visa for Pakistanis, because it is a separate application.

The visa costs from NZD 441 and takes about 2 weeks

INZ lists the Visitor Visa from NZD 441, with 80 percent of applications processed within 2 weeks. The final fee can differ with the application method and levy, so read the fee line shown at the end of your online form before you pay.

INZ says processing is busiest between September and March. It also advises travellers not to book non-refundable travel until the visa is approved. From 1 October 2026, applications for this visa must be made online, so paper forms are no longer accepted.

You must show money, a way home and good character

To qualify you must be in good health and of good character, have genuine reasons to visit, show enough money for your stay, and show you will leave. These five tests are the heart of every decision.

The money for your ticket must be on top of the money you need to live on. A sponsor can cover costs instead. A sponsor sends a Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) and their own bank statements.

Health and police checks depend on how long you stay

For stays under 6 months you do not normally need a chest X-ray, and under 12 months you do not normally need a medical certificate. For stays over 6 months, INZ asks for a chest X-ray from citizens of countries without a low incidence of tuberculosis.

INZ keeps a list of low incidence countries, so look up Pakistan on that list rather than guessing. X-rays and medical evidence must be less than 3 months old when INZ receives them. Police certificates are required if you are 17 or older and your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or more, counting earlier visas.

Apply online in these steps

Create an online account on the INZ website, answer the health questions, upload your documents, pay the fee and wait for the decision. INZ may ask for an X-ray or a medical later, even if you did not need one when you applied.

1. Use the INZ tool to confirm you need a Visitor Visa, not an NZeTA.
2. Collect your passport copy, one acceptable photo, and bank statements.
3. Gather proof of your plans, such as a booking or an invitation, to show you are a genuine visitor.
4. Add your partner and dependent children aged 19 or younger if they travel with you, with marriage and birth certificates.
5. Pay online and submit. Keep your passport valid until the decision.

Know what the visa allows and for how long

You may holiday, visit family and study up to 3 months. You may not work, unless you work remotely for a business overseas. A multiple entry visa allows 6 months in each 12 months. A single entry visa allows 9 months in 18 months.

INZ warns that if you hold a single entry visa and leave the country, the visa expires. If you plan to cross to Australia and come back, ask for the right visa type. If a visa is refused, the steps for a review or a new application are explained in our page on a refused UK visa in Pakistan, which shows how to read a refusal letter.

Common questions

How much does a New Zealand Visitor Visa cost?

INZ lists it from NZD 441. The exact amount is shown at the end of the online form.

How long does New Zealand take to decide a Visitor Visa?

INZ says 80 percent of applications are decided within 2 weeks. It is busiest from September to March.

How much money must I show?

You must show NZD 1,000 a month, or NZD 400 a month if your accommodation is prepaid. A sponsor can cover this instead.

Can I work in New Zealand on a Visitor Visa?

No. The only exception INZ gives is remote work for a business overseas.

Can I study on this visa?

Yes, for up to 3 months.

Can I still apply on paper?

No. INZ says that from 1 October 2026 applications for this visa must be made online.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the Immigration New Zealand Visitor Visa page. We did not find a Pakistan specific fee or processing time, and we could not confirm Pakistan's NZeTA status from the page, so the INZ check tool decides. We did not submit an application. INZ can change fees and rules, so confirm before you pay.