Brits planning a holiday to New Zealand will need to abide by new visa rules coming into force this year.
That's because from the Tuesday 1st October 2019 if you are entering the country by air or cruise, you will need to pay for a valid eTA.
New Zealand's new rules won't only apply to Brits. In fact, the country is introducing the new eTA system for citizens of 60 countries.
British citizens will need an eTA for any visits lasting up to six months (all other citizens will only be allowed visits for up to three months).
One of the biggest changes is that your passport will need to be valid for at least three months beyond your intended date of departure. Until now, Brits only needed a passport valid for up to one month.
The application process is already open on the New Zealand government website , and the good news is that you can fill out an online form so there's no need to head down to the embassy.
The New Zealand government website does warn that you should allow for up to 72 hours for your visa to be processed.
As part of the process, you will need to pay a fee; NZD 9 (approx £4.60) for mobile applications and NZD 12 (approx £6.15) for online applications.
If your eTA is approved, it will be valid for up to two years.
It's worth noting that if you are passing through Auckland International Airport on to a flight which goes to one of the visa waiver countries or Australia, you will still need an eTA.
Taking a cruise to New Zealand? You will need to show evidence of you eTA to check-in staff when you check in to the ship.
(This applies if your cruise is departing for New Zealand on or after the 1st October 2019).
You will also need an eTA if you are flying to New Zealand to join a cruise ship.
You can find out more about the eTA on the New Zealand government website here .
