Traveling to New Zealand?
Whether you’re looking for a scenic getaway, or a wild adventure, there’s no better place to visit than the land of the Kiwis – New Zealand! However, as Philippine passport holders, we will first need to secure a visa. If you’re intimidated by this process, don’t fret! Klook is breaking down the steps to ease the process of getting a New Zealand visa for you!
If you’re looking to escape to The Middle Earth, keep on reading!
How to Apply for A New Zealand Visa:
1. Determine the visa type you need
The first thing you need to determine is what kind of visa you will need to travel to New Zealand. Applicants can consider a student visa, working visa, or for family reunions. However, for this New Zealand visa guide, we will only discuss the requirements for a Visitor Visa. If this does not apply to you, you may visit the New Zealand Immigration website for more information regarding other visa requirements.
With the Visitor Visa, you can:
- Visit family and friends
- Explore New Zealand, participate in sports and adventurous activities
- Study for up to 3 months
- Include your partner, and dependent children under 19 years old in your application
- Visit up to 9 months
2. Choose how you want to apply
New Zealand visa applicants are given three options for submitting their applications. They are:
2.1. Counter Application
Applicants can personally submit their requirements and documents to VFS Application Centers in Manila or Cebu, or have an authorized representative do it for them.
New Zealand Application Centers in the Philippines:
MANILA
VFS Global Services Philippines Private Inc.,
Mezzanine Floor Unit M01, Ecoplaza Building,
2305 Chino Roces Avenue Extension Makati City, Metro Manila 1231
Office hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
CEBU
VFS Global Services Philippines Private Inc.,
9th Floor, Keppel Center, Unit 905, Samar Loop
Cor. Cardinal Rosales Avenue,
Cebu Business Park, Cebu City 6000
Office hours: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Take note: VFS Global Application Centers are closed on national holidays and special holidays. Check their website for VFS Global New Zealand’s public holidays and closures list to properly plan your visit.
In case you’ll be tasking someone else to submit your requirements for you, they must have an authorization letter, a valid applicant ID, and the representative’s ID.
2.2. Postal Application
If you’ve got a particularly busy schedule, you can opt to submit your visa application via New Zealand Visa Application Center (NZVAC) courier service. For your convenience, couriers will pick up your application from your doorstep!
Take note: To avail of this service, a two way delivery fee of PHP600 will need to be paid in order for your visa to be processed.
2.3. Online Application
The third way to apply for a New Zealand visa is through an online application. All you have to do is register online and attach all required documents unto your online account. Applicants will, however, have to submit their passports at the VFS Application Center.
* For this visa guide, we’ll be discussing the online application method.
3. Register online
Applicants will first need to apply online at Immigration NZ and create a RealMe account. Once your RealMe login is ready, you will be redirected to a new page wherein you’ll need to choose a display name for your account. After you’ve verified your email address, you can now access the “Applications” portion of the portal.
This is where the visa application form is located, and it is also where you can get updates on your application status. To start up your application, simply create new visitor visa application.
Note: Make sure to select option: I am from a fee waiver country. This is only if you’re visiting for less than 59 days. If you’ve planned your trip within this timeframe, you will not need to pay for a visa fee!
Visitor Visa Application
Throughout the visa application, you will be asked to provide information about your identity, family, travel details, work and financial capability. In the event that you might be unsure about certain information, you can always save your application and get back to the unanswered questions later on.
Note: Save as often as possible! After thirty minutes of inactivity, you will be logged out of the server, and unsaved information not will be lost.
4. Prepare Requirements
As mentioned, you will be required to upload a list of requirements onto your online application. All requirements must be in .PDF and under 10MB, unless stated otherwise. Here’s what you need:
Requirements:
- Passport-size ID Photo
- You may refer to this page for ID Photo instructions
- ID photo must be uploaded as .JPG
- Passport
- Passport must be valid 6 months prior intended travel dates
- Scanned Biodata page (page 2)
- Passport must have at least two blank pages left
- Scanned copy of all previous travel stamps and visas
- Financial Documents
- Upload under “Sufficient Funds”
- Either one of the following:
- Bank certificate
- Traveller’s cheques
- Bank statements from the past 6 months
- Payslips from the past 3 months
- With Sponsor:
- Provide a letter from your sponsor and proof of relationship
- Include your sponsor’s financial documents along with yours
- Sample Itinerary
- Provide a day-to-day itinerary of your accommodations, contact information, and activities to prove that you intend to return to the Philippines
- Flight ticket reservation
- Unlike most embassies, to process your NZ visa, you will need to present confirmed flight tickets. This is definitely risky for some applicants, but this is a requirement, so before purchasing your flight tickets, make sure you have the financial capacity to go on a holiday in New Zealand.
- Certificate of Employment
- Upload under “Letter of Employer”
- This is proof that you have ties in the Philippines
- Hotel reservation
- The NZ Embassy also requires confirmed hotel reservations
- You can also pre-book some of your accommodations visa bookings.com. You can temporarily book a free cancellation accommodation and present this as part of your application. You may choose another accommodation if you change your mind once you have your visa!
- Visa Application
- This is to be filled up online, but as a guide, you may refer to this document
*Note: You may include other supporting documents, as you wish. However, in case the embassy will need additional documents from you, they will most likely contact you via email.
5. Submit your online application
Once you’ve finalized and double-checked all information listed on your online application, you will be redirected to a “Thank You” page. Make sure to save and print this out to include in the requirements you’ll be passing to the VFS Application Center.
Afterwards, you will receive an email from an immigration officer asking you to drop off your passport at the nearest VFS Application Center.
*Note: As long as you’re visiting for less than 59 days, your application fee is waived! However, you WILL be asked to pay for visa handling fees.
6. Wait for your New Zealand Visa
Within 10 to 20 days, you will receive a call, email, or text from the New Zealand Embassy notifying you that your documents and passport are ready for pick up. If you’ve travelled to other first-world countries before, the process might be a lot shorter!
*Note: You can only pick up your passport from 2:00 to 4:00 PM
7. Additional tips for apply for a New Zealand visa:
7.1. Plan several months ahead
Since New Zealand’s visa requirements include confirmed flight and hotel tickets, a whole lot of planning is needed prior your trip. This means that applicants must have the financial capacity to support their entire trip and provide proof for this in their visa application. As applicants will also need to provide a sample itinerary, planning where to go and what to do will help with one’s application.
7.2. Include as much supporting documents as possible
Apart from the provided list of required documents, applicants have the option to include other supporting documents in their application as well. If you can provide more documents of your ties here in the Philippines, those can be used as proof that you have no intention to settle in New Zealand.
7.3.Double-check all information prior submitting
Since there is no interview for the New Zealand visa, whether you will be given a visa will be dependent on the application and documents you supply. That said, make sure to double-check the data you input into the application, as well as the documents you provide!
Klook your way to New Zealand!
Once you’ve got your New Zealand Visa, it’s time to explore the land of kiwis – from Auckland to Queenstown and everything in between! Check out our activities and make the most your of your trip at a budget-friendly price.
This summer, achieve #AnythingGoals!
From Hong Kong to London, with Klook you can achieve #AnythingGoals! From 30 April 2019 to 30 June 2019, you can get up to Php 2,500 OFF your Klook booking, applicable on any Klook activity! So what are you waiting for?
