Immigration update for Pacific Nations Travelling to New Zealand

By Rabiah Khawaja

The New Zealand Government is making it easier for Pacific visitors to travel to New Zealand with changes to immigration settings that will come into effect later this year.

From 6 July 2025, people from Pacific Islands Forum countries who are granted a visitor visa will be able to visit New Zealand multiple times within a 24-month period. They will be able to stay in New Zealand for a total of up to 6 months in any 12-month period within that time (but no more than 9 months in an 18-month period).

This will only apply to new visas granted from 6 July and does not affect visas granted before then.

On November 2025, a 12-month trial will begin, allowing Pacific Islands Forum country passport holders to travel to New Zealand from Australia without needing a visitor visa. They will need to hold a valid Australian visitor, work, student, or family visa and request an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority). They can visit New Zealand for up to 3 months.

Pacific Island Forum countries include the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Contact https://www.cavell.co.nz/ for more information.