New Zealand changes visa rules for Brits, approved ETA required

Saturday, May 18, 2019

An updated travel advisory was issued by the Foreign Office that mentioned –British nationals travelling by air or cruise and entering New Zealand will require an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) before travelling to the New Zealand.

From October 1, 2019 onwards British tourists travelling to New Zealand will be paying for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA).

It will remain valid for citizens  from the visa-exempt countries and will be linked to the traveller’s passport. The ETA will remain valid for two years until the passport expires before then.

For mobile application the ETA will cost NZD 9 (£4.60) and for web requests  NZD 12 (£6.10).The New Zealand will also introduce a tourist tax -– the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL). The price of the IVL will be NZD 35 (£17.90) and will remain applicable as long as the corresponding ETA is valid.

As per the New Zealand government website the tax was first proposed in 2018 to ensure that tourists would contribute to the infrastructure they and use and help them protect the natural environment they enjoy.

According to New Zealand’s annual report, tourim increased by 8 per cent in 2017 , tourists surge along with the combined tax is expected to be highly profitable.

The money gathered through the new tax will be spent on infrastructure for tourists including car parks, toilets and maintenance of hiking trails, as well as conservation projects such as native planting, breeding programmes and predator eradication. Around NZ$80m (£42m) a year for these projects is expected to be raised.

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said that the it was only fair that make a small contribution so that they can help provide the infrastructure they need and better protect the natural places they enjoy.

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