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Visa requirements · updated Aug 2026

Do New Zealand citizens need a visa for United States?

e-Visa / ETA

New Zealand citizens need an e-Visa or ETA to enter United States — applied for online before departure.

VISAXSAug 2026
e-Visa / ETA
New Zealand → United States
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New Zealand vs United States: passport comparison

New Zealand

115

visa-free countries

Global rank: #28 · mobility 168

United States

116

visa-free countries

Global rank: #40 · mobility 166.1
107

countries both New Zealand and United States can enter visa-free together

New Zealand + United States: passport compatibility

89%

of the world — where both passports have the same visa access

Where New Zealand and United States travel together — by entry type:

107 both visa-free
32 both visa on arrival
23 both e-visa / eTA
14 both need a visa
21 access differs

Where New Zealand and United States can travel visa-free together

Travelling as a pair with two different passports? Here is the full list of countries where BOTH of you can enter without a prior visa — plus where your access differs.

Both visa-free (107)

Sort by max stay or the destination's passport strength (tap a header), and filter by region.

Country Max stay Passport rank
Albania90 days#91 Andorra90 days#47 Angola30 days#168 Antigua and Barbuda180 days#61 Argentina90 days#44 Armenia180 days#129 Austria90 days#13 Bahamas90 days#53 Barbados180 days#48 Belgium90 days#6 Belize90 days#99 Bosnia and Herzegovina90 days#88 Botswana90 days#119 Brazil90 days#43 Brunei30 days#52 Bulgaria90 days#35 Chile90 days#45 Colombia90 days#74 Costa Rica180 days#62 Croatia90 days#22 Cyprus90 days#36 Czech Republic90 days#25 Denmark90 days#11 Dominica180 days#70 Dominican Republic90 days#124 Ecuador90 days#104 El Salvador180 days#75 Estonia90 days#26 Fiji120 days#103 Finland90 days#3 France90 days#4 Georgia360 days#83 Germany90 days#7 Greece90 days#17 Grenada90 days#65 Guatemala90 days#73 Guyana90 days#106 Haiti90 days#175 Honduras90 days#78 Hong Kong90 days#46 Hungary90 days#21 Iceland90 days#38 Ireland90 days#18 Israel90 days#51 Italy90 days#8 Jamaica90 days#100 Japan90 days#24 Kazakhstan30 days#116 Kiribati90 days#84 Kosovo90 days#107 Kyrgyzstan30 days#134 Latvia90 days#34 Lesotho14 days#122 Liechtenstein90 days#39 Lithuania90 days#37 Luxembourg90 days#9 Macao30 days#67 Malawi30 days#127 Malaysia90 days#41 Malta90 days#29 Mauritius90 days#66 Mexico180 days#55 Micronesia30 days#89 Moldova90 days#92 Monaco90 days#42 Mongolia30 days#125 Montenegro90 days#76 Morocco90 days#121 Netherlands90 days#10 Nicaragua90 days#86 North Macedonia90 days#82 Norway90 days#15 Palestine90 days#193 Panama90 days#68 Paraguay90 days#64 Peru180 days#57 Philippines30 days#128 Poland90 days#19 Portugal90 days#14 Romania90 days#33 Saint Kitts and Nevis90 days#54 Saint Lucia42 days#69 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines90 days#56 San Marino90 days#49 Serbia90 days#72 Seychelles90 days#58 Singapore90 days#12 Slovakia90 days#23 Slovenia90 days#30 South Africa90 days#97 South Korea90 days#20 Spain90 days#2 Swaziland30 days#120 Sweden90 days#5 Switzerland90 days#16 Taiwan90 days#79 Tajikistan30 days#149 Thailand60 days#110 Tunisia90 days#131 Turkey90 days#94 Ukraine90 days#59 United Arab Emirates30 days#1 Uruguay90 days#50 Uzbekistan30 days#142 Vanuatu120 days#105 Vatican90 days#60 Zambia90 days#139

Only New Zealand is visa-free (8)

US visa refusals for New Zealand citizens

The US State Department publishes the refusal rate for B visas (tourism and business) separately for each nationality. We took the two most recent fiscal years — so you see not just the level, but which way it is moving.

21.9%
of B-visa applications from New Zealand citizens were refused in FY2025
-9.3 pp below the all-country median (31.3%) — refused less often
-0.9 pp year-over-year: FY2024 was 22.8%, now 21.9%
#122strictest of 197 countries
141of 197 countries saw refusals rise year-over-year

The “adjusted” refusal rate follows the State Department methodology used for the Visa Waiver Program: it covers B-1/B-2 visas (tourism and business) and no other categories. For countries with few applicants the percentage swings between years — an artefact of small numbers, not of policy. The median and rank are our own calculations on top of the official figures. Source: U.S. Department of State  ·  All countries →

How long the interview queue is in New Zealand

Even when a visa is available in principle, everything comes down to the appointment. The State Department publishes the wait until the next free slot at every consulate — we broke that down by country.

2.5 months
until the next free B1/B2 interview slot — at the Auckland post
The all-country median is under 2 weeks.
2.5 months Auckland · student visas: 1 month

Snapshot of State Department data taken July 2026. Waits shift weekly with consular workload — check the official figure before you apply. Mapping consular posts to countries and picking the best wait per country is our own work. Source: U.S. Department of State

How the entry rule changed: New Zealand → United States

We keep our own archive of visa-rule snapshots and diff them against each other. Here is what changed over the observed period.

The New Zealand → United States rule itself held steady over the observed period. The context around it did move:

0passports gained easier entry to United States
1passports saw United States tighten its rules
4rule changes for the New Zealand passport, 2 of them easing
July 2024 — June 2026our archive observation window

Comparison is built from our own dataset snapshots; the date marks when we recorded the change, not the official decision date. See all changes →

United States: good to know

Washington, D.C.

Capital

US Dollar (USD)

Currency

Eastern Time (UTC-5)

Time zone

+1

Calling code

A, B

Power plug

120V / 60Hz

Voltage

Right-hand

Driving side

Where else New Zealand goes visa-free

Check another route

Documents you'll usually need for United States

The usual basics for the trip. Always confirm exact requirements with the embassy or consulate.

Valid passport

Valid at least 6 more months

Return / onward ticket

Proof you will leave the country

Proof of funds

Enough money for your stay

Accommodation

Hotel booking or an invitation

Travel insurance

Recommended, sometimes required

e-Visa / eTA

Applied for online before you fly

Frequently asked

Do New Zealand citizens need a visa for United States?
New Zealand citizens need an e-Visa or ETA to enter United States — applied for online before departure.
Which passport is stronger — New Zealand or United States?
The United States passport is stronger: 116 visa-free countries versus 115. Global rank: New Zealand #28, United States #40.
Where can New Zealand and United States citizens travel together visa-free?
Both passports get visa-free access to 107 of the same countries.
What documents do I need for United States?
Usually: a valid passport (6+ months), a return ticket, proof of funds and accommodation. Plus an e-Visa or eTA applied for online before you fly. Always confirm exact requirements with the embassy.
Can visa requirements change between New Zealand and United States?
Yes, visa rules change periodically. This data is current as of Aug 2026 — always confirm with the embassy before you travel.

New Zealand passport ranking

Where else the New Zealand passport can take you and how it ranks worldwide.

View the passport