Starting July 6, 2025, citizens from Pacific Islands Forum countries with a Visitor Visa will be eligible to visit New Zealand multiple times within a 24-month period, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment has announced through a statement.
Authorities in New Zealand said that nationals from the countries mentioned above will be eligible to stay in this country for up to six months, in any 12-month period within that time but no more than nine months in an 18-month period, VisaGuide.World reports.
However, through a statement, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment said that applicants will still need to meet the requirements in order to be granted a Visitor Visa, and may be granted a shorter visa length, in cases where their passport is expiring soon, or other similar concerns.
In another change, starting November 2025, citizens from Pacific Island Forum countries traveling with an Australian work, student or family visa to New Zealand will be excluded from visa requirements for a period of 12 months, unless they are traveling on a transit visa.
From this time, anyone holding a passport from a Pacific Islands Forum country with a valid Australian visitor, work, student, or family visa, will be able to come to New Zealand from Australia with a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) for up to three months, rather than applying for a visa. This does not include people transiting through Australia.”
However, until that date, nationals from Pacific Islands Forum countries will still be required to obtain the appropriate visa in order to enter New Zealand.
The list of the Pacific Islands Forum consists of the following countries:
- The Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- Kiribati
- Nauru
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
Visa-Free Travel Might Be Granted in the Future
The recent changes have also been confirmed by New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, during his visit in the capital of Tonga, Nuku’alofa.
The decision has also been welcomed by Tonga’s Prime Minister, ‘Aisake Valu Eke, stressing that there will be some more in the future.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Peters said that full visa-free travel might be granted in the future, however, at present it would be too costly to implement.
At present, nationals from over 60 countries can visit New Zealand visa-free under its visa waiver program.
New Zealand’s Green Party has been calling on the government to include Pacific nations on this list, permitting citizens from these territories to travel to NZ without visas.