New Zealand Just Announced a Digital Nomad Visa (Finally!)

Written by

Lara Walsh
Lara Walsh
Lara Walsh is a freelance lifestyle writer covering home, wellness, travel, and beauty topics from an experiential angle. Previously the Associate Experiences Editor at Elite Daily, Lara has also written for InStyle, Bustle, Business Insider, and the EveryGirl. When she’s not…read more
published Jan 30, 2025
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hiker admiring the idyllic scenery of lyttelton bay at coastal cliff walk from hays bay to church bay and diamond bay, banks peninsula, canterbury, new zealand
Credit: Jakub Maculewicz / Shutterstock

Remote workers who want to balance a love of travel with their 9-to-5 jobs now have another bucket-list destination they can move to — and it’s a nature-lover’s paradise. If you’ve already hit Iceland, Ireland, or Thailand with their digital nomad visa offerings, it may be time to look Down Under. 

New Zealand is the latest country to promote a digital nomad visa, which makes it easier to fund your longer-term travels as you explore the scenic island’s many waterfalls, geysers, and beaches. 

Unlike other countries that have jumped on the digital nomad visa bandwagon, New Zealand’s new remote work policy is attached to the regular visitor visas, which makes it extremely easy to take advantage of it. 

Who qualifies for the New Zealand Digital Nomad Visa?

While many companies have shifted towards hybrid work models, New Zealand is hoping to attract remote workers, aka digital nomads, who are hoping to add a little longer-term adventure to their lives. 

This will allow people to travel to New Zealand while also continuing to work their jobs remotely — as long as their employer is based elsewhere and their work doesn’t require them to be in New Zealand.

The program is different from other iterations of the visa worldwide, according to the NZ Herald

It’s not a brand-new visa program or a separate visa, but rather an extension of the visitor visa in the country. The visitor visa allows folks to visit the country, visit family and friends, study for three months, and, depending on if you can have multiple entries, stay for up to six to nine months total. However, with the digital nomad visa, you are now able to work for the time that you’re in town.

Finance minister Nicola Willis announced the changes on Monday, January 27 as a way to combat a slump in tourism and an economic recession post-COVID. She told reporters that the new digital nomad visa will “open the doors to a new category of visitors” without having tourists “competing for Kiwi jobs.”

Before you book your Hobbiton visit, start mastering Kiwi phrases, and put all your things in storage, there are a few caveats to keep in mind. For one, you’ll have to pay some sort of resident’s tax if you stay in New Zealand beyond 90 days, per New Zealand’s immigration website.

You’ll also be responsible for paying any health care costs that are accrued (although this might be significantly cheaper than you’d pay in your home country). Visitors also are prohibited from providing goods or services to people or businesses in New Zealand. 

How do you apply for the New Zealand Digital Nomad Visa?

To apply, all you have to do is submit a visitor visa application, which you can do online. All visitors, including “tourists and people visiting family, and partners and guardians on longer-term visitor visas” are able to take part, but you’ll need to fill out your application with proof of identity and other important documents, and pay a fee (normally $100 for most international visitors).

So if you’re a remote worker who’s always dreamed of living in New Zealand (and exploring relatively nearby countries like Australia, Thailand, and Japan), now you can extend your Kiwi lifestyle (and pay for your travels) with this new visa option.