[2023] NEW ZEALAND VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR FILIPINO TOURISTS OR VISITORS

[COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF EVERYTHING I SUBMITTED FOR MY NEW ZEALAND VISITOR VISA APPLICATION]

New Zealand Visitor Visa List of Requirements

Now that you already know the New Zealand Visitor Visa application process for Filipino citizens, let’s now deep dive into the application requirements. Below is a list of documents required by INZ.

Oh and by the way, every now and then I will mention “INZ”. INZ means Immigration New Zealand. They are the official government agency that manages border control, immigration, and visa issuance.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional travel agent and in no way affiliated with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) or New Zealand visa processing agencies. This is a personal blog. What I’ll share are guidelines and tips that worked for me. Applying for a visa is on a case-to-case basis, so nothing will ever guarantee your approval. My best piece of advice? Honesty is the best policy, always.

1. Completed Visitor Visa Application Form

First and foremost, you need to accomplish the form INZ 1017. It’s the Visitor Visa Application Form for Temporary Stay. This is the application form to use if you plan to go to New Zealand as a tourist for a holiday. This is also for visitors. Those who plan on visiting friends or family that are staying in New Zealand.

2. Passport

Bring your original passport. It’s important to make sure that you have your signature on the 3rd page.

If you plan to apply online, make sure to have a high-quality scanned copy of your passport.

As per INZ, your passport should be valid for at least 3 months past the date you plan to leave New Zealand. For example, my intended travel dates are from February 1 to March 1, 2023. I plan to leave New Zealand on March 1. It means that my passport should be valid until June 1, 2023.

But that doesn’t mean you should keep it that close to the expiry date. It’s advisable to have a passport validity of at least 6 months. Also, New Zealand normally grants one-year visa validity for visitor visa applicants.

So make sure to be timely with your passport renewal! It pays off to be prepared. It’s more convenient and stress-free to travel.

3. Visa Photo

Note that INZ will unlikely to accept the photo if it’s not the right size or specification.

Online Application: The photo should be between 500 KB and 3 MB. Between 900 x 1200 pixels and 2250 and 3000 pixels. It must be in JPEG format.

On-Paper Application: You should attach two passport-sized photos of you and each person included in the application. It should be recent and taken within the last 6 months. The size should be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. It must be in high-quality color. Black and white is not accepted. Write your full name at the back of each photo

4. Medical Certificate (if applicable)

This is listed as part of INZ’s requirements. Luckily, we didn’t need to provide one.

You are only required to submit this if you plan to stay in New Zealand for more than 6 months.

For your reference, INZ has comprehensive guidelines on medical certificates. You can read it on the form INZ 1018. Look for sections E8 to E11.

5. Evidence of Financial Support

If Sponsored

If you have a sponsor, make sure to accomplish the form INZ 1025, or the Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry.

I have no experience with being sponsored. But the form INZ 1025 has detailed guidelines on the sponsor’s responsibilities. Make sure to read it thoroughly.

If Self Funded

You need to submit documents showing that you have funds in your name to support yourself.

As stated on the INZ website, the minimum financial requirement would be at least NZ$1,000 or Php35,000 per month. This is for each of the persons included in the application. Note that this amount is only for your stay. Your day-to-day expenses when you get to New Zealand. The money for buying your flights in and out of New Zealand shouldn’t be included.

INZ didn’t specify how many months of bank information is needed. So it’s up to you how you can show that you’re financially capable.

Here’s what I submitted:

• Credit Card Statements from the last 3 months

Firstly, Credit card is the main mode of payment in New Zealand. Everywhere you go, even in the smallest towns, accept it. Having one can boost your application. It shows that you’ll have sufficient purchasing power when you get there.

Secondly, your credit card records reflect your financial life. So it’s ideal to have regular transactions and pay your balances timely. Good records can signify that your financial record is on track. A bad record can mean you’re risky.

In my case, I only included statements from the past 3 months because I’m confident that I have good records. My monthly statements have a lot of big transactions. My balances are being paid timely, and in full.

• Bank Certificate

It shows how long you’ve had your account and how much your ADB (average daily balance) is. It’s to assess how liquid you are. Having a good ADB is more important than having a high ending balance. It’s because ADB can’t be manipulated. It reflects how much money you normally have in your account. So it’s never a good idea to borrow money just for the sake of “show money”.

To get one, just go to your bank and request a bank certificate. They’ll give you an official document with a seal within a few minutes. This usually costs Php 250.

• Bank Statements from the last 6 months

Bank statements show your historical transaction records – the ins and outs of your money. With this, the embassy would have an idea of how much money is in your “normal bank flow”. Having regular transactions means that you’re actively using your account.

You can just easily log in and download your bank statements from the bank websites. For the month/s that are not yet updated, you can request the bank to print it for you. This can cost Php50 per page.

Here’s how you can download your bank statements from BPI:

1. On the left side of the page, click the ‘Other Services’ Tab
2. Click ‘My Statements’ under MY ACCOUNT
3. Select your BPI account
4. Select a statement date range
5. Download

6. Evidence That You Have the Means To Leave New Zealand

This requirement is crucial. This is the strongest document that you can show that you will leave New Zealand after your stay. As per INZ, you can either have a ticket out of New Zealand or you must show strong evidence that you have the money to buy one.

Have a Ticket Out of New Zealand

Having a ticket out of New Zealand can be any of the following:

• Paid flight tickets
• Written confirmation from an airline or travel agency that onward travel has been booked
• Any document that confirms your departure from New Zealand

I wanted to be really prepared so I pre-purchased mine from Qantas Airways. I paid Php 55,000 for a roundtrip ticket. The itinerary was Manila to Queenstown, then Christchurch to Manila.

This is why I strongly recommend making sure to know first which places you’ll go to, and for how much time. Work on a realistic itinerary. Do this before even buying a plane ticket or applying for a visa! Because I already mapped out our itinerary, I was able to determine that we’ll fly in at Queenstown. Then fly out from Christchurch.

Not only will it help with your flight booking, but you can also submit your itinerary to boost your visa application.

Evidence That You Have The Money to Buy One

If you don’t have flight tickets yet, make sure to have really strong proof that you have the money to buy one. The money for an onward ticket outside of New Zealand should be on top of the money that you’ll need during your stay. Make sure to research how much the ticket is so you can have an accurate idea of how much money you need to maintain.

Also, explain in your cover letter why you haven’t bought a flight ticket out of New Zealand yet. Again, INZ specifically listed to show proof of onward travel out of New Zealand. So you must have a strong reason why you don’t have one. I know, it’s risky to buy one without a guarantee that you’ll get approved.

So just be sincere with your explanation. And assure them, through your financial records and cover letter, that you can easily buy flight tickets once approved.

In the meantime, have a flight ticket reservation instead. In this way, the embassy will have an idea of what exact dates you plan to leave. And for how long you plan to stay.

7. Evidence of Relationship with Travel Companion

If your partner and/or dependent children are included in your application, submit evidence of your relationship with them. In our case, my husband and I are under the same ‘group application’ category.

INZ didn’t specify what documents you should submit as proof. So it’s up to you how you can establish your relationship with your travel companion. Below is a list of my suggested documents:

If Partners

• Married
  • Certified True Copy of Marriage Certificate from the municipality
  • PSA Marriage Certificate
• Engaged
  • Marriage License
  • Contract with major wedding suppliers with both your names (Catering, Venue, Events Coordinator etc.)
  • Engagement or pre-wedding shoot photos together
  • Social media screenshot of the engagement announcement
• Bona Fide Partner – When you two are not married but are in a long-term relationship or living together
  • Photos together
  • Social media screenshots of pictures/activities together
  • Documents of travel together (flights, hotel reservations with both names)
  • Personal affidavits with copies of IDs from friends or families as witnesses
  • Any ID/document showing that you have the same address like bills, loans, etc.

If Dependent Children

• PSA Birth Certificate of you and your children

8. Supporting Documents: Evidence That You’re a Bona Fide Visitor

Bona fide means in good faith. It means that you’re sincere that you’ll only travel for visiting or sightseeing. And that you have every reason to return to your home country at the end of your stay.

To prove that you’re a bona fide visitor, it’s most important to prove your strong ties to the Philippines. Submit supporting documents that show your family, financial, and employment commitments.

INZ didn’t specify what documents you should submit as proof. So it’s up to you how you can establish that you’re a bona fide visitor. Below is a list of my suggested documents:

You don’t have to submit everything on the list. Just choose those that are relevant to you.

Proof of Employment

• Certificate of employment
• No objection letter
• Photocopy of company ID with signature, SSS no., and TIN no.

Here’s a No Objection letter template that you can use:

For Self-employed Individuals

• Complete set of DTI/SEC registration
• BIR Certificate of Registration, permits, and licenses
• Company’s Financial Statements

For Freelancers

• Paypal invoice/transactions
• Screenshot of Upwork profile
• Client contract
• Certificate of earnings
• Screenshots of projects/work output
• BIR

Proof of Strong Ties

• Return home ticket
• Senior citizen cards of parents
• Marriage certificate
• Birth certificate of children
• Properties to your name
• Investments to your name
• Car/motorcycle registration
• Government contributions: SSS, Philhealth, PAG IBIG, etc.
• Utilities: Insurance premiums, Phone plan bills, Meralco bills, etc.

Proof of Tourism Activities in New Zealand

• Cover letter
• Day-to-day itinerary
• Accommodation reservations
• Car rental contract
• Pre-purchased entrance tickets or tour services
• Travel Insurance

Proof of Regular Travel

• Photocopies of passport pages with stamps and visas (both current and previous passport)
• Old boarding passes
• Covid vaccination certificate

Cover Letter

Your letter must include all the important details about your trip. Also, add a little about your current personal circumstances. This will serve as a summary of your entire application. This is not a required document. But it can be helpful.

NZ visa application doesn’t come with interviews. So you have to rely on submitted documents to show why you’re eligible for a visa. A cover letter is your chance to tell more about the purpose of your travel.

And that’s it!

Once you’ve completed gathering your visa requirements, make sure to submit your documents to VFS Global. To know more about the step-by-st, make sure to read my article here.

In summary, here are the links mentioned in this article:

1. Step-by-Step New Zealand Visitor Visa Application Process
2. INZ Website – Immigration New Zealand
3. INZ 1017 – Visitor Visa Application Form for Temporary Stay (Tourists and Visitors)
4. INZ 1018 – Visitor Visa Guide: A Guide to Applying for a Visitor Visa
5. INZ 1025 – Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry

Honesty is the best policy.