China was once New Zealand's second-largest source of international visitors, contributing more than $1.7 billion to the economy in 2019. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Airport
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford has announced that New Zealand will begin trialing a visa waiver for Chinese nationals arriving from Australia in November.
The move is part of a broader effort to strengthen economic ties with China and revitalise New Zealand's tourism sector.
Stanford made the announcement on Sunday as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon prepared to visit Shanghai and Beijing on a whirlwind trip from 18-21 June.
Under the new policy, Chinese passport holders with valid Australian visas - whether for tourism, work, study or family - would be allowed to visit New Zealand for up to three months without needing a separate visa.
The 12-month trial has been designed to streamline travel across the Tasman Sea and attract more visitors from one of New Zealand's most valuable international tourism markets.
"Our immigration settings play an important role in brightening our country's economic future," Stanford said.
"More than 240,000 Chinese visitor visas were granted in 2024, and we want those numbers to grow."
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford Photo: Samuel Rillstone / RNZ
China was once New Zealand's second-largest source of international visitors, contributing more than $1.7 billion to the economy in 2019.
While that figure declined during the pandemic, Chinese travellers remained a vital part of the country's tourism recovery.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston described the changes as a win for regional economies and local businesses.
"China is one of New Zealand's most important tourism markets, and more international visitors mean more bookings in our restaurants, more people visiting our regions and attractions, more jobs being created across the country and an overall stronger economy," she said.
"In the year ended March 2025, visitors from China contributed $1.24 billion to New Zealand's economy, but there's still more work to do to grow these numbers and drive further economic growth throughout the country."
Alongside the visa waiver trial, Immigration New Zealand was expected to introduce a series of additional measures aimed at supporting Chinese travellers and tour operators.
The changes included a dedicated contact centre number and support in China for Chinese "Approved Destination Status" travel agents, the addition of Simplified Chinese content to the official immigration website and the removal of the requirement for certified translations on visitor visa documents, a step expected to lower application costs and streamline processing.
The new settings complemented the existing five-year multiple-entry Visitor Visa and a current average visa processing time of just five working days for applicants from China.
