New Zealand Scraps Paper Applications for 25 Visitor and Transit Visa Categories From October 2026

• Immigration New Zealand announced that paper visa applications will no longer be accepted from 1 October 2026
• The policy change covers 25 visa categories, including business, medical, sports, and transit visa types
• Applicants who submitted paper forms before the October deadline will still have their applications processed normally

Immigration New Zealand has set an October 2026 deadline that will fundamentally change how travellers apply for entry into the country, requiring all submissions for a broad range of visas to be completed online.

Starting 1 October 2026, the authority will stop accepting paper-based applications for 25 visitor and transit visa categories. The move forms part of a wider digitalisation drive aimed at making the application process more straightforward for travellers and more manageable for immigration officers processing the requests.

25 visa types moving to online-only submission

The full list of categories that will require online submission includes:

1. Transit Visa
2. Visitor Visa
3. Business Visitor Visa
4. Group Visitor Visa (including Approved Destination Status)
5. Academic Visitor Visa
6. Adoption Visitor Visa
7. Adoption Pre-citizenship Visitor Visa
8. Antarctic Traveller Visitor Visa
9. Arts and Music Festival Visitor Visa
10. Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa
11. Crew Joining a Ship or Plane Visitor Visa
12. Dismissed Worker Visitor Visa
13. Es*ort of Medical Patients Visitor Visa
14. German Law Student Visitor Visa
15. Guardian Visitor Visa
16. Medical Treatment Visitor Visa
17. Occupational Registration Visitor Visa
18. Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa
19. Pitcairn Islander Visitor Visa
20. Private Yacht or Plane Visitor Visa
21. Short-term Entertainment Act Visitor Visa
22. Sports Events Visitor Visa
23. Super Yachts Visitor Visa
24. Tour Es*ort Visitor Visa
25. Visiting Media Visitor Visa

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New Zealand lists visitor and transit visas that must now be applied for online

Anyone who has already submitted a paper application before the 1 October 2026 cut-off date does not need to reapply. Immigration New Zealand confirmed those forms will be processed without interruption.

How to submit visa application through Immigration Online

Immigration New Zealand confirmed that the infrastructure for online submission is already in place. Most visitor visa types and all transit visa applications are currently available through the enhanced Immigration Online system, giving applicants time to familiarise themselves with the platform well before the deadline arrives.

Travellers planning to visit New Zealand for medical treatment, business engagements, sporting events, or any of the other purposes listed above must complete their applications digitally through the official Immigration New Zealand portal. This applies both to applications submitted before the deadline and to all future applications received from 1 October 2026 onwards.

The authority's decision reflects a broader global trend among immigration authorities to shift administrative processes onto digital platforms, reducing paperwork and enabling faster case processing on both ends.

Source: YEN.com.gh