New Zealand Digital Nomad Visa: Work Remotely as a Tourist

Plans for an official New Zealand digital nomad visa seem to be on hold. The Immigration Minister, Erica Stanford, has recently announced changes to the allowance of remote work for those who apply for an entry visa.

In a press conference, Stanford announced that those who hold a tourist visa and originate from countries such as the UK, USA, EU member countries, Japan, South Korea, Argentina, and Israel may work remotely on tourist visas.

The validity of the updated visitor visas is either six months for a multiple-entry visa or nine months for a single-entry visa.

While this is not an official digital nomad visa, it is a step in the right direction for digital nomads who want to explore New Zealand. In fact, it takes away some of the bureaucratic headache that comes with applying for digital nomad visas.

We still hope for the proposed opportunity for an official digital nomad visa in New Zealand that was initially announced in 2024. in the future, though.

It’s important to consider that even though the New Zealand digital nomad tourist visa is a non-immigrant visa, holders may still be liable to pay local taxes. If your home country has a taxation treaty with New Zealand, then you will not be taxed if you stay less than 183 days within a 12-month period. However, if your country of origin does not have a tax treaty, you will become a tax resident after 92 days of working remotely in New Zealand within a 12-month period.

New Zealand will be the first country in Oceania to introduce a digital nomad visa. However, there are currently countries in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia and the Philippines, with digital nomad visas. 

As more information is released about the New Zealand digital nomad visa, Nomads Embassy will update this article. To be the first to know about these updates, join the waiting list by completing the contact form below. 

What is a Digital Nomad Visa?

A digital nomad visa allows remote workers to temporarily live in a foreign country. 

To be eligible for this special type of visa, you must be a freelancer, employee, or business owner working from a laptop for a company or clients located outside of the country where you wish to hold the visa. 

It’s important to understand that you will not be able to partake in local economic activities while living abroad with a digital nomad visa. 

Some digital nomad visas will allow applicants to include family members and can even lead to permanent residency. 

Important: The update to allow the act of remote work on a tourist visa is not an official New Zealand digital nomad visa. It is simply an amendment to the activities allowed with a tourist visa.

New Zealand Digital Nomad Visa Requirements

To be eligible for a visitor visa in New Zealand that allows you to work remotely, you must meet the following requirements:

• Valid Passport
• Not work for a company established in New Zealand
• Not sell products or services in New Zealand
• Pay the NZD $341 visa fee

You must also have a reason to visit New Zealand and working remotely may not be your main motivation. Some of the options include:

• Holiday
• Visiting friends or family
• Studying (up to 3 months)

How to Apply for the New Zealand Digital Nomad Visa

There is a select list of countries with a visa-exempt or visa waiver agreement with New Zealand. Citizens of these countries will request a Visitor Visa via the official online portal.

Processing time takes around three and a half weeks.

You must submit the following documents in English:

• Valid Passport
• Reason for Visit
• Proof of Onward Travel
• Proof of Funds (at least NZD $1000 per month you’re staying there)
• Certificate of Good Health
• Chest X-Ray (if staying more than 6 months)
• Criminal Background Check
• International Health Insurance Policy
• Proof of Relationship (if applicable)

New Zealand for Digital Nomads

While New Zealand may not be the most budget-friendly destination for digital nomads, it certainly has some spectacular cities and nature for them to explore. 

The most popular cities frequented by digital nomads are Wellington, Auckland, Queenstown, and Christchurch. The average cost of living is around $3,000 USD for an individual, and this could deter some digital nomads. 

As for wifi, the country is implementing a fibre wifi connection, increasing speeds up to 400 Mbps. However, digital nomads may still have some difficulty finding outstanding wifi while working from cafes. 

From mountains to beaches to busy cities, there is a little something for everyone in New Zealand. Plus, it has much fewer creepy crawlers than its neighbor country, Australia! 

And we can’t ignore the fact that the cinematic marvels The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies were filmed here.

Apply for a Digital Nomad Visa with Nomads Embassy’s Help

Applying for a digital nomad visa and moving to a new country isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes time, research, and navigating foreign bureaucracy. In many cases, digital nomads give up halfway through the application process!

Nomads Embassy: The World’s First Embassy for Digital Nomads changes that with our streamlined process, hand-selected local immigration lawyers, and innovative platform. 

We have scouted for the best, most reliable immigration lawyers worldwide to assist our members with their digital nomad visa applications. 

Ready to jumpstart your digital nomad visa application? 

Request our free digital nomad visa eligibility check today!