New Zealand business visa
India does not sit on New Zealand's visa-waiver list, and that changes how you plan a business trip from the very first step. The NZeTA electronic travel authority is closed to Indian passport holders, and there is no visa on arrival — you must be granted a Business Visitor Visa by Immigration New Zealand before you fly. It covers approved business activity only: sitting in meetings, conferences, seminars or training, negotiating and signing contracts, scoping out opportunities, buying or selling goods and services, or joining an official trade mission. You apply online through Immigration New Zealand (apply.immigration.govt.nz) or lodge your file at a VFS Global New Zealand Visa Application Centre in India, and the visa is issued as an electronic record.
The visa lets you stay up to 3 months in any 12-month period, and the line it draws is firm — no paid employment, no hands-on work. Immigration will want to see funds of at least NZD 1,000 a month, or NZD 400 a month if your accommodation is already paid for, along with evidence of onward travel and a passport valid for at least 3 months beyond the day you plan to leave. Applying from India, the government charge comes to NZD 441 in all: a NZD 300 application fee, a NZD 41 immigration levy and the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. Most Business Visitor Visa applications are decided in about a week by Immigration New Zealand's own estimate, though the timeline shifts with the case and the season.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Indian passport holders travelling to New Zealand for short-term business — meetings, conferences, seminars, training, negotiating or signing contracts, exploring business opportunities, or buying and selling goods and services
- ✓Employees, company directors, business owners or professionals who will continue to be paid by, and will return to, an employer or business based outside New Zealand
- ✓Applicants attending an official trade mission recognised by the New Zealand government
- ✓Travellers who intend to stay no more than 3 months within a 12-month period and will not take up employment in New Zealand
- ✓Applicants who can demonstrate sufficient funds, confirmed onward travel and strong ties to India (employment, business ownership, family or assets)
Visa options for New Zealand
Business Visitor Visa
The primary category for Indian nationals visiting for approved business activities such as meetings, conferences, negotiations and exploring opportunities. Permits a stay of up to 3 months in any 12-month period; no paid work allowed.
Visitor Visa (general)
Used when a trip combines limited business activity with tourism or visiting family. Allows a longer stay (commonly up to 6 or 9 months), but business activity remains restricted to the same approved, non-work purposes.
Documents typically required
- ✓Passport valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from New Zealand, plus a copy of the identity pages
- ✓Completed Tourist/Business Visitor Visa application form (INZ 1189), signed — the online application is the recommended route
- ✓Two recent passport-size colour photographs, taken within the last 6 months
- ✓Cover / invitation letter from the New Zealand host company on business letterhead, stating the business reason for the visit and the activities planned
- ✓Letter from your employer or business in India confirming your position, approving your leave and confirming your return to work
- ✓Proof of funds: bank statements or payslips for the previous 3 months, credit card statements and limits, and income tax returns for the last two years (showing at least NZD 1,000 per month, or NZD 400 per month if accommodation is prepaid)
- ✓Evidence of onward or return travel — a confirmed ticket, funds to buy one, or a sponsor's undertaking
- ✓Evidence of ties to India: business registration certificate, business licence and business tax returns if you own a business, plus property, assets or family ties
- ✓Day-to-day itinerary of your New Zealand trip
- ✓Certified English translations of any document not in English (by an approved translator, not a family member)
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
Indian nationals can't use the NZeTA or get a visa on arrival, so the Business Visitor Visa has to be granted before you travel. Apply online through Immigration New Zealand (apply.immigration.govt.nz) or at a VFS Global New Zealand Visa Application Centre in India; the visa is issued as an electronic record. A police certificate is needed only if your total time in New Zealand will reach 24 months or more, so a short business trip usually won't call for one. The visa allows no paid work and no stay beyond 3 months in a 12-month period — anything longer needs a different visa category.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No one honestly can — the decision rests entirely with Immigration New Zealand. What we do is give you a frank assessment of your profile and build the strongest, best-documented application we can around it. Over the last 2–3 years our applications have carried a success rate of around 97%, but we never promise an outcome that isn't ours to decide.
Can Indian passport holders use the NZeTA or get a visa on arrival for business?
No. India isn't a visa-waiver country, so the NZeTA doesn't apply and there is no visa on arrival. You must be granted a Business Visitor Visa before you travel, lodged online with Immigration New Zealand or through a VFS Global centre in India.
Can I work in New Zealand on a Business Visitor Visa?
No. It covers approved business activities only — meetings, conferences, negotiations, exploring opportunities. Paid employment or hands-on work falls outside it and needs a different visa category.
How long can I stay and what does the government charge?
You can stay up to 3 months within any 12-month period. Applying from India, the government charge totals NZD 441 — a NZD 300 application fee, a NZD 41 immigration levy and the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. Those fees are not refunded if the application is declined.