Starting in November 2025, passport holders from Palau and other Pacific Islands Forum countries will be able to travel to New Zealand from Australia without needing a visa.
This initiative will be trialed for 12 months. According to an announcement on the New Zealand Immigration website, anyone holding a passport from a Pacific Islands Forum country with a valid Australian visitor, work, student, or family visa will be able to enter New Zealand from Australia using a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) for up to three months.
The announcement eliminates the need for Pacific citizens to apply for a visa to travel to NZ.
However, the announcement clarified that the visa-free trial does not apply to individuals transiting through Australia.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced this change, emphasizing the New Zealand government’s commitment to strengthening relationships with Pacific nations.
“We deeply value our Pacific relationships. Being able to visit New Zealand to connect with family and friends is an important aspect of this,” he stated during his visit to Tonga last week.
He added that the government aims to make it easier and more affordable for people from across the Pacific to visit New Zealand.
Beginning in early July, citizens from all Pacific Islands Forum countries applying for a visitor visa may also be eligible for a multi-entry visa.
This will allow Pacific citizens to visit New Zealand as often as they want within 24 months, an increase from the previous 12-month allowance.
The maximum stay rules for visitors will remain unchanged. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford noted,
“By removing the need for a separate visitor visa for those traveling from Australia, we are simplifying the process for Pacific visitors, significantly reducing both costs and time. This new visa waiver will be trialed for 12 months to assess its impact. For those who still need a New Zealand visa, we are making it easier for them to make multiple trips.”
The Pacific Islands Forum countries are Australia, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. (By: Bernadette Carreon)