Articles on: Africa and Oceania

New Zealand — Options for Digital Nomads Work remotely between mountains and fiords

Knowledge Base – QUESTRAVEL

By Víctor Pizarro, Co-founder of QUESTRAVEL

Why New Zealand

Start your morning in a Wellington café and spend the afternoon exploring South Island film locations. New Zealand doesn’t have a single “digital nomad visa,” but it does offer clear pathways that let remote workers live in the country temporarily while keeping an overseas job.


Your main options (clear & human)

1) Visitor Visa (now remote-work friendly)

Since early 2025, visitor visas and NZeTAs issued under the new rules allow remote work for an overseas employer or clients while you’re in NZ, with no specific cap beyond your visa stay conditions. This is the simplest route for many nomads whose income is fully foreign-sourced.

Typical stay: up to 6–9 months (depending on your circumstances and nationality).

Good for: people who want to live in NZ for a few months, keep working for a non-NZ company, and avoid local employment.

2) Working Holiday Visa (WHV)

If your country has a WHV agreement, you can usually stay up to 12 months (some nationalities get 23 months, and UK citizens can access 12, 23, or 36 months). WHV allows travel, casual local work, and—if you wish—continuing your remote job for an overseas employer.

Good for: under-30 (sometimes under-35) travelers who want maximum flexibility (travel + occasional local work + remote work).

3) Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

Not a nomad visa, but useful if you later get a job offer from an accredited NZ employer and want to extend your stay on a standard work pathway.

Good for: transitioning from a remote-only stay to a New Zealand job with a compliant employer.


Who runs it

All visas are handled by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) via the official portal immigration.govt.nz.


Durations (at a glance)

  • Visitor Visa: typically up to 6–9 months (case-dependent).
  • Working Holiday Visa: 12 months (some nationalities 23 months; UK up to 36 months).
  • AEWV: up to 5 years, tied to the job offered.


Core requirements (vary by visa)

  • Passport valid for your full stay.
  • Proof of funds (e.g., WHV commonly requires NZD 4,200+).
  • Health insurance valid in New Zealand (recommended/required for WHV).
  • Clean criminal record.
  • WHV age & nationality: usually 18–30 (some 18–35), and citizenship of a partner country.
  • AEWV: bona-fide job offer from an accredited employer.


How to apply (step-by-step)

  1. Pick your pathway (Visitor / WHV / AEWV) based on your profile and timeframe.
  2. Create an INZ account and complete the online application.
  3. Upload documents (passport, funds, insurance, police certs, etc.).
  4. Pay the fee shown for your visa type.
  5. Wait for a decision (processing can range from a couple of weeks to a few months depending on category and demand).
  6. Receive your eVisa linked to your passport.


Practical tips for remote workers

  • Keep it foreign-sourced: on a Visitor Visa, your work should be for an overseas employer/clients—not an NZ employer.
  • Connectivity: major cities (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch) have excellent internet and coworking; small towns can vary—check before you book long stays.
  • Time zones: align your workday with North America/Europe using early-morning or late-evening slots; cafés and coworking hubs accommodate.
  • Tax & presence: long stays can create tax residence questions. If you’re close to thresholds or mixing remote with local work, talk to a cross-border tax advisor.


One-page checklist (save this)

  • [ ] Choose the visa (Visitor / WHV / AEWV)
  • [ ] Passport validity & passport-style photo
  • [ ] Proof of funds (e.g., NZD 4,200 for WHV)
  • [ ] Health insurance (recommended/required per visa)
  • [ ] Police certificate (if requested)
  • [ ] Application & fee via immigration.govt.nz
  • [ ] Plan your stay length and onward travel


Want a tailored plan?

We’ll map the best route (Visitor vs. WHV vs. AEWV), build your document pack, and design a work-friendly itinerary (cities, coworking, SIM/banking). Book a consult at fromquestravel.com.


Official references

(Per your preference, links only here and in fromquestravel.com.)

  • INZ — Remote work on Visitor Visas/NZeTAs (effective Jan 27, 2025): policy allowing remote work for overseas entities. (Immigration New Zealand)
  • INZ — Visitor Visa overview (stay length): general visitor information and typical 6–9-month stays. (Immigration New Zealand)
  • INZ — Working Holiday Visa (who can apply): age, nationality, and conditions; UK WHV durations 12/23/36 months. (Immigration New Zealand)
  • INZ — Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV): overview, length up to 5 years with an accredited employer. (Immigration New Zealand)


Updated on: 06/11/2025