The short version
- Americans can visit New Zealand with an NZeTA for up to 3 months at a time. To live there, you need a visa.
- If you are a US citizen aged 18 to 30 who lives in the US, the working holiday visa gives you 12 months to live and work there.
- Other routes: study, a job with an accredited employer, a skilled resident visa, a retirement visa from 66, or an investor visa.
- Each route asks for something different: an age, a job offer, a place at a school, or money to show.
How can an American move to New Zealand?
By getting a visa that fits your age, your plans and what you can show. A US passport lets you visit, but not live there. To stay longer, you pick one route and apply to Immigration New Zealand.
These are the main routes. All figures are from Immigration New Zealand, checked on 12 Oct 2026:
| Route | Who it fits | How long | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working holiday visa | US citizens aged 18 to 30 | 12 months | From NZD 770 |
| Fee Paying Student Visa | Students with an offer of place | Up to 4 years | From NZD 850 |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | Workers with a job offer from an employer that is accredited | Up to 5 years | From NZD 1,540 |
| Skilled Migrant Category | Skilled workers aged 55 or under | No end date | From NZD 6,450 |
| Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa | People aged 66 or older | 2 years | From NZD 7,891 |
| Active Investor Plus Visa | Investors with NZD 5 million or more | No end date | From NZD 27,470 |
The exact fee for each visa shows once you enter your country on the official page.
Can Americans visit New Zealand without a visa?
Yes, with an NZeTA. This is an online travel pass, not a visa. US citizens are on New Zealand's visa waiver list, so they ask for an NZeTA before they fly instead of a visa.
- Cost: from NZD 17.
- How long it lasts: 2 years for most travellers, for many trips.
- Each visit: up to 3 months at a time.
- The cap: no more than 6 months in any 12-month period.
Allow 72 hours for it to come through. A visit is a good way to see a city before you choose it. It is not a way to live there. What you can do on a visit depends on the visitor visa you are given at the border.
Can Americans get a working holiday visa for New Zealand?
Yes, if you are 18 to 30, a US citizen and you normally live in the US. On 12 Oct 2026 the official page said the US scheme was open and you could apply online. Each country's scheme opens and closes on its own dates, so check before you plan.
To apply, Immigration New Zealand asks that you:
- Have at least NZD 4,200 to live on.
- Have full medical insurance for your whole stay.
- Have a ticket out, or the money to buy one on top of the NZD 4,200.
- Have never held a New Zealand working holiday visa before, even an unused one.
The visa lets you holiday and work in temporary jobs for up to 12 months, and study for up to 6 months in total. You do not need a job offer. You cannot take a permanent job on it. You must arrive within 12 months of getting it.
If you do 3 months of seasonal work in horticulture or viticulture, you may be able to stay 3 more months on a Working Holiday Extension Work Visa. Read how a working holiday visa works, or see the New Zealand working holiday visa page for every passport.
Can you move to New Zealand to study?
Yes, with a Fee Paying Student Visa. You need an offer of place from an approved education provider, and proof you have paid the tuition for 1 course or 1 year, whichever is shorter.
You also show money to live on. For tertiary, English language or other non-compulsory study, that is NZD 20,000 a year, or NZD 1,667 a month for courses under a year. The visa can run for up to 4 years. It costs from NZD 850, and 80% of applications are decided within 7 weeks. The official page asks you to apply at least 3 months before you travel.
Some courses let you work up to 25 hours a week during study, and full time in the holidays. Your visa conditions say which applies to you.
After you finish, the Post-Study Work Visa can let you stay and work for up to 3 years, depending on what you studied. You can only hold it once, and you show at least NZD 5,000. It costs from NZD 1,670. See student visas for New Zealand for the full list of rules.
How do you get a work visa for New Zealand?
Most often, with a job offer from an employer that holds accreditation. The visa for this is the Accredited Employer Work Visa, or AEWV. The employer sends you a link to the online form.
What the official page says on 12 Oct 2026:
- The job must be full time, at least 30 hours a week.
- You must meet the work experience or qualification rules for that job.
- For jobs at skill levels 3 to 5, you show you can speak and understand English.
- In total, you can stay up to 5 years for most jobs, or 3 years for jobs at skill level 4 or 5.
- It costs from NZD 1,540, and 80% of applications are decided within 5 weeks.
The visa ties you to that employer. To change job or employer, you apply to change your visa conditions or for a new visa. Immigration New Zealand also says New Zealand employers and agents cannot charge you a fee for a job. Our tools do not cover work visas yet, so the official AEWV page is the place to check the details.
Which visas let you stay in New Zealand indefinitely?
Resident visas. Two of them come up most for people moving from the US.
The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa. You must be 55 or younger, speak and understand English, and work for or have a job offer from an accredited employer. There are 3 pathways: points based, skilled work experience, and trades and technicians. You first send an expression of interest. If it is accepted, you are invited to apply. The visa lets you live, work and study in New Zealand with no end date, and costs from NZD 6,450. Two of the pathways ask for skilled work done in New Zealand, so this visa can follow time on a work visa. Read the Skilled Migrant Category page for each pathway's rules.
The Active Investor Plus Visa. This is also a resident visa. It is covered in the investor section below.
Can Americans retire in New Zealand?
There is a Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa for people aged 66 or older. It lets you stay for 2 years. It is a visitor visa, not a resident visa.
The official page asks for all three of these:
- NZD 750,000 to invest in New Zealand and keep there for 2 years.
- NZD 500,000 more to live on.
- NZD 60,000 a year in income, such as a pension.
You must also keep travel or health insurance for your stay. You cannot work for a New Zealand employer, but you may be able to work remotely for an employer or client outside New Zealand. The fee is from NZD 7,891, and 80% of applications are decided within 4.5 weeks.
The official page gives no path to permanent residence from this visa. To stay past the 2 years, you apply for another one. See retiring in New Zealand for the full rules.
Is there an investor visa for New Zealand?
Yes, the Active Investor Plus Visa. On 12 Oct 2026 the official page said applications were open. It has two categories:
| Category | Invest at least | Keep it in for | Time in NZ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth | NZD 5 million | 3 years | 21 days |
| Balanced | NZD 10 million | 5 years | 105 days |
The time in New Zealand is the total over the investment period. After approval in principle, you have 6 months to move and invest the funds. The visa lets you live, work and study in New Zealand with no end date. Once you meet the conditions, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa. The fee is from NZD 27,470. Invest New Zealand decides which investments count. See New Zealand's investor visa for the routes side by side.
Can your partner and children come too?
It depends on the visa. Some let you include your family in one application. Others ask each person to apply for their own.
| Visa | Partner and children |
|---|---|
| Working holiday | They apply for their own visa |
| Student | Not on your visa, but they can apply based on you |
| AEWV | You may be able to support their visas |
| Skilled Migrant Category | Partner and children 24 or under can be on your application |
| Retirement visa | Partner yes, dependent children no |
| Active Investor Plus | Partner and children 24 or under can be on your application |
Each visa page has a section on family. Read it before you plan who moves when.
What is the first step to move to New Zealand?
Pick the one route that fits your age and plan, then read its official page in the same week you apply. Rules, fees and open dates change.
One simple order is:
- Check which route you qualify for today: your age, a job offer, a school place, or the money asked.
- Read that visa's page on Immigration New Zealand and note what papers it asks for.
- Start the slow papers early. For the working holiday visa, police certificates must be less than 6 months old when you apply. If an X-ray or medical exam is asked for, the results must be less than 3 months old.
- Apply, then book travel once you have a decision.
Many people start with a visit on an NZeTA, then apply for a longer stay later. The US working holiday visa page and the NZeTA page are good places to start.