Are you eligible for an NZeTA from Bahrain?
Like its Gulf neighbours, Bahrain is on New Zealand's visa-waiver list. If you are a citizen of the Kingdom of Bahrain and travel on a valid Bahraini passport, you can apply for an NZeTA instead of a visitor visa.
You are eligible if:
- You hold a Bahraini passport that is valid for at least 3 months after your planned departure from New Zealand
- You plan a visit of 90 days or less
- Your trip is for tourism, family, business meetings or short study
- You have no serious criminal convictions or immigration history that would make you ineligible
The NZeTA has been required for visa-waiver travellers since 1 October 2019. Once approved, it is valid for up to 2 years, so a family that visits New Zealand during two summers in a row can use the same NZeTA for both trips.
Bahrain residents versus Bahraini citizens
Bahrain has a large expatriate community. A Bahrain residence permit or CPR card does not count towards New Zealand eligibility. What matters is the nationality on your passport.
Bahraini citizens
Apply for an NZeTA with your Bahraini passport. No visa is needed for visits of up to 90 days.
Expatriates living in Bahrain
Check the rules for your own passport. If your country is on the visa-waiver list, you can apply for an NZeTA. If not, you may need a visa.
Bahraini citizens who also hold another nationality should choose one passport and use it for both the NZeTA and the trip.
Writing your name correctly
Bahraini passports show your name in Arabic and in Latin letters. The NZeTA uses the Latin version from the machine-readable zone at the bottom of the photo page. A few tips:
- Copy the spelling exactly, even if you normally write it another way, for example Mohammed vs Mohamed.
- Include all parts of your name in the correct fields, such as your father's and grandfather's names, as they are printed.
- Prefixes such as Al or Bin should be written the way the passport shows them, with or without a space or hyphen.
Small spelling differences are one of the most common reasons travellers have problems at check-in. Our team checks names against the passport details you provide before we submit your application.
Getting there: flights via the Gulf
The Gulf is one of the best-connected regions for flights to New Zealand. Travellers from Bahrain usually take a short flight to Doha or Dubai and connect to a long-haul service to Auckland. Others route through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or an Australian city.
From Bahrain, New Zealand is 9 or 10 hours ahead, depending on the time of year. The long-haul flight alone can take 16 hours or more. Your NZeTA must be approved before you check in at Bahrain International Airport, because the airline checks it for the whole journey.
If your route includes a stopover in Australia, you'll need the right authority for Australia too.
Apply online in four steps
Start your application
Enter your email address and choose how quickly you need a decision.
Add travellers
Enter passport details for each person, up to 10 per application.
Answer questions and upload photos
Answer short health and character questions and add a face photo for each traveller. Head coverings worn for religious reasons are fine, as long as your full face is visible.
Pay and receive your decision
Pay by card. You'll get the outcome by email.
Processing options are Normal (48–72 hours), Emergency (24–48 hours) and Rush (12–24 hours). Fees include the IVL tourism levy and are listed on the NZeTA fees page.
Apply for a New Zealand eTA from Bahrain
Purpose of your visit
The NZeTA covers the most common reasons that Bahraini citizens travel to New Zealand:
Family holidays
Summer breaks when the Gulf is hot and New Zealand is in its cool, green winter. See our tourist guide.
Business visits
Meetings, food and agriculture trade events, and conferences. Read the business NZeTA guide.
Short study
English courses and other study of up to 3 months.
Visiting students
Parents visiting children who study at New Zealand universities.
You can't work in New Zealand on an NZeTA. Long-term study needs a student visa.
Arrival and customs
Border officers make the final decision on entry. Keep these with you in your hand luggage:
- Your passport, the same one used for the NZeTA
- A return or onward ticket
- Proof of funds for your stay
- Hotel booking or the address where you're staying
- Your completed New Zealand Traveller Declaration
Declare all food. Dates, spices, nuts, honey, dried herbs and homemade sweets must be declared on arrival. Biosecurity officers will check them. Fines apply to undeclared items, even small ones.
Planning a trip with friends from elsewhere in the Gulf? See our Qatar, Kuwait and UAE pages. When you're ready, complete your NZeTA application. It takes about 10 minutes.
Bahraini travellers' FAQs
No. Bahrain is on New Zealand's visa-waiver list, so Bahraini passport holders can visit for up to 90 days without a visa. An approved NZeTA is required before travel.
Residency in Bahrain does not give you visa-waiver status. Your eligibility depends on your own passport, so check the rules for the country that issued it.
Use the spelling in your passport's machine-readable zone for the NZeTA. Ask your airline to correct the ticket so that all three documents match.
No. The NZeTA is for tourism, family visits, business visits and short study. Medical treatment requires a visa from the New Zealand immigration authorities.
Many commercially packaged foods are allowed, but you must declare all food on arrival. Biosecurity officers will inspect it and tell you what can come in.
No. Every traveller needs their own NZeTA, including children of any age. You can add the whole family to one application.