Croatia and the NZeTA
Croatian citizens can visit New Zealand without applying for a visa, because Croatia is part of New Zealand's visa-waiver programme. The one condition is an approved New Zealand eTA (NZeTA). It has been compulsory since 1 October 2019 for everyone travelling under the waiver, and for all cruise ship passengers.
The NZeTA is quick to get. You apply online, answer a few questions and upload a photo. Once approved, it is valid for up to 2 years, or until your passport expires, and you can use it for as many trips as you like within that time. Each visit can last up to 90 days.
Visiting family in New Zealand
Links between Croatia and New Zealand go back well over a century. Migrants from Dalmatia settled in Northland and West Auckland, worked on the kauri gum fields and later helped to build New Zealand's wine industry. Today many New Zealanders have Croatian roots, and family visits are one of the most common reasons Croatians make the long trip.
Visiting relatives is fully covered by an NZeTA. If you are staying with family, have their address and phone number ready, as you may be asked where you are staying when you arrive. If you hold New Zealand citizenship through a parent, you should travel as a New Zealander instead.
What you need to apply
- Passport
- Croatian putovnicaValid 3 months beyond departure
- Photo
- Clear face photoPlain, light background
- Contact
- Email addressFor your decision
- Payment
- Bank cardVisa, Mastercard or Amex
Leave the osobna iskaznica at home. It is fine for trips within Europe, but airlines will not board you for New Zealand without a passport, even if you change planes in another EU country first.
Writing names with č, ć, đ, š and ž
Croatian names often include letters that do not exist in English. Your passport shows the full spelling on the photo page and a simplified version in the machine-readable zone (MRZ), the two lines of text at the bottom. Use the MRZ version in your NZeTA application.
| On the photo page | Usually in the MRZ | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Č, Ć | C | Babić → BABIC |
| Š | S | Šimić → SIMIC |
| Ž | Z | Žanić → ZANIC |
| Đ | DJ | Đurić → DJURIC |
Always check your own passport rather than relying on the table, and use the same spelling on your flight booking.
Choosing when to go
Seasons in New Zealand are the reverse of those in Croatia. When the Adriatic coast is at its busiest, New Zealand is in winter, which is ideal for skiing but cold in the south.
| Croatia | New Zealand | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| December–February (winter) | Summer | Beaches, hiking, long daylight hours |
| March–May (spring) | Autumn | Wine harvest, quieter roads |
| June–August (summer) | Winter | Skiing in Queenstown and Ruapehu |
| September–November (autumn) | Spring | Lambing season, gardens, fewer crowds |
Flights from Zagreb or Split usually connect in a Gulf hub such as Doha or Dubai, or in Istanbul, and then in Asia or Australia. Total travel time is often more than 24 hours, so allow a rest day on arrival.
The NZeTA application
Open the form and choose "Visit Visa"
Enter your email and choose Normal (48–72 hours), Emergency (24–48 hours) or Rush (12–24 hours) processing.
Fill in passport and personal details
Use the MRZ spelling of your name. Add family members to the same application if you like, up to 10 people.
Answer the declaration questions
Questions cover health, criminal convictions and previous travel issues.
Upload photos and pay
The fee includes the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL). See the fees page for prices.
Apply for an NZeTA from Croatia
Young Croatians who want to travel and work should look at the Croatia Working Holiday Visa instead. It is a separate visa and is not issued through an NZeTA. For other visit types, see our pages on tourist travel and business visits.
At the New Zealand border
The NZeTA gets you on the plane, but a border officer makes the final decision. Most problems at the border come from a few avoidable mistakes:
- Travelling on a different passport from the one used for the NZeTA
- Having no return or onward ticket
- Not being able to show enough money for your stay
- Forgetting to complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration
- Not declaring food such as pršut, kulen, cheese, honey or homemade fruit preserves
Biosecurity rules are strict, and fines are issued on the spot for undeclared risk goods. Declaring an item does not mean it will be taken from you; it just lets an officer check it. When you're ready to go, complete your Croatian NZeTA application online.
Croatian travellers' questions
No visa is needed for visits of up to 90 days. Croatia is a visa-waiver country, but every Croatian traveller must hold an approved NZeTA before departure.
No. The identity card works for travel within the EU and Schengen area, but New Zealand requires a valid passport. Your NZeTA is linked to that passport.
Copy the spelling used in the machine-readable zone of your passport, where Đ is normally written as DJ. Matching the passport exactly avoids problems at check-in.
No. New Zealand citizens should enter on a New Zealand passport, or on a foreign passport endorsed with New Zealand citizenship. The NZeTA is for visitors only.
No paid work is allowed. Young Croatian citizens may be eligible for a Working Holiday Visa, which is a separate application.
Yes. The NZeTA cannot be transferred, so a new passport needs a new NZeTA application.