Do French citizens need an NZeTA?
Yes. France is a New Zealand visa-waiver country, so French citizens can visit for tourism, family reasons or business for up to 90 days without a visa. Since 1 October 2019, however, the visa waiver only applies if you hold an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) before you travel.
Your airline checks the NZeTA when you check in, using your passport number. Without approval you will not be allowed to board. Once issued, the NZeTA is valid for up to 2 years, or until your passport expires, and can be used for several trips.
French visitors come to New Zealand for many reasons, from young people on a gap year to retired couples touring by campervan, rugby fans and wine professionals visiting Marlborough or Central Otago.
From Nouméa, Papeete or Paris
France is unusual because many of its citizens already live in the Pacific. The NZeTA rules depend on your passport, so they are the same wherever you start your journey.
New Caledonia and French Polynesia
There are direct flights from Nouméa and Papeete to Auckland, taking just a few hours. These short trips are popular for shopping, sport and family visits. You still need an NZeTA for every trip, and it is checked before you board.
Mainland France
From Paris, routes usually connect in the Middle East, in Asia (for example Singapore or Hong Kong) or in North America, and take more than 24 hours. New Zealand is 10 to 12 hours ahead of Paris.
Seasons in New Zealand are reversed compared with mainland France. Christmas is in the middle of summer, while July and August are the ski season in Queenstown and on Mt Ruapehu.
Passport, not carte d'identité
The carte nationale d'identité (CNI) is accepted for travel in Europe but not for New Zealand. You need a valid French passport.
| Passport validity | At least 3 months after the date you leave New Zealand |
|---|---|
| One NZeTA per passport | If you renew your passport, you need a new NZeTA |
| Children | Each child needs their own passport and their own NZeTA |
| Dual nationals | Apply with the passport you will travel on, and use it at check-in |
Accents, hyphens and nom d'usage
French names often include accents (é, è, ç), hyphenated given names such as Jean-Baptiste or Marie-Claire, and sometimes a nom d'usage alongside your birth surname. To avoid mismatches:
- Copy your surname and given names from the machine-readable zone (MRZ) at the bottom of your passport's photo page
- Leave out accents, as the MRZ does: Hélène becomes HELENE, François becomes FRANCOIS
- Keep hyphenated given names together; the MRZ may show them with a space or filler character instead of a hyphen
- If a married name appears on your passport but not in the MRZ, use the MRZ version
Working holiday or NZeTA?
Many young French travellers come to New Zealand on a PVT (programme vacances-travail). That is the France Working Holiday Visa, a separate visa for young French citizens who may be eligible to travel and work. It is not an NZeTA.
NZeTA
- Holidays, family visits, business meetings
- Study up to 3 months
- Up to 90 days per visit
Not covered by an NZeTA
- Any paid work, including seasonal jobs
- Long study programmes
- Stays longer than 90 days
Business visitors can attend meetings, conferences and trade events. Read more in our business visitor guide, or see cruise NZeTA information if you are arriving by sea.
Applying online from France
Choose visa type and speed
Select "Visit Visa", then Normal (48–72 hours), Emergency (24–48 hours) or Rush (12–24 hours).
Enter traveller details
Add up to 10 travellers. Copy each passport exactly, using the MRZ spelling.
Answer the questions
Brief health and character questions. Answer honestly.
Upload photos and pay
A recent face photo for each person, then card payment. The IVL tourism levy is included.
See the NZeTA fees page for current prices.
Apply for your NZeTA from France
Arriving in New Zealand
An NZeTA is permission to travel, not a guarantee of entry. At the border, an officer may ask to see:
- The passport linked to your NZeTA
- A return or onward ticket
- Proof of funds for your stay
- Accommodation details
- Your completed New Zealand Traveller Declaration
Declare it, don't risk it. Cheese, saucisson, pâté, foie gras, fresh fruit, seeds and honey must all be declared. New Zealand's biosecurity rules are strict, and undeclared food can lead to an instant fine.
Everything ready? Complete your New Zealand eTA application in about 10 minutes.
FAQs for French travellers
No visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days. France is a visa-waiver country, but French citizens must hold an approved NZeTA before travelling by air or cruise ship.
No. French citizens living in New Caledonia, French Polynesia or Wallis and Futuna travel on French passports, so the same NZeTA rules apply.
No. New Zealand only accepts passports. Apply for the NZeTA with your French passport and travel on that same passport.
Use the name exactly as it appears in the machine-readable zone of your passport. If your nom d'usage is shown on the passport but not in the MRZ, follow the MRZ.
No. Young French citizens who want to travel and work may be eligible for the France Working Holiday Visa, which is a separate application.
You must declare all dairy and meat products when you arrive. Officers will check them, and some may not be allowed in. Undeclared food can lead to a fine.