What the transit rule means for Colombians
New Zealand places countries into groups. Visa-waiver countries can visit for up to 90 days with an NZeTA. Colombia is in a different group: transit visa-waiver countries. Colombian citizens can travel through New Zealand without a transit visa, but they cannot enter the country as tourists on an NZeTA when arriving by plane.
Since 1 October 2019, every transit passenger from a transit visa-waiver country must hold an approved NZeTA before boarding a flight that connects in Auckland. Airlines check this at check-in, so the first time anyone looks at your NZeTA may be at El Dorado Airport in Bogotá or at a hub along the way.
A transit NZeTA does not let you leave the airport. You cannot pass through immigration, collect bags to visit the city, or stay overnight in a hotel outside the terminal.
What is allowed and what is not
With a transit NZeTA you can
- Change flights at Auckland International Airport
- Wait in the international transit area for up to 24 hours
- Continue to a third country, such as Australia or a Pacific island nation
You cannot
- Go sightseeing in Auckland between flights
- Connect via Christchurch, Wellington or Queenstown
- Work, study or stay as a tourist
Typical routes through Auckland from Colombia
There are no direct flights between Colombia and New Zealand. Colombians heading across the Pacific usually fly first to Santiago, Lima or a North American hub, then on to Auckland. If Auckland is only a connection point on the way to Australia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga or the Cook Islands, the transit NZeTA is designed for you.
Check your whole itinerary before you book. A route that connects in the United States will need whatever documents the US requires for Colombian passport holders, which is a separate matter from New Zealand. And if your onward flight to Sydney or Melbourne requires an Australian visa, make sure you have it before you leave Colombia.
Bogotá is 17 to 18 hours behind New Zealand, and you will cross the International Date Line on the way. Allow plenty of time between connections: a missed onward flight could leave you stuck airside, with the 24-hour limit counting down.
Conditions for an Auckland transit
| Airport | Auckland International Airport only |
|---|---|
| Time limit | 24 hours or less from arrival to departure |
| Where you wait | The international transit area, without passing through immigration |
| Onward travel | A confirmed ticket to a third country outside New Zealand |
| Passport | Valid Colombian passport, used for both the NZeTA and the flights |
| Documents for destination | Any visa or entry permit your final destination needs |
For more detail on how airside transit works, read our guide to transiting through New Zealand.
Arriving in New Zealand on a cruise ship
Cruise travel follows a different rule. All cruise passengers need an NZeTA, whatever their nationality, and Colombian citizens who arrive on a cruise ship can apply for an NZeTA as a visitor. This covers trips such as a Pacific cruise from Sydney that calls at Bay of Islands, Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Dunedin.
The key detail is how you first reach New Zealand. If you fly into Auckland to board the ship there, you are arriving by air and need a visitor visa. See our cruise ship NZeTA guide for more examples.
Want to visit New Zealand? You need a visitor visa
If you want to see Hobbiton, Rotorua's geothermal parks or the fiords of the South Island after flying in, an NZeTA is not enough. Colombian citizens must apply for a visitor visa through the New Zealand immigration authorities. This is a separate process with its own requirements, such as evidence of funds and travel plans, and it usually takes longer than an NZeTA, so start early.
Our service only handles NZeTA applications. We can help with a transit NZeTA or a cruise NZeTA, but we cannot process visitor visas.
Applying for a transit NZeTA
Choose "Transit Visa"
On the first screen, select Transit as the visa type. If you are arriving by cruise ship, choose Visit instead.
Enter passport details
Copy your names exactly. Colombian passports usually show two surnames: include both in the family name field.
Add your flight information
Have your arrival and onward flight details ready, so you can confirm your stay in Auckland is under 24 hours.
Upload a photo and pay
Use a clear, recent photo with a plain background. Transit applicants do not pay the IVL.
Allow up to 72 hours. Normal processing is 48–72 hours, Emergency 24–48 hours and Rush 12–24 hours; see the fees page for prices.
Apply for a transit NZeTA from Colombia
Transit questions from Colombian travellers
Not by air. Colombia is a transit visa-waiver country, so an NZeTA lets you pass through Auckland International Airport only. To holiday in New Zealand after flying in, you need a visitor visa.
No more than 24 hours. You must stay in the international transit area and leave on an onward flight to a third country from Auckland.
No. Transit without a visa is only possible at Auckland International Airport. A connection that involves another New Zealand airport would require a visa.
No. Transit passengers are exempt from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. You will only see the cost for the NZeTA application itself, which is shown on our fees page.
If you arrive in New Zealand on a cruise ship, Colombian citizens can apply for an NZeTA as a visitor. If you fly into New Zealand to board the ship, you need a visitor visa instead.
No. The NZeTA only covers New Zealand. You also need any visa your final destination requires, and the airline may ask to see it in Bogotá.