Indonesia is a transit visa-waiver country
New Zealand divides passports into groups. Visa-waiver passports can visit with an NZeTA. Transit visa-waiver passports, including the Indonesian passport, can use an NZeTA only to change planes at Auckland. Everyone else needs a transit visa.
This is useful if you are flying from Jakarta, Surabaya or Denpasar to South America, North America or a Pacific island, and your route connects through Auckland. With an approved transit NZeTA, you don't need to apply for a transit visa.
An NZeTA does not let Indonesian citizens enter New Zealand as tourists when arriving by air. If you plan to holiday in New Zealand, visit family or attend a conference, you need a visitor visa. Booking a hotel or tour with only an NZeTA will lead to problems at check-in.
Conditions for transiting through Auckland
Your transit NZeTA is only valid if your journey meets all of these conditions:
Auckland International Airport only
You arrive and depart from Auckland. Transit at other New Zealand airports is not covered.
Stay airside
You remain in the international transit area and do not pass through immigration.
24 hours or less
Your connecting flight leaves within 24 hours of your arrival.
Onward ticket to a third country
You hold a confirmed ticket to a destination outside New Zealand, and you have any visa that country requires.
Check your booking carefully. Some itineraries look like a transit but include an overnight stay, a domestic flight or a separate ticket that requires you to collect bags and check in again. Those journeys mean entering New Zealand, which requires a visa. Read our full New Zealand transit guide for more examples.
Which document do Indonesian travellers need?
| Your plan | What you need |
|---|---|
| Jakarta to Santiago via Auckland, 6-hour connection, same ticket | Transit NZeTA |
| Jakarta to Rarotonga via Auckland, connecting the same day | Transit NZeTA |
| Stopover of two nights in Auckland before flying on | Visitor visa |
| Two-week holiday in Queenstown | Visitor visa |
| Joining a cruise that visits New Zealand ports | NZeTA (as a cruise visitor) |
| Studying or working in New Zealand | Student or work visa |
If you are unsure whether your itinerary counts as transit, check two things with your airline or travel agent: whether your bags are checked through to your final destination, and whether your connecting flight leaves from the same international terminal within 24 hours. If the answer to either question is no, apply for a visa instead.
Cruise passengers from Indonesia
There is one important exception. If you arrive in New Zealand on a cruise ship, you can apply for an NZeTA as a visitor, whatever your nationality. This means Indonesian citizens can go ashore at ports such as Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington or Dunedin without a visitor visa, as long as you arrive on the ship.
If you fly to New Zealand to join the cruise, the cruise NZeTA does not cover your flight arrival, and you need a visitor visa for that part of the journey. Our cruise ship NZeTA guide explains this in more detail.
Applying for a transit NZeTA
The application is short and is done entirely online. You will need:
- An Indonesian passport (paspor) valid for at least 3 months after your departure date
- A clear photo of your face. You may wear a religious head covering if your face is fully visible
- Your flight details, including the onward flight from Auckland
- An email address and a payment card
Select "Transit" as your type of travel. Because you are transiting, the fee does not include the IVL tourism levy. Allow up to 72 hours for processing; you can choose Normal (48–72 hours), Emergency (24–48 hours) or Rush (12–24 hours). See our fees for current prices.
Apply for a transit NZeTA from Indonesia
If you want to visit New Zealand
To travel to New Zealand by air as a tourist, to see family or for a business meeting, Indonesian citizens must apply for a visitor visa. This is a separate process from the NZeTA and usually takes longer, so apply well before your trip. It normally involves providing evidence of funds, your travel plans and your ties to Indonesia.
Our visitor visa page explains the main differences between an NZeTA and a visa. If you also hold another nationality with a visa-waiver passport, you may be able to visit with an NZeTA on that passport instead.
Single names and passport details
Many Indonesians have only one name, while others have several given names and no family name. Indonesian passports handle this in different ways, so never guess. Copy your name exactly as it appears in the two machine-readable lines at the bottom of the photo page. If your passport has only one name, enter it the same way it appears there.
Your NZeTA is linked to one passport number. If you renew your passport, apply for a new NZeTA before your next transit through Auckland.
Going ashore from a cruise? New Zealand's biosecurity rules are strict. Declare or leave behind fresh fruit, rendang, abon, meat or seafood snacks, spices and seeds. Undeclared food can lead to an instant fine.
Connecting through Auckland?
Get your transit NZeTA before you fly so your airline can check you in all the way to your final destination.
Transit FAQs for Indonesian travellers
Not by air. Indonesia is a transit visa-waiver country, so an NZeTA only lets you transit through Auckland International Airport. To visit New Zealand, you need a visitor visa, unless you are arriving on a cruise ship.
No. On a transit NZeTA you must stay in the international transit area. If you want to leave the airport, even for one night in a hotel, you need a visitor visa.
No. Transit without a visa is only possible at Auckland International Airport, and you must arrive and depart from the same airport.
Your time in transit must be 24 hours or less, and you must already hold a confirmed ticket to a third country.
No. Travellers who are only transiting through Auckland don't pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy.
Yes. Many Indonesians have a single name. Enter it exactly as your passport's machine-readable lines show it, and our team will check the format before your application is submitted.