New Zealand
New Zealand Free movement by treaty
Trans-Tasman travel: Australian Resident Visa (Australian citizens and permanent residents)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Free movement by treaty is a long-stay route for New Zealand. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Only for passports from Australia
What you'll need
Who can apply4
- Australian citizens and permanent residents can normally live, work or study in New Zealand without applying for a visa before coming.
- Australian temporary residents are not eligible for this visa.
- Permanent residents need a current Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa with travel conditions allowing return to Australia.
- Applicants must be of good character; a criminal conviction or past deportation or exclusion from another country may prevent the grant.
Documents2
- Australian citizens travel on a valid Australian passport or a foreign passport endorsed with an Australian declaratory visa.
- Permanent residents carry a passport matching their Australian visa, and should carry a printed copy of that visa.
Steps3
- Australian permanent residents must hold a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before travel; Australian citizens do not.
- Complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration and arrival card, including the character questions and section 7 on your Australian passport or visa.
- You can only apply on arrival at the New Zealand border; there are no immigration fees for the resident visa.
After you arrive2
- Leaving New Zealand ends the resident visa unless travel conditions are added; a variation of travel conditions allows up to 24 months of travel.
- Australian citizens can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa after living in New Zealand as a resident for 24 months in a row, if they meet its requirements.
What happens at day 183
How New Zealand decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in any 12-month periodTax residence begins by more than 183 days in New Zealand or a permanent place of abode
- Foreign-source income
New-resident relief (4 years)
New migrants and returning New Zealanders who qualify get roughly four years of exemption on most foreign-source income while they are New Zealand tax residents.
- Special regime
Transitional tax resident exemption · Tax relief
All tax rules for New Zealand Tax records checked
Full official text
Australian citizens and permanent residents can live, work and study in New Zealand. They are normally given a resident visa on arrival, free of charge, without applying beforehand. 1 2
Requirements
- Australian citizens and permanent residents can normally live, work or study in New Zealand without applying for a visa before coming. 2 1
- Australian temporary residents are not eligible for this visa. 1 2
- Permanent residents need a current Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa with travel conditions allowing return to Australia. 2 1
- Applicants must be of good character; a criminal conviction or past deportation or exclusion from another country may prevent the grant. 1
- Australian citizens travel on a valid Australian passport or a foreign passport endorsed with an Australian declaratory visa. 2 1
- Permanent residents carry a passport matching their Australian visa, and should carry a printed copy of that visa. 1 2
- Australian permanent residents must hold a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before travel; Australian citizens do not. 1 2
- Complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration and arrival card, including the character questions and section 7 on your Australian passport or visa. 2 1
- You can only apply on arrival at the New Zealand border; there are no immigration fees for the resident visa. 1
- Leaving New Zealand ends the resident visa unless travel conditions are added; a variation of travel conditions allows up to 24 months of travel. 1 2
- Australian citizens can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa after living in New Zealand as a resident for 24 months in a row, if they meet its requirements. 2
Stay
- Indefinite stay; the resident visa expires when you leave New Zealand unless travel conditions are added.
Nationality
Australian citizens, and people of any nationality who hold a current Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa. Open to: Australia.
Work
The resident visa lets holders live and work in any occupation for any employer, and study, in New Zealand.
Official sources
- Australian Resident Visa · Immigration New Zealand · checked 2026-10-10
- Australian citizens and permanent residents travelling to New Zealand · Immigration New Zealand · checked 2026-10-10
Free movement by treaty and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free movement by treaty | – | – | Yes |
| Visa-free stay (6 months) | – | 6 mo | Remote only |
| GCC citizens United Arab Emirates | – | – | – |
| Visa-free stay (6 months) Hong Kong | – | 6 mo | No |
| Free movement by treaty Australia | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Free movement by treaty?
Indefinite stay; the resident visa expires when you leave New Zealand unless travel conditions are added.
Can I work on the Free movement by treaty?
Yes. The resident visa lets holders live and work in any occupation for any employer, and study, in New Zealand.
Who can apply for the Free movement by treaty?
Australian citizens, and people of any nationality who hold a current Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa. Open to: Australia.
Is there a tax break for Free movement by treaty holders in New Zealand?
Transitional tax resident exemption for most foreign-source income: New migrants and returning New Zealanders who qualify get roughly four years of exemption on most foreign-source income while they are New Zealand tax residents. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Transitional tax resident exemption for most foreign-source income
Tax relief
Details
- On: Most foreign-source income
New migrants and returning New Zealanders who qualify get roughly four years of exemption on most foreign-source income while they are New Zealand tax residents.
Taxed on
Most foreign-source income; overseas employment and personal services income is not exempt.
Who it applies to
- Period begins on first day of New Zealand tax residence and ends four years after end of month of qualification, subject to earlier opt-out/termination events.
- The exemption can be used only once.
- The person was not a New Zealand tax resident at any time in the 10 years before qualifying.
Exclusions
- Overseas employment income and income from personal services is not exempt.
- Applying for Working for Families, opting out, reporting covered income, or confirming NZ tax to a foreign jurisdiction on covered income can terminate the exemption.
- Foreign-super withdrawals have their own rule.
Days in the country
- More than 183 days in any 12-month period · Tax residence begins by more than 183 days in New Zealand or a permanent place of abode
Tax residence
NZ tax residence can begin through more than 183 days in any 12-month period or permanent place of abode; this transitional exemption can apply during tax residence. After the exemption ends, worldwide income rules apply.
Visas
No particular visa is required by the tax rule; immigration and tax residence are distinct.
Other taxes
Tax exemption does not waive GST, PAYE on New Zealand work, KiwiSaver or other applicable levies; foreign employment/services carveout means remote work must be analyzed carefully.
Checked against official sources on Change log
Similar visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 2 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Australian Resident Visa · Immigration New Zealand · checked 2026-10-10
- Australian citizens and permanent residents travelling to New Zealand · Immigration New Zealand · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.