When we refer to travelling to New Zealand, Romanian passport holders do not need to apply for a visa provided that their stay in New Zealand covers a period of maximum 90 days (in a 180-day period). However, if they want to immigrate to New Zealand from Romania for long-term or permanent stays, more complex immigration procedures are required.
In the first case (short-term visits), one can temporary relocate to New Zealand from Romania simply by applying for an electronic visa (not a visa per se, but rather an electronic certificate which allows the right to entry on the country’s territory). For long-term stays, where formalities for residency in New Zealand are imposed, visas must be obtained as well (our immigration lawyer in New Zealand can present the main visa types).
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How can Romanians apply for the NZeTA?
The New Zealand electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) acts as an immigration document, without being, from a legal point of view, a visa. The document is not the same as a visa because applicants do not have to address embassies and consulates, participate in interviews, and be part of a complex immigration process.
Instead, the NZeTA can be obtained following very simple steps. The application can be completed online and successful applicants will receive the document via e-mail. Persons who want to arrive here for short-term stays for the purpose of traveling or visiting friends, family and other leisure activities can migrate to New Zealand under the NZeTA by meeting the next requirements:
- once issued, the document is valid of a period of 2 years – therefore, one can immigrate to New Zealand several times with the same travel document;
- however, the maximum duration of a stay has to be of maximum 90 days, followed by a 90 days period outside the country (overall, Romanian citizens can be present on the New Zealand territory for 180 days per year);
- it is also necessary to pay a processing fee, of NZD 17;
- compared to the processing of other immigration applications, the NZeTA can be issued in only a few hours (however, it is recommended to apply for it at least 72 hours prior to the departure from Romania).
Other legal matters concerning Romanians
According to the law on immigration in New Zealand, Romanians who arrive here can enter the country’s territory only if they have a valid passport. The passport must have an expiration date of minimum 3 months later than the date of departure from New Zealand.
Here is some good news for persons who move to New Zealand from Romania: according to the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), new facilities are available for Romanian nationals above the age of 10.
Thus, starting with 27th of May 2024, Romanian passport holders who immigrate to New Zealand from Romania or who are in transit in New Zealand can directly scan their Romanian passports at the e-gates installed in New Zealand airports. It must be noted that this facility is available only for some EU nationals (in total, only 12 EU member states benefit from it, Romania included).
How many Romanians are in New Zealand?
Given the geographical distance between the 2 states, the Romanian community is not very well represented compared to other foreign national groups. It must be noted that, in 1946, only several Romanians opted to move to New Zealand from Romania – there were only 46 Romanian nationals.
According to the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, in a 10 years span (1956), the population of Romanians grew to more than 700 persons (the massive increase was given by the fact that many people left Romania after the country was taken over by the communist regime).
According to the data on immigration to New Zealand, the latest numbers reveal that the Romanian-born population, resident of this country, accounts for around 2,300 persons. This represents a small community, compared to others, such as it can be the case of Americans moving from USA to New Zealand (who account for more than 20,000 persons).
The majority of persons who opted to relocate to New Zealand from Romania live in Auckland. If you want to relocate to this city as a Romanian, our immigration lawyer is ready to assist you with any information that can be of interest.
