Foreigners who want to immigrate to New Zealand from South Korea must abide by various immigration procedures when arriving in this country. The formalities will vary based on the duration of stay and the reason of arrival in New Zealand.
An important matter South Koreans should know is that for short-term stays related to tourism they will not be asked to apply for a visa following the traditional route, which is addressing to the New Zealand embassy or consulate operating in South Korea.
Our immigration lawyer in New Zealand can present the procedures South Koreans have to complete; for any matter related to immigration in New Zealand, you can rely on our team.
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What are the immigration formalities for tourism purposes in New Zealand?
New Zealand created few years ago a new system that had 2 main purposes: 1) to facilitate the access of foreigners who arrive here for tourism purposes and 2) to maintain the level of security of the country, while reducing the visa formalities for certain nationalities.
This is how the New Zealand electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) appeared. The system was implemented in 2019 and it operates like a visa, but without the need to apply for a visa through the embassy, as it is the case for most visa categories.
According to the law on immigration in New Zealand, the NZeTA is available only for visa waiver countries, and South Korea is on this list, which means South Koreans can easily obtain this document.
Please mind that this document is issued in approximately 1 business day, after the applicant has completed the application form. The application form contains basic information about the applicant and it can be completed in approximately 10 minutes.
What other visas are available for South Koreans in New Zealand?
South Koreans can apply for any of the visas that are regulated under the law for immigration in New Zealand, such as: 1) study, 2) family reunification, 3) work 4) business, 5) investments, 6) humanitarian and refugees visas, etc.
Many foreigners, including South Koreans, will arrive here for employment opportunities, and for this, 4 main categories of visas are available: 1) seasonal work, 2) working holiday program, 3) temporary work, 4) skilled employment.
How many South Koreans are in New Zealand?
The number of South Korean nationals who migrate to New Zealand slightly increases from one year to another. If you want to immigrate to New Zealand from South Korea, please find here few interesting facts:
- according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, South Koreans in New Zealand account for approximately 36,000 persons;
- many South Koreans arrive here for study and they are the 4th largest group of foreign students in New Zealand (7,280 – in schools and universities);
- the largest community of South Koreans can be found in Auckland, which accounted for 25,038 persons at the 2018 Census (according to the data provided by the Auckland Council);
- this marked an increase on the South Korean population – in 2013, there were 21,984 South Koreans in Auckland;
- if you want to immigrate to New Zealand from South Korea, you should know that a flight takes approximately 11 hours;
- the price for a plane ticket is the lowest in the month of August, when it costs around $1,100, while the most expensive is in September and January, when it can cost more than $2,200.
Since many South Koreans arrive here for study purposes, you can find below some of the visa options in this sense. The list below contains visas for those who want to migrate to New Zealand for more than 6 months and who are above 18 years old:
- Fee Paying Student Visa;
- Exchange Student Visa;
- Foreign Government Supported Student Visa;
- Pathway Student Visa.
For more information concerning other visa pathways, we invite you to contact our immigration lawyer in New Zealand.
Our lawyers can provide legal representation on immigration matters to all foreigners, regardless of their nationality or residency. Our team is qualified to represent persons moving from USA to New Zealand or from any other country.
Please know that our lawyers can also provide specialized legal services for stateless persons or foreigners who need to relocate here based on humanitarian grounds.
Our immigration lawyer is qualified to assist foreigners in applying and obtaining a visa suitable for each particular situation, but one can also ask for advice and assistance on New Zealand residence.
Please mind that all foreigners must start their residency formalities after spending more than 90 days in this country and this applies regardless of the visa type the foreigner has.
