It is possible to immigrate to New Zealand from the UAE (United Arab Emirates) without applying for a visa, but this right is granted only for short-term stays. The UAE is part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with which New Zealand has a visa waiver agreement.
The visa waiver agreement is valid only for short-term stays, which define any visit with a duration of maximum 90 days (which implies that the foreigner is not legally required to apply for residency in New Zealand, a formality imposed when staying here more than 90 days).
However, in order to benefit from this right, the UAE national must comply with certain basic requirements, which can be presented at length by our immigration lawyer in New Zealand.
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What are the visa waiver conditions for UAE nationals?
The legislation on immigration to New Zealand offers the possibility of arriving in this country without applying for a short-term stay visa. This right is granted only to certain foreign nationals, who are citizens of countries with which New Zealand has signed agreements that allow this possibility.
The UAE is one of the countries included in the visa waiver program and the citizens of this country can immigrate to New Zealand from the UAE if the conditions mentioned below are met:
- the passport of the foreigner is valid for at least 3 months since the moment of the departure;
- the applicant will not stay in New Zealand for more than 90 days (return tickets must be provided as evidence);
- the applicant has at least NZ$1,000 allocated for his/her travel expenses (the sum is required per 1 month of stay);
- the applicant has obtained, prior to the departure from the UAE, a valid New Zealand electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), a document that is valid for a period of 2 years;
- the NZeTA costs NZD$17 and, although it can be obtained in 1 business day, it is recommended to apply with minimum 72 hours before the departure.
It is important to know that it is mandatory to have a valid NZeTA when boarding the plane to New Zealand. Persons who have not obtained the document will not be able to travel to their destination. Additionally, persons who will immigrate to New Zealand from the UAE are required to provide evidence attesting the purpose of their arrival.
How can UAE nationals invest in New Zealand?
The UAE is an important trade partner and investor of New Zealand, with exports reaching $1 billion per year, according to the New Zealand Government. Many UAE businessmen opt to invest in New Zealand and for this, they need to apply for suitable visas.
The legislation of immigration in New Zealand provides many options, some of which are the Business Visitor visa, the Global Impact Permanent Residence visa and the Active Investor Plus visa.
Each of them offers specific rights and obligations and different conditions to satisfy. For instance, the 1st visa type is a document that grants the right to stay here for maximum 90 days, while the 3rd visa offers the right to permanent residency (obtained after 4 years of stay) following an investment of NZD$15 million.
How can UAE nationals reunite with family members?
It is also possible to immigrate to New Zealand for family reunification purposes. The visas available in this sense vary on the quality of the person with whom the foreign national wants to reunite. By quality, we refer to the fact that the person living in New Zealand is a New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or a foreigner who has arrived here on a specific type of visa.
For the latter, some of the visa options are: the Visitor visa, the Partner of a Military Visitor visa, the Partner of a Military Work visa or the Refugee Family Support Resident visa.
These visas are universal, in the sense that they can be obtained by nationals who immigrate to New Zealand from the UAE, as well as other nationals, such as those who immigrate from the USA to New Zealand or from other jurisdictions. For more details on other visa options, you can always rely on our immigration lawyer in New Zealand.
