If you are an EEA or Swiss citizen living in a country other than your home country, you may apply for a New Zealand visa if you intend to visit family members in the country. You will also need a valid New Zealand passport if you are a non-passport holder. For more information, read our article “EEA & Swiss citizens can visit Japan”.
EEA/Swiss citizen living in a country outside of EEA/Swiss family member’s home country
When travelling to a country, an EEA/Swiss citizen may accompany a close family member. This family member may include a spouse, civil partner, or equivalent registered partnership. Other family members may also be present. The family’s relationship must be based on the person’s nationality and must not have been dissolved or annulled.
If an EEA/Swiss citizen moves to a different EEA/Swiss state, he or she must first obtain confirmation of registration of his or her right of residence under EU law. This confirmation must be obtained within four months of arriving in the country. Similarly, Swiss citizens with EU or EEA rights can obtain a certificate of long-term residence, or Bescheinigung des Daueraufenthalt.
While the European Union is an economic union comprising 27 countries, the EEA extends its internal market to the EFTA countries. These countries include Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. In addition to the EEA, the EFTA partners are linked by various northern policies, including the Arctic region.
EEA/Swiss citizen
Visiting New Zealand as an EEA/Swiss citizen is easy with the eTA. Swiss citizens who are holders of a valid passport can use the eTA to enter the country without a visa. The eTA enables the Swiss citizen to visit New Zealand multiple times during the validity of the eTA. The eTA can be obtained online, and can be used on any device. Swiss citizens can visit New Zealand multiple times and for up to 90 consecutive days.
For non-EEA/Swiss citizens, the eVisa provides an electronic Student visa permission. You will receive a link to your eVisa account via email. The eVisa is good for 90 days, or for collecting BRP. For EEA/Swiss citizens, the eVisa is valid for six months.
EEA or Swiss citizen
If you are an EEA or Swiss citizen, you are not required to get a NEW ZEALAND VISA FOR JAPANESE CITIZENS & NEW ZEALAND VISA FOR BRITISH CITIZENS before you travel. Switzerland’s Schengen visa allows you to travel freely within the Schengen area for 90 days. However, you must apply for the visa at the consulate of the country that you plan to spend the most time in before you leave. Once you have your visa, you must carry a valid passport or other ID with you at all times.
When applying for a New Zealand eTA, Swiss citizens must ensure that they have a valid passport and have been issued a residency permit within the last 90 days. They must also retain an informal proof of their time spent in the Schengen countries, like stamps on their passport. If they overstay the time allowed for the visa, they may be subject to heavy fines. If they are found guilty of violating these regulations, they will be barred from entering the Schengen area for three years.
EEA or Swiss citizen living in a country outside of EEA/Swiss family member’s home country
An EEA or Swiss citizen is entitled to apply for a Schengen visa if he or she lives in a Schengen area country, as long as the person who invited them is a member of the European Union or Swiss territory. If the person is not a citizen of either the EEA or Swiss territory, he or she must obtain a Schengen Family Members of EU Citizens visa and apply for a residence permit.
The right to remain in another EEA or Swiss state is limited. It’s usually not possible to obtain a residence permit if you live in another EEA/Swiss member country without obtaining settled status. Nevertheless, if you’ve lived in the host country for at least two years, you may apply for settled status. Once you’ve achieved this, you can apply for permanent residence.
