Visa waiver extended to citizens of Mauritius and Seychelles

Policy effect

From November 21, 2016, citizens of Mauritius and Seychelles were added to the visa-waiver list for travel to New Zealand when seeking a visitor visa for no more than three months and not visiting for medical consultation or treatment. This waived the requirement to hold a visa permitting travel; it did not itself grant a visa or guarantee entry.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: This waived the requirement to hold a visa permitting travel

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

[Schedule 2 amended](#DLM6970521) | | | | [5](#DLM6970522) | [Schedule 4 amended](#DLM6970522) | | | | | [Explanatory note](#DLM6970524) | | | | | [Administrative Information](#d56e320) | | | ## Regulations ##### 1 Title These regulations are the Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Amendment Regulations 2016. ##### 2 Commencement These regulations come into force on 21 November 2016. ##### 3 Principal regulations These regulations amend the [Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Regulations 2010](https://classic.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2 … 016/0237/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM3148100#DLM3148100) (the **principal regulations)**. ##### 4 Schedule 2 amended (1) In [Schedule 2](https://classic.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2016/0237/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM3148162#DLM3148162), after item 8(32), insert: ##### (32A) Mauritius, Republic of: (2) In [Schedule 2](https://classic.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2016/0237/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM3148162#DLM3148162), after item 8(43), insert: ##### (43A) Seychelles, Republic of: (3) In [Schedule 2](https://classic.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2016/0237/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM … gulation/public/2016/0237/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM3148162#DLM3148162) and [4](https://classic.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2016/0237/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM3463818#DLM3463818) of the Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Regulations 2010 (the **principal regulations**). Schedule 2 of the principal regulations identifies certain people for whom the requirement to obtain a transit visa, or to hold a visa permitting travel to New Zealand, is waived. The amendments to item 8 of Schedule 2 add citizens of the Republic of Mauritius and citizens of the Republic of Seychell … es, and delete citizens of the Republic of South Africa. Schedule 4 of the principal regulations sets out the fees for various matters. The amendments simplify the description of 2 of the matters, and adjust several fees. ### Regulatory impact statement The Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment produced a regulatory impact statement on 2 September 2015 to help inform the decisions taken by the Government relating to the fees content of this instrument. A copy of this regulatory impact statement can be found at— - http://www.mbie.govt.nz/publications-research/publications/immigration … ent for not more than three months; and any other class of persons specified in the Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Regulations 2010; and citizens of the following countries, but only if the person concerned is seeking a visitor visa current for not more than three months and the purposes of the visit is not for medical consultation or treatment: Andorra Argentina Austria Bahrain Belgium Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Canada Chile Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia1 Finland France Germany Greece 2 Hong Kong 3 Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Japan Korea (South) … Kuwait Latvia 1 Liechtenstein Lithuania 1 Luxembourg Macau 4 Malaysia Malta Mauritius Mexico Monaco Netherlands Norway Oman Poland Portugal 5 Qatar Romania San Marino Saudi Arabia Seychelles Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan 6 United Arab Emirates United States of America 7 Uruguay Vatican City 1 Visa waiver does not apply to people travelling on alien's (non-citizen's) passports issued by these countries. 2 Greek passport holders whose passports were issued on and after 1 January 2006. (Greek passports issued before 1 January 2006 are not acceptable for trave …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other New Zealand changes operative in 2016

• 2016-02-04Pathway English-course 16-week limit narrowed to specified applicants
• 2016-02-04Pathway Student Visa English-test requirement narrowed by country decline rate
• 2016-10-12Capped Family allocation set at 4,000 places for the two-year residence programme
• 2016-10-12Immigration New Zealand Operational Manual
• 2016-10-12Skilled Migrant automatic EOI selection threshold set at 160 points
• 2016-10-12Skilled Migrant English-language evidence alternatives tightened
• 2016-11-21Establishment of the Global Impact Visa (GIVs) Pilot Programme
• 2016-11-21South African citizenship-based visitor travel visa waiver removed
• 2016-12-09Student visa provision introduced for qualifications delayed by NZQA intervention