If you’re a Chinese passport-holder planning a trip Down Under, now is a great time to explore more — especially including a stay in New Zealand. From 3 November 2025, the government of New Zealand officially launched a 12-month trial allowing Chinese travellers with a valid Australian visa to enter New Zealand with just a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (“NZeTA”) instead of applying for a full visitor visa.
For us at Blue Dot Rentals, this means an exciting new pool of visitors who may now find it more appealing to add New Zealand, and especially a rental‐car road trip around New Zealand’s regions, into their travel plans.
What’s changing?
Here’s a breakdown of what the new policy means:
- Chinese passport-holders travelling from Australia to New Zealand can skip the full visitor visa and instead travel using an NZeTA.
- The stay permitted is up to 3 months per visit.
- The traveller must hold a valid eligible Australian visa (visitor, work, student, family) at the time of check-in to their flight to New Zealand. Transit only through Australia without arriving from Australia doesn’t qualify.
- The policy is a 12-month trial, from 3 November 2025 onward.
- Some other facilitation measures: Chinese visitors no longer need certified translations of visitor-visa documents; processing times have improved.
Why this matters for Blue Dot Rentals
- China is a major tourism market for New Zealand. The announcement noted around 250,000 arrivals in the year ending July 2025.
- The policy change is expected to attract “as many as 50,000 additional visitors per year” via Australia.
- Many of these visitors may be interested in regional travel, self-drive itineraries, and experiencing New Zealand’s landscapes — all of which align with your business (rental cars) and your marketing aim (German/Australian travellers, but now also Chinese).
- Because of the easier entry, you can design packages or messaging like: “Fly via Australia, arrive in Auckland / Christchurch, pick up your rental car from Blue Dot Rentals, and explore the North/South Island at your pace.”
Sources
轻松抵达新西兰：中国游客通过澳大利亚旅行的新签证机会
从 2025 年 11 月 3 日起，持有有效澳大利亚访客／工作／学生／家庭签证的中国护照持有人，可无需单独申请新西兰访客签证，经澳大利亚前往新西兰，仅需申请 NZeTA 即可进入新西兰，停留期限最多 3 个月。对于希望在新西兰自驾旅行的游客而言，是一个绝佳的机会。我们 Blue Dot Rentals 欢迎您预订租车服务，从奥克兰或基督城出发，畅游新西兰美丽地景。
⚠️ Disclaimer
The information in this article is provided for general guidance only. Visa rules and eligibility can change. Travellers should always confirm the latest entry requirements directly with Immigration New Zealand or an authorised travel advisor before making travel plans.