New ZealandRemote work

Remote work on a visitor visa in New Zealand

A New Zealand visitor visa allows you to work remotely for a foreign employer or client during your visit to the country — with no separate work permission. It suits employees, self-employed people and digital nomads who carry on working for a business outside the country, but it gives no right to employment with a New Zealand employer.

Processing time

80%

of visitor visa applications are decided in two weeks

A visitor visa does not lead to residence.

Source: Immigration New Zealand — Working remotely in New Zealand on a visitor visa

Who can work remotely on a visitor visa

The right to work remotely comes from the visitor visa itself — no separate work permission has to be obtained.

Who it suits

Employees of foreign companies
Self-employed people and freelancers with clients outside New Zealand
Digital nomads who carry on working for a business abroad

Which entry gives this right

Any visitor visa applied for on 27 January 2025 or later

What it costs

Fee for lodging a visitor visa application	441 NZD
Funds for living costs for each month of the trip (accommodation not paid for)	1 000 NZD
Funds for living costs for each month of the trip, if accommodation is already paid for	400 NZD
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. the “Funds for living costs for each month of the trip, if accommodation is already paid for” branch replaces the “Funds for living costs for each month of the trip (accommodation not paid for)” line — 841 NZD.	1 441 NZD

Documents to gather

The documents for an ordinary visitor visa; no separate set is required for remote work.

A copy of your passport
1 photograph for an online application or 2 photographs for a paper one
Evidence of sufficient funds for living costs
A ticket to leave New Zealand or documents evidencing the money to buy one
Police certificates, where required
A chest x-ray, where required (usually not needed for a trip shorter than 6 months)

How the process runs

The process is the same as an ordinary visitor visa application — remote work does not have to be permitted separately.

1
Gather the documents
The passport, photographs, evidence of money for living costs and evidence of a return ticket or of funds to leave.
2
Lodge the visitor visa application
The application is lodged online or on paper. The fee is from NZD 441.
3
Wait for the decision
80% of applications are assessed in 2 weeks
Immigration New Zealand checks the documents and the evidence of funds.
4
Receive the visitor visa and start working remotely
The visa is valid for 6 or 9 months (no more than 9 months in total in any 18 months). You can work for a foreign employer with no limit on the amount from the moment you enter.

Timelines and rights

Validity

A visitor visa is granted for six or nine months. In total you may spend no more than nine months in the country in any 18 months.

Work

Correspondence and calls, programming and testing, preparing reports, taking part in meetings and presentations for colleagues outside New Zealand are all allowed, as is creating content for social media provided it does not promote New Zealand goods and services. A direct quotation: “There is no limit to the amount of remote work you can do while you have your visitor visa”. It is prohibited to work for a New Zealand employer and to exchange services for benefits with a local business, for example working in return for accommodation.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to citizenship

Citizenship is counted by 1,350 days of presence over the five years with resident status. Days on a visitor visa do not count towards that.

Frequently asked questions about Remote work on a visitor visa

Who can work remotely on a visitor visa in New Zealand?

Employees, self-employed people and digital nomads who work for a company, employer or client outside New Zealand. The right applies to every visitor visa applied for on 27 January 2025 or later.

What remote work is allowed on a visitor visa?

Correspondence and calls, programming and testing, preparing reports, taking part in meetings and presentations for colleagues outside New Zealand are all allowed, as is creating content for social media provided it does not promote New Zealand goods and services. There is no limit on the amount of such work. It is prohibited to work for a New Zealand employer and to exchange services for benefits with a local business, for example working in return for accommodation.

What does a visitor visa cost and how much money has to be shown?

A visitor visa application costs from NZD 441. You have to evidence at least NZD 1,000 for each month of the trip, or NZD 400 a month if accommodation is already paid for.

For how long is a visitor visa granted and how long can you spend in the country in total?

A visitor visa is granted for 6 or 9 months. In total you may spend no more than 9 months in New Zealand on this visa in any 18 months.

Do you have to pay New Zealand tax on remote income?

If you spend fewer than 92 days in New Zealand over 12 months and the income is taxed abroad, New Zealand tax usually does not arise. Under tax treaties with certain countries the threshold rises to 183 days. For your own situation it is advisable to contact Inland Revenue.

Can you study at the same time on a visitor visa?

Yes, but for no more than 3 months in every 12 months.

How does remote work on a visitor visa differ from an ordinary work visa?

A visitor visa allows work only for a foreign employer or client — employment with a New Zealand employer is not covered by it. For formal work for a New Zealand company a separate work visa is needed, for example the Accredited Employer Work Visa.

Other ways to move to New Zealand

Every route in one list — migration programmes: New Zealand.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.