Travelling to New Zealand from Malaysia? Here’s everything that you need to know

According to the latest figures, an impressive 25,000+ of us travel to New Zealand from Malaysia annually¹ - whether for a short trip, a working holiday, on business, or to take in the sights on a longer visit. It’s no surprise that New Zealand is a popular tourist draw, with unique sights, friendly people and vibrant cities. No matter what you’re travelling to New Zealand from Malaysia for, you’ll have a brilliant time.

Read on for our full guide on how to get ready to travel to NZ from Malaysia. Plus, as a bonus we’ll also cover how you can save with the Wise card, even before your dream trip from Malaysia to NZ begins.

New Zealand entry requirements from Malaysia

Before you plan your trip from Malaysia to NZ it’s important to understand the most recent entry requirements.

Let’s start with COVID-19 restrictions. At the time of writing (8th January 2024) there are no mandatory covid rules in place. This means that vaccination proof, PCR test, RAT (rapid antigen test) and quarantine are no longer required - however, you’re encouraged to keep up to date with your vaccination boosters and take normal precautions against catching or spreading the disease².

New Zealand visa options for Malaysians

Next: Do Malaysians need a visa to New Zealand? Here, exactly what you need will depend on the purpose of your trip.

You’ve got a few different options for a Malaysia to New Zealand visa, including applying for a NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) if you’re heading over as a tourist³, or getting a Working Holiday Visa if you’re eligible and want to work and travel for a longer period⁴. If you’re going to New Zealand to take up permanent employment, study, or to settle, different visas and processes apply.

In this guide we’ll cover a little more detail about how to apply for a NZeTA and a Working Holiday Visa - if you’re looking for something different, check out the handy tool on the New Zealand immigration website, which allows you to input your travel purpose and check which visas are available for you⁵.

Other New Zealand entry requirements to know about

If you’re travelling to New Zealand, it’s important to know about another couple of New Zealand entry requirements which are likely to apply.

Firstly, all travellers need to pay a 35 NZD fee for the IVL (International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy) which funds tourism infrastructure in New Zealand⁶. This can be paid online when you apply for your NZeTA or other visa.

The other important thing to note is that all travellers will also need to submit an online Travel Declaration before clearing immigration via the website or app⁷. New Zealand has especially strict biosecurity rules to protect its unique natural habitats. This means that your travel declaration is likely to cover some items you may not usually need to worry about when entering other countries. We’ll cover this in more detail a little later - but bear in mind that the Travel Declaration is a legal document which comes with penalties if incorrectly or falsely completed. Make sure you’re familiar with the details to avoid fines or even prosecution.

As we all know following the covid pandemic, travel rules can change pretty quickly - so it’s helpful to visit the New Zealand Immigration website before you travel⁸ to make sure you have all the latest information about entry rules and restrictions.

Requesting a NZeTA

If you’re travelling as a tourist, the easiest way to get a New Zealand visa from Malaysia is to apply for a NZeTA. This is an electronic travel authority which is valid for trips to New Zealand for up to 3 months at a time, and which last from 2 years from issue⁹.

The easiest and cheapest way to apply for a NZeTA is via the NZ immigration app. The application should only take about 5 minutes, and all you’ll need is your passport, an email address, and a card you can use to cover the fees³. Just enter your details following the onscreen prompts, take a photo of your face using your device camera, and pay the fee and IVL. You can also apply online, but the fees are higher - and you’ll need to have a valid photo you can upload to support your application.

Once you’ve applied your travel document should be ready in 72 hours.

The costs to apply for your NZeTA are as follows:

• On the NZ immigration app - 17 NZD + 35 NZD IVL
• On the NZ immigration website - 23 NZD + 35 NZD IVL

Applying for a Working Holiday Visa

If you’re aged between 18 and 30 years old, and want to take a trip to New Zealand to combine holiday with work or study, a working holiday visa might be for you¹⁰. Working holiday visas have quotas - which means there are only a certain number available annually. For Malaysians, there are 1150 visas issued every year, which allow lucky individuals to live and work in NZ for up to 6 months. You’ll need to apply online and pay a fee, with processing time on average about 5 weeks. If you’re considering this option, check out the full details of the Malaysia working holiday visa on the New Zealand immigration website¹⁰.

Make your money go further: One more tip if you’re planning a working holiday. Open a Wise account before you go, and get paid into your account with local NZ bank details. That means you don’t need to worry about opening a New Zealand bank account, and you can easily spend your NZD fee free with the Wise card. If you gave money left at the end of your trip, convert seamlessly back to MYR with low fees and the mid market exchange rate.

Want to learn more? Check out the Wise guide to going on a New Zealand Working Holiday

Flying to New Zealand from Malaysia

You can fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to New Zealand, arriving in Auckland (AKL). If that’s not where you’re planning to stay, you can then pick up domestic flights or other means of transport depending on your itinerary.

The Malaysia to New Zealand flight time is around 10.5 hours. As flight costs vary a lot based on season, be sure to get your arrangements made as far in advance as possible to snag a good deal.

What can I bring into New Zealand?

We mentioned New Zealand’s strict customs regulations for biosecurity earlier. It’s especially important to check what is allowed to be imported, and to remember to declare any goods which have restrictions.

The rules for entry into New Zealand may be unfamiliar - for biosecurity reasons there are strict guidelines about importing used outdoor equipment, foods, and animal or plant products. This is in addition to other rules which may be more common - such as how much alcohol, tobacco or currency you can import⁷.

The good news is that there’s a very helpful tool online to help you decide if your item can be imported to New Zealand - check out the NZ government import tool to make sure you don’t run into any problems at the border¹¹.

Get better rates for New Zealand dollars when exchanging your ringgit with Wise

Before you head off on your trip to New Zealand, open a Wise account online for free. You’ll be able to add money to your account in MYR and then convert to NZD within the account or at the point of payment, with the mid-market exchange rate and low fees from 0.43%¹².

That means you can avoid foreign transaction fees and stretch your dollar when making payments or ATM withdrawals in New Zealand.

Plus, if you’ll be getting paid in New Zealand on a working holiday, you can also access local bank details for NZD to have your money deposited to Wise - saving you the hassle of opening a local bank account. Wise accounts can hold and exchange 40+ currencies - get your account today, for your trip to New Zealand and wherever else your adventures take you.

New Zealand is an awesome destination - and a dream for many people. Use this guide to make sure you have everything you need lined up in advance, for a hassle-free and fun trip. Save money on currency exchange before you even leave home, with Wise and the Wise card.

💳 Get your Wise card today!

Not convinced? See how Wise compares with other Malaysian multi-currency cards