New Zealand will temporarily cut visitor visa fees for nationals of 13 Pacific countries from June 1 in a 12‑month trial aimed at boosting travel and deepening ties with the region, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters announced on Thursday.
Under the measure, eligible Pacific applicants applying from outside New Zealand will pay NZ$161 for a visitor visa — down from the current NZ$216. The reduced fee applies only to applications lodged overseas; onshore applicants will not benefit from the lower rate. Visitors from other countries continue to face the standard NZ$411 visitor visa fee. Pacific nationals are also already exempt from the International Visitor and Conservation Levy, a differential the government says supports regional travel.
Peters described the change as “a practical update to visitor visa settings that reduces cost, supports easier travel and helps strengthen the relationships that matter most.” He said the government will use the 12‑month trial to monitor effects on travel patterns, demand, costs and immigration operations to inform any longer‑term policy decisions.
The fee reduction does not extend to all categories. Parent Boost Visitor Visas and Group Visitor Visas are explicitly excluded from the temporary cut, and will continue to be charged at their existing rates. The government has not yet released modelling on the expected fiscal impact of the trial or targets for increased visitor numbers from the Pacific during the period.
The policy applies to citizens of American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The move follows months of campaigning by Pacific community groups and some New Zealand politicians for easier access to travel, a theme highlighted earlier this year when a petition backed by tens of thousands urged the Government to ease visa barriers that prevent families from attending funerals, graduations and other events.
Advocates said the cut could help reconnect families and support regional engagement, particularly given the higher visitor visa cost faced by many non‑Pacific travellers. The Government framed it as balancing accessibility with the integrity and sustainability of immigration settings and said the trial will provide the evidence base needed for any extension or permanent change.
The temporary reduction takes effect on June 1 and will run for 12 months, after which Immigration New Zealand will report on the trial’s outcomes and any recommended next steps.
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