New Zealand moved a specified group of visitor and transit visa applications away from paper forms on October 1, 2026. Immigration New Zealand announced the change on September 4 as part of its continuing move to enhanced Immigration Online.
The announcement lists the affected visa types and says paper applications submitted before the transition would continue to be processed normally. It therefore distinguishes the submission arrangements for new applications from the handling of applications already received.
The agency presents the online system as a way to submit and track applications more easily. A change in submission channel is not, by itself, an announcement that all eligibility conditions have changed.
This explainer covers the earlier announcement and its stated transition date. The official page provides the full list of affected categories and exceptions.
