New Zealand Sports Visas
New Zealand Sports Visas
Depending on their circumstances and intentions, individuals looking to enter New Zealand to participate in sporting activities have two main visa options: the Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa and the Sports Events Visitor Visa.
Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Visa
This visa is intended for individuals with exceptional sporting talent who have been sponsored by a recognised sporting body in New Zealand.
A Talent Visa is usually issued for up to 30 months. However, it is also recognised by New Zealand authorities as a potential pathway to permanent residence after two years of being ‘actively engaged in your field of sport in New Zealand’.
To be eligible for this visa, you must:
- have an international reputation in your sport
- have a written endorsement from a nationally-recognised sporting body in New Zealand
- have a sponsor who can provide you with accommodation and financial support
- your sponsor can be different from the organisation which has endorsed your application
- show evidence of a chest x-ray and medical examination to prove you are in good health
- provide police certificates/criminal record documents from:
- your country of citizenship
- any country in which you have lived for 5 or more years since you were 17 years old
You must apply for this visa before you travel to New Zealand. Exact fees can vary but you should expect to pay at least NZD 860.
Most applications for this visa receive a decision within a timeframe of 3-12 weeks.
Sports Events Visitor Visa
This visa is targeted at anyone intending to visit New Zealand for a specific sports event or tour as a player, official, media or broadcast worker or a member of support staff to a competitor or team.
Succesful applicants can only be awarded this visa for a maximum of three months, regardless of the length of the event or tour they are attending. If the event or tour is longer than three months, a work visa is likely to be more appropriate.
Individuals from countries for which New Zealand offers a visa waiver scheme do not need to apply for this visa before they arrive, providing they meet all the eligilibty criteria. They should however ensure that they obtain the ‘NZeTA’ electronic travel authority before travelling.
To be eligible for this visa, you must:
- show evidence of your role in the sports event you will be attending, or your accreditation if applying as a member of the media
- have enough funds to support yourself while in New Zealand, or have a sponsor who will provide you with accomodation and living expenses after you arrive
- have a return or onward ticket to leave New Zealand
- show evidence of a chest x-ray and medical examination to prove you are in good health
Fees for this visa can vary but you should expect to pay at least NZD 246.
Most applications for this visa receive a decision within 1-7 weeks.
Amateur Visits and Sports Tours
If you are intending to travel to New Zealand to play sport on a strictly amateur basis, you may be able to do so by applying for a Visitor Visa or, if from an eligible country or territory, travelling on a visa-waiver basis.