New Zealand Entertainment Visas

New Zealand has a thriving music, arts and culture scene and regularly hosts international artists big and small in cities like Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Its broad range of stunning natural landscapes also make it a popular filming destination for television and film. As such, entertainment industry professionals are well-catered for when it comes to their visa options for performing and working in New Zealand.

Short-term Entertainment Act Visitor Visa

Entertainers travelling to New Zealand for a particular event or events (e.g. a concert or tour) can often benefit from this inexpensive, short-stay visa, providing that the event is being promoted by an Approved Promoter. They will also be able to include their partner and children in their application. This visa is valid for up to three months.

Applications must include a letter from the Approved Promoter with details of the performance, the role the applicant will be playing in that performance, and timing and location of the relevant event/s.

The application fee for a Short-term Entertainment Act Visitor Visa depends on your nationality and starts from NZD $441 for most applicants, including the tourism levy (see our entertainment visa costs guide). Processing times vary through the year, so apply as soon as your promoter letter is ready.

Arts and Music Festival Visitor Visa

If you are travelling to New Zealand specifically to perform in or support an established festival, the Arts and Music Festival Visitor Visa may be an alternative short-term visitor visa option.

Applications for this visa are only permitted if the festival has been held for at least three years and will involve at least 10 staff or performers from overseas. The festival must also be put on by an Approved Promoter.

Similar to the Short-term Entertainment Act Visitor Visa, applicants are permitted to include their partner and/or children in their application for this visa. Fees depend on your nationality and where you apply, and the tourism levy (IVL) may also apply. Check current fees and processing times before you book travel.

Entertainers Work Visa

Entertainers or support staff intending to travel to New Zealand to work on a specific production and for a specific employer may find an Entertainers Work Visa to be their most appropriate option.  This visa allows holders the right to stay and work in New Zealand for as long as their work in film, television, music or entertainment will last.

Applications must be supplemented by a statement from the applicant’s prospective employer which details the work they are being recruited for, how long it will last, and a valid reason for not hiring a citizen or resident of New Zealand to fill the role.

The application fee for an Entertainers Work Visa starts from NZD $1,455 for most applicants, depending on nationality. Processing times change, so check current Immigration New Zealand times before you commit to dates.

Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa

This visa is intended for individuals with exceptional artistic or cultural talent who can provide proof of a sponsor, as well as written support from a suitable organisation of national repute in New Zealand.

A Talent Work Visa is usually issued for up to 30 months. 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 art or culture in New Zealand’.

To be eligible for this visa, you must have an international reputation in your field, a written endorsement from a relevant national body in New Zealand, and a sponsor who can commit to providing you with accommodation and financial support.

Fees depend on your nationality and where you apply. Immigration New Zealand still describes this visa, but its current settings should be confirmed before you plan around it, so ask us to check.

Visitor Visas (Amateur Performers)

If you are intending to visit New Zealand and undertake amateur and unpaid entertainment activity, you may be able to do so as a standard visitor. A multiple-entry Visitor Visa lets you stay for up to 6 months in each 12-month period, and a single-entry visa for up to 9 months in an 18-month period.

The Visitor Visa fee is NZD $341 for most applicants, plus the NZD $100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) for each person where it applies. Processing times vary with the season and your nationality.

Visa Waivers for Entertainers

Citizens of certain countries may be eligible for an Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), which allows you to travel to New Zealand as a visitor without needing to apply for a visa in advance. You can check your eligibility for an NZeTA here.

Entertainers who need a visitor visa rather than a work visa to attend an event in New Zealand should check if they are eligible for an NZeTA before submitting a visa application.