La Working Holiday Visa is a special permission that grants New Zealand so that interested young people can live in the country for a year, during which time they are allowed to work and study.

In this guide we explain how to get it, what requirements must be met and what documents you need. In addition, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding this topic.

Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.

Countries and quotas

These are the countries whose citizens can apply for a Working Holiday Visa for New Zealand:



  • A: Germany, Argentina, Austria
  • B: Belgium, Brazil
  • C: Canada, Chile, China, South Korea, Croatia
  • D: Denmark
  • E: Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United States, Estonia
  • F: Philippines, Finland, France
  • H: Hong Kong, Hungary
  • I: Ireland, Israel, Italy
  • J: Japan
  • L: Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg
  • M: Malaysia, Malta, Mexico
  • N: Norway
  • P: Netherlands, Peru, Poland
  • R: UK, Czech Republic
  • S: Singapore, Switzerland
  • T: Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey
  • U: Uruguay
  • V: Viet Nam
Aoraki National Park, New Zealand

In each state, the application process is open during a certain time that varies each year. Similarly, in each of them there are some places available. These are the ones offered in Spanish-speaking countries:

  • Argentina: 1.000
  • C
  • S
  • Mexico: 200
  • Peru: 100
  • Uruguay: 200

Likewise, although generally you must be between 18 and 30 years old to be eligible for this scholarship, the limit in the following territories is in the 35 years:

  • Argentina
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Finland
  • Hungary
  • Slovakia
  • Czech Republic
  • Uruguay
Maximum age to apply for the Working Holiday Visa for New Zealand

Requirements and conditions

To be able to enjoy this visa, several aspects must be taken into account. First of all, children cannot be brought and each person needs a visa. In addition, you must have 4.200 NZ $ (New Zealand dollars) to cover the expenses of your stay, as well as medical insurance.

When working and studying in the country, the following must be taken into account:

    • You cannot work for more than six months for the same employer.
    • The maximum working time is twelve months.
    • You cannot accept permanent employment.
    • You cannot work in sexual services or invest in such a company.
    • You will need to request an IRD number (Inland Revenue Department number) and a New Zealand bank account to be able to pay the appropriate taxes.
    • As for courses, you can study up to six months.
    The main purpose should be to travel and know New Zealand. Work is a complementary activity.

    The request of the Working Holiday Visa takes online. You will need to have a valid passport for up to 15 months after your arrival in New Zealand. Also, as we have indicated above, you must be between 18 and 30-35 years old.

    Validity of the passport for the Working Holiday Visa

    During the application process, questions about your character must be answered and you may be asked for a Police Certificate. Also, if in the last five years you have been more than three months in a country where tuberculosis is not extinct, you must send a certificate of chest X-ray.

    If you are already in New Zealand when you apply for this visa, you must have a chest X-ray certificate and a general medical certificate (unless you are from Australia, Malaysia or Singapore).

    When entering the country, you must have booked a return flight or have enough money to buy a ticket. During the validity period of the visa, you can leave and enter New Zealand in a unlimited.



    Steps to follow

    The first step to get this visa is to create a user on the New Zealand Immigration website. You can access this service by clicking at this link.

    Apply for a Working Holiday Visa for New Zealand

    Once the process is open in your country, you must fill in the form and Make the payment of the visa through a Visa or MasterCard credit card (it does not need to be in your name). The price of this visa varies depending on your nationality.

    As places are limited, it is recommended to carry out this process on the day it opens, as they are granted in order of application.

    Once the payment is made, if in your case an X-ray test is necessary (it is for Argentina, Spain, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay), you must send it. Once examined, if there is no problem, your request will go from Pending a approved, so you will have the visa. This process can take several weeks.

    Live for a year in New Zealand

    As you Working Holiday Visa has been granted, you have one year to travel to New Zealand. At the moment you enter the country, you have a maximum of twelve months to stay in it.

    Questions from users

    What if I have an Italian passport and I want to apply for the Working Holiday Visa?

    In this case the process is easier, since there is no limited number of places or a specific period to apply for the visa, so you can request it at any time of the year.

    Can I extend the Working Holiday Visa?

    Yes, you can extend it for three more months as long as during the year you have worked at least three months in horticulture or viticulture and plan to do it again.

    Can you work in New Zealand without the Working Holiday Visa?

    Yes, but you will need to apply for another type of visa. You have more information in this article: Requirements and documentation to travel to New Zealand.

    Which Working Holiday Visa is better? Australia's or New Zealand's?

    It depends on your tastes and priorities. However, you should keep in mind that for the Australian version a certain level of English and academic education are required. On the other hand, it can be enjoyed up to two different times.

    By: Eva Gómez
    Updated on 23/05/2017

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