From November 2025, Chinese tourists holding specific Australian visas can depart from Australia to New Zealand and stay visa - free for up to three months.

The policy will be trialed for 12 months. It aims to attract more Chinese tourists and reinforce New Zealand's appeal as a high - end destination.

Clear Rules for Trial Policy, Cost Cuts Evident According to immigration authorities, Chinese passport holders can qualify for the "visa - free via Australia" policy if they meet all of the following three conditions:

Hold a valid Australian visitor, student, work, or family visa.

Depart from Australia each time they enter New Zealand; this does not apply to transit - only travelers through Australia.

Secure a NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authorization) in advance.

Slow Recovery of Chinese Market Prompts Visa Policy Change The visa - policy shift reflects New Zealand's response to the actual recovery of the Chinese tourist market.Data from Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) and Tourism Export Council New Zealand (TECNZ) shows:

2025 inbound tourist visits from China are expected to reach 248,000, less than 60% of the 2019 figure of 434,000.

China has dropped from second to third place in the rankings of key source countries for tourists.

On Chinese social media, topics like "visa rejection" and "slow processing" have over one million views. This has noticeably shaken tourists' confidence and desire to travel abroad.

To support the new visa policy, the New Zealand government has introduced several service improvements for Chinese visitors:

A Chinese - language hotline is now available.

The New Zealand Immigration website has a simplified Chinese section.

Processing efficiency has been enhanced. The average processing time for visitor visas has been cut to five working days.