March 28th, 2010 
admin Essential readings before you travel to New Zealand.
Geography
New Zealand is situated in the South Pacific Ocean and is comprised of two main landmasses; the North and South islands, along with numerous smaller islands. The two main islands (North and South) cover 266,200 sq km (103,735 sq miles) which is slightly large than the UK.
The South Island is the largest land mass and hosts the highest peak in New Zealand – Aoraki/Mount Cook at 3754 metres (12,320 ft).
Natural Environment
The dramatic and varied landscape of New Zealand has made it a popular location for filming, notably with the production of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the The Last Samurai.
The characteristic New Zealand forest is a temperate, evergreen rain forest which host a wealth of wildlife, including many unique birds like the flightless kiwi.
Climate
The warmest months are December, January and February, and the coldest June, July and August. Temperatures range from 20-30ºC in the summer months and between 10-15ºC in the winter.
Be prepared for sudden changes in weather and temperature, particularly if you’re going hiking or participating in outdoor activities. For this reason it is advisable to carry a waterproof jacket and warm clothes.
Visa Requirements
The maximum stay under a visitor visa is nine months.
Australian citizens and people who hold a current Australian permanent residence visa or a current Australian resident return visa do not need a New Zealand visa to enter New Zealand for 6 months.
Visa Free Countries(3-months)
People from some countries don’t need a visa to enter New Zealand. However, they are still required to provide:
- travel tickets or evidence of onward travel arrangements, and
- evidence of funds for maintenance.
Short visits
If you are visiting for three months or less and are from a country in the list below, you will not need a visa.
- Andorra
- Bahrain
- Brunei
- Chile
- Denmark
- France
- Hong Kong**
- Ireland
- Japan
- Latvia*
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
- Norway
- Portugal***
- San Marino
- Slovak Republic
- Spain
- Taiwan
- Uruguay
- Argentina
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Cyprus
- Estonia*
- Germany
- Hungary
- Israel
- Korea (South)
- Liechtenstein
- Malaysia
- Monaco
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- United Arab Emirates
- Vatican City
- Austria
- Brazil
- Canada
- Czech Republic
- Finland
- Greece*****
- Iceland
- Italy
- Kuwait
- Lithuania*
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Romania
- Singapore
- South Africa
- Switzerland
- United States of America****
* Visa waiver does not apply to people travelling on alien’s (non-citizen’s) passports issued by these countries.
** Residents of Hong Kong travelling on Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or British National (Overseas) passports.
*** Portuguese passport holders must also have the right to live permanently in Portugal.
**** Including nationals of the USA.
***** Greek passport holders whose passports were issued on and after 1 January 2006. (Greek passports issued before 1 January 2006 are not acceptable for travel after 1 January 2007.)
Should you wish to stay longer or you want to work or study during your visit, you may need to arrange your visa in advance.
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