New Zealand Travel News

Latest 10 news items tagged New Zealand Travel

Kim Dotcom faces deportation from New Zealand17 Apr at 10 AM 2015

Controversial internet entrepreneur and New Zealand resident Kim Dotcom could face deportation for not filling in his residency application correctly. The Megaupload website creator allegedly failed to declare that he had a conviction for dangerous driving. Katie Knowles, acting area manager for Immigration New Zealand, said the agency was currently looking into the situation. She added that in the interests of justice Dotcom has until the beginning of next month for his advisors to make submissions regarding the matter. Knowles...

Increase in the number of New Zealanders working in Britain24 Feb at 6 AM 2015

Recently published figures indicate that more New Zealand and Australian nationals are choosing to leave their home countries to find work in the UK. The increase in numbers comes despite fears that too many people are being excluded by strict visa restrictions. The latest data shows that 91,000 workers from New Zealand and Australia have found jobs in Britain. This is an increase of 9 per cent on the numbers working in the UK in 2013. There have recently been debates about how it has become more difficult for Commonwealth citizens to...

New Zealand open to Cricket World Cup visa scammers30 Jan at 5 AM 2015

A transtasman agreement that allows easier movement between Australia and New Zealand during the Cricket World Cup could be open to abuse by travellers who have no intention of attending the games. Supporters who already have an Australian visa can pick up a three-month visitor visa when they land in New Zealand. This means that people holding game tickets coming in from countries where a visa would usually be required will be allowed to enter without having to go through the usual financial and medical checks and will not have to...

New Zealand cracks down on fake monks21 Jan at 7 AM 2015

Immigration New Zealand is cooperating with Chinese authorities to prevent fake monk scammers from entering the country. According to reports a fake charity nun and two monks who have been targeting pedestrians for cash donations in return for blessings have fled New Zealand for Australia. According to Michael Carley, INZ area manager, members of a syndicate have been dressing up as nuns and monks and offering blessings in exchange for money or jewellery. In a report, the New Zealand Herald claims members of the syndicate are...

Police warn of immigration scam25 Dec at 8 AM 2013

Auckland police are warning New Zealanders to be wary of scams from overseas by individuals claiming to be officials from Immigration New Zealand. There have been a dozen complaints from residents of the city and it is thought that scammers have already managed to con more than $23,000 from travellers. According to the police, the fraudsters are calling people from what appears to be a telephone number originating from New Zealand with the caller claiming to be an immigration official. The victim is then informed that because of a...

Joint visa proposed for 2015 Cricket World Cup2 Dec at 9 AM 2013

Immigration officials in New Zealand and Australia are pushing for a joint visa to both countries to be issued to visitors flying in for the 2015 Cricket World Cup. Ken Morrison, from the Australian Tourism and Transport Forum, believes that cricket fans will benefit from easier travel between the neighbouring countries. The 2015 CWC is to be hosted by both New Zealand and Australia and a single visa would be introduced especially for the event. Tourism bosses believe that some cricket fans might be put off attending games on both...

Asylum seekers offered NZ residency by Indonesian criminals4 Nov at 9 AM 2013

An investigation by the Sydney Morning Herald has revealed that Indonesian people-smugglers are offering passage to New Zealand to asylum seekers and promising permanent residency. Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse has condemned the practice saying that those promising safe transport and residency are liars and criminals. The report found that would-be asylum seekers are being charged as much as $17,000. Mr Woodward warned anybody thinking of entering New Zealand illegally not to do so. Australia recently stepped up its crackdown...

New Zealanders enjoy more international access21 Oct at 9 AM 2013

New Zealand has managed to grab joint fifth place in a list of countries that have the most visa-free travel access. Kiwi passport holders are allowed to enter 168 countries around the globe without first having to obtain an entry visa. New Zealand came behind countries including the UK and USA as well as a number of EU nations. In fact the US was the only non-European country to make it into the top-ten. New Zealand tied for fifth place with Switzerland and Austria. In first place with visa-free access to a total of 173 countries...

More women visit New Zealand than men8 Aug at 9 AM 2013

A new study has revealed that more women than men travel to New Zealand and while visiting spend more money in the country than their male counterparts. The Visa Global Travel intention survey indicates that 54 per cent of all those travelling to New Zealand are women. Caroline Ada, New Zealand’s Visa Country Manager, said it was the women who tended to be in control of the purse strings when it came to travel and that New Zealand had a great opportunity to look at ways of marketing the country to female visitors. She added that...

New Zealand visitor numbers up during May24 Jun at 9 AM 2013

The number of people visiting New Zealand in May this year grew by 9 per cent according to Statistics New Zealand. Andrea Blackburn, population statistics manager, said the number was the highest ever for the month of May adding that the figure has grown from around 141,000 visitors to 153,000. The main contributors to the increase were Australia, from which visitor numbers were up by 8,000 and China where the number increased by 3,900. The number of New Zealanders leaving on overseas trips was also up by 2 per cent to 2.163 million...