Complete Step by Step Guide in Applying New Zealand Tourist / Visitor Visa for Filipinos

Hi Friends! So I wanted to share with you how I applied my second New Zealand tourist / visitor visa. Yes, second because I already had my first NZ visa (single entry) last November 2018. Anyway, the main reason why I had to apply again is to fulfill my birthday goal this year. ☺️ ☺️ ☺️ And that is to experience legit winter and snow. ❄️ ☃️ 😍 Haha! I SWEAR I’M DONE WITH THE SUPER HOT WEATHER IN CEBU!!!! IT’S JUST HELL. I JUST. I CANNOT.

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A post shared by Kissyah (@laagankaayo) on Nov 14, 2018 at 2:43am PST

And so far, winter in July happens in the southern hemisphere. Meaning Australia and New Zealand. But New Zealand is my first love so. 💋

DISCLAIMER: All information, thoughts and feelings expressed here are based only on Laagan Kaayo’s personal experience and doesn’t necessarily mean correct. Doesn’t guarantee you will undergo the same. Will also NEVER guarantee your New Zealand Tourist Visa approval. This will only serve as a guide and awareness of the process so that when it’s your time to apply, it will be easier because you already know the logistics. Moreover, this New Zealand Tourist / Visitor Visa guide is only applicable to: ONLINE APPLICATION |PHILIPPINE PASSPORT HOLDERS APPLYING IN PHILIPPINES| SELF-FUNDED | EMPLOYED | SINGLE .

Process, Fees, Timeframes Overview

Citizens of the Philippines are exempted from paying the immigration fees which is NZD211. However, we still need to go through a 3rd party receiving center who will process our visa application which would cost ₱620. So yeah, we only need to pay ₱620. 😊

Step 1 – Preparation of Requirements for NZ Visitor Visa Application

The New Zealand immigration outlines specific criteria that applicants must meet depending on the visa type they are applying. For Philippine passport holders applying for New Zealand Visitor Visa in Philippines, check the criteria here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa/criteria/visitor-visa?nationality=nationality-PHL&country=residence-PHL&applying=no

Below are the requirements that I’ve prepared (all in PDF format, except for photo) and attached in my online New Zealand Visitor Visa application. But doesn’t mean they are all required. I just think they would really help me prove that I’m genuinely honest with my application.

• Visa Photo – a recent (less than 6 months old) soft copy photo of yourself. Please see the acceptable photo specs here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa/tools-and-information/acceptable-photos

What I did: I reused the photo that I submitted in my US Tourist Visa application last December 2018. It was literally a photo of me against our office wall and my colleague took the picture. No sweat! 😁

• Proof of Accommodation – I pre-booked all our accommodation in Agoda. All of which I can cancel (for free) later in case we get rejected.
• Roundtrip Flights – So we booked and paid our plane tickets in advance. Because life is about taking risks 🤣🤞
• Payslip for 3 months
• Certificate of Employment
• Bank Statement (mine was only for 3 months but 6 months is highly recommended)
• Bank Certificate – Okay I know. Let me elaborate.

>My Bank Certificate has around Php 300,000.00. A joint account of me and my mom
>My friend’s Bank Certificate only has around Php 40,000. Also a joint account of her, her mom and her dad.

However, New Zealand Immigration only recommends to have at least NZ $1000 (or ₱35000) per month or NZ $400 (or ₱14000) per month if you’ve already paid for your accommodation. So? I hope you are now relieved! ☺️

• Birth Certificate (My friend didn’t submit this)
• Credit Card Statement (My friend doesn’t have this)
• Onsen Hot Pools Reservation – We had to book this ahead because slots are almost sold out for July
• Itinerary

• Cover Letter – Please don’t judge me. 😜 I wrote this letter with feelings. For me, the more the personal the letter is, the more it is sincere. But that’s just me. ☺️

• Valid Australian Tourist Visa (my friend doesn’t have this)
• Passport Stamps – I scanned my current passport including the pages with stamps and visas(expired & still valid). I didn’t include my old passport because I got lazyyyy

So, those are the documents that I attached in my New Zealand Visitor Visa online application. No, WE DID NOT submit a copy of our Income Tax Return / BIR 2316. We just don’t feel like it. 😁

Step 2 – Filling out the New Zealand Visitor Visa Online Application Form

Create a Real Me account first. This will be use to log in to the New Zealand Immigration website: https://www2.logon.realme.govt.nz/cls/register/createmsllogon/createmsllogon?cid=2

After that, you can now log in here using your RealMe credentials: https://online.immigration.govt.nz/

In the home page, click Visitor Visa. New Zealand Visitor Visa Application has 11 sections. I will show you how I filled out each part as well as the struggle I encountered so you will not experience the same.

Identity and Contact – Immigration New Zealand

Personal Tip: Apply as Group. I always feel that a group application has a higher chance of getting approved compared to a solo application. I could be wrong but I stand with this perspective. Also a fact, group visa application processing time is faster than individual application. More info: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa/about-visa/group-visitor-visa

Visit Details – Immigration New Zealand

Additional Applicant Details – Immigration New Zealand

Health Details – Immigration New Zealand

Character Details – Immigration New Zealand

Work History – Immigration New Zealand

Important Note: In the Employer’s address text field, do not put a comma. By all means. Just don’t.

Partner Details – Immigration New Zealand

Other Contacts – Immigration New Zealand

Apply on Behalf / Assist  – Immigration New Zealand

Upload Documents – Immigration New Zealand

I highlighted in my individual application below which requirements I actually submitted. The cover letter and itinerary were attached in the Group application.

Declaration – Click YES to agree. Then click Submit.

An acknowledgement of Visitor Visa application will appear. You must print this “Thank You” note and bring it with you together with your passport to the nearest VFS Global center for the next step.

Step 3 – Submit your physical passport at your nearest VFS Global Centre

Currently, there are 2 VFS Global offices in the Philippines. One in Manila and one in Cebu (Thank God!!!!) . So here’s what happened with my submission last May 20, 2019 (Monday).

Address:

VFS Global – New Zealand Visa Application Centre
9th Floor Keppel Centre
Samar Loop cnr. Cardinal Rosales Avenue
Cebu Business Park
Cebu City 6000
Philippines
+632-528-2504
info.nzph@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours : Monday to Friday (Except Holidays)
Application Lodgement – 7AM to 1PM
Passport Collection – 2PM to 3PM
Phone Inquiries – 7AM to 4PM

What did I bring? (literally)

• My passport and my friend’s passport
• “Thank You” letter with reference to our New Zealand Visitor Visa Online Application
• Phone
• Purse

I arrived at around 11:30 AM in Keppel Building and went through the standard security inspection at the ground floor lobby. I was asked to write my name on the log book then rushed to the 9th floor.

Pro tip: Submit your application at an earlier time of the day. This building is old and huge with pretty lousy cramped up elevators. It can get really crowded during rush hours(like 12 noon). I swear, you don’t wanna get into it during those times. Trust me.

It was already 11:47AM when I entered the office and another security guard greeted me, passed through a metal detector. The office was pretty busy. The lady at the reception asked me what I am applying for and I said, “ New Zealand Tourist Visa”.

She went to a queuing machine and got me a number. She asked me if I have a bag with me and I said no. I only brought 2 passports, the Thank You letter, my wallet and phone.

Tip: As much as possible only bring the requirements with you because they won’t allow any bags inside the main office, although they have their own baggage counter. Also, it’s strictly prohibited to take photos or videos inside. 😑

She escorted me inside the main office. I was so annoyed when I saw all the people and kids inside. Haha. Not a really good time to submit the application. Fortunately, all of them were applying visa for other countries so I didn’t wait that much before the girl at the center booth called my number.

I handed over our passports, the “Thank You” letter and my queue number to her. She typed a lot of things in the computer as well as scanned our passports. I waited for awhile. Then she asked me to pay P1240 for 2 passports as well as offered me SMS notification service which costs P110 per text just to advise us the status of our application. Are you kidding me? Haha. I didn’t avail so she just prepared the receipt. After a few minutes she handed me back our passports with a note on a bond paper saying about processing completion of visitor visa application. She advised me to just check the results online.

I was shocked and asked, “Are you not going to send the passports to Manila?”. She replied, “No. The process has changed. We are only following the instructions from New Zealand Immigration’. I was really confused. I mean what’s the point of VFS Global on this whole process? What’s the point of their sms service if the results will just all be available online? Because when we applied last year, they sent our passports to Manila. And I thought that’s where the payment goes. Sending our passports back and forth. And it was only P590 back then. It’s.. I don’t know. Damn. Oh well.

I finished around 12:30 PM. The waiting game begins.

The Results :  May 28, after 10 days

While I was preparing for office, I randomly checked my email and my eyes went wide when I saw 1 email from Immigration New Zealand with attachment! I opened it immediately…

New Zealand Visitor Visa – Approved and Multiple Entry!!!!

You can find the same letter attached in your online application in the New Zealand Immigration website, under Additional documents section.

So me and my friend got approved and it’s multiple entry. It’s my friend’s first time in New Zealand and she got multiple entry!!! She’s the luckiest ❤️ But why multiple entry? I HAVE NO IDEA. Applicants cannot choose single or multiple entry when applying for the visa. It’s all in the hands of the Immigration Officer. Or perhaps, it was my emotional cover letter?😅 JK.

My New Zealand Visitor Visa Application Timeline

May 19 – Submitted our application online.

May 20 – Submitted our physical passports in VFS Global Cebu and paid ₱620.

May 28 – Received email from New Zealand Immigration that our Visitor Visa is approved and it’s MULTIPLE FUCKING ENTRY ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

While applying for New Zealand Visitor Visa is really cheap, I can’t deny the fact that the country itself is pretty expensive. But you know what? New Zealand is the epitome of “IT’S WORTH IT”. 🇳🇿

If you have questions or clarifications, please visit the New Zealand Immigration website directly: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/our-online-systems/applying-for-a-visa-online

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