A dummy ticket for a New Zealand Visitor Visa is optional. Immigration New Zealand asks for a ticket out of New Zealand or proof you have the money to buy one. A reservation on hold is not a purchased ticket, so it does not meet the first option; proof of funds meets the rule on its own. The visa costs NZD 441 for one applicant in India (September 2026).
- Immigration New Zealand asks for a ticket out of New Zealand or proof of money to buy one. It does not ask for a flight reservation.
- A reservation on hold does not meet INZ's word "ticket". Proof of funds, or a paid refundable fare, does.
- The Visitor Visa costs NZD 441 for one applicant in India: NZD 300 fee, NZD 41 immigration levy and NZD 100 visitor levy (INZ Fees Guide, May 2026).
- From 1 October 2026 INZ stops accepting paper Visitor Visa applications, except in exceptional circumstances.
- INZ recommends not booking any non-refundable travel until the visa is approved.
On this page
- Dummy ticket for New Zealand visa: does INZ ask for one?
- Which visa Indian passport holders need
- New Zealand visitor visa fee: NZD 441
- Applying from India: online only from 1 October 2026
- Processing time and when to apply
- What INZ's India checklist lists
- At the border: a paid ticket or funds on every trip
- Where a flight reservation fits in a Visitor Visa file
- Before you apply: a short checklist
- A worked example: three weeks across both islands
- Seasonal and practical considerations
- What to do if your visa takes longer than expected
- Keeping your plan honest
- Travellers who use the NZeTA
- Final pre-departure checklist
- Common questions from Indian families visiting relatives
A dummy ticket for New Zealand visa applications is optional. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) asks applicants paying their own way to show either a ticket for travel out of New Zealand or proof of enough money to buy one. The second route needs no flight document at all, and it is the route to use if you do not want to buy a ticket before the decision.
A flight reservation from Dummy Tickets Visa (DTV) has a smaller job in this file. It is a booking held in the airline's system, with a PNR you can check on the airline's website, and it can give the day-to-day itinerary that INZ's India checklist lists as optional a fixed route and dates. It is not a purchased ticket, so it does not meet INZ's "ticket" option.
Dummy ticket for New Zealand visa: does INZ ask for one?
No. The Visitor Visa page does not list a flight ticket, reservation or itinerary as a required document. It asks instead for evidence that you can leave New Zealand at the end of your stay, and it gives two ways to show that.
| Option INZ names | What you would submit | Does a reservation on hold meet it? |
|---|---|---|
| "Your ticket for travel out of New Zealand at the end of your stay" | A ticket to a country you have the right to enter | No. A hold is not a purchased ticket |
| Money to buy that ticket | Bank or credit card statements showing the fare, on top of your living funds | Not needed. This route has no flight document |
INZ's wording on the Visitor Visa page: if you are paying for yourself, provide either "your ticket for travel out of New Zealand at the end of your stay" or statements showing enough money to buy one, in addition to your living funds. A sponsor can cover the outward travel instead. You need one route, not both.
INZ's own advice: "We recommend that travellers do not book any non-refundable travel until after their Visitor Visa is approved." A reservation on hold keeps you inside that advice because no fare is paid. A fully refundable fare does too.
Which visa Indian passport holders need
Indian citizens apply for the Visitor Visa. India is not on INZ's visa waiver list, so an Indian passport holder cannot enter on an NZeTA alone. INZ names a few exceptions, such as Australian permanent residents and some cruise passengers.
If you live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman or Bahrain, your residence does not change this. Those countries are on the waiver list for their own passports, and the list goes by passport, not by where you live. Our page for Indians living abroad covers applying from outside India.
INZ decides the type of visa you get: multiple entry for stays of up to 6 months within 12 months, or single entry for up to 9 months within 18 months. If approved, INZ issues an eVisa and sends you a copy.
New Zealand visitor visa fee: NZD 441
For one Indian citizen applying from India, the total is NZD 441, the "From NZD $441" shown on INZ's Visitor Visa page. INZ's Fees Guide (INZ 1028, May 2026) splits it into three parts.
| Part | Amount | Charged |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee (Band C, rest of world) | NZD 300 | Once per application |
| Immigration levy | NZD 41 | Once per application |
| International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) | NZD 100 | For each person on the application |
| Total, one applicant | NZD 441 | INZ's figure |
| Total, applicant and partner | NZD 541 | INZ's own worked example |
A partner and dependent children aged 19 or under can go on the same application, and only the IVL is added for each extra person. Say you, your spouse and your 15-year-old apply together: NZD 300 + NZD 41 + (3 × NZD 100) = NZD 641, not 3 × NZD 441. When you apply online, the IVL is included in the one payment. INZ says the visitor levy is not refunded even if the application is declined. The rupee amount depends on the exchange rate on the day you pay.
Applying from India: online only from 1 October 2026
Apply through Immigration Online. INZ calls it the best way to apply, and an approved visa comes as an eVisa. From 1 October 2026 INZ stops accepting paper applications for the Visitor Visa and several other visitor and transit visas, except in exceptional circumstances. Paper applications lodged before that date are still processed.
INZ's India checklist names the New Zealand Visa Application Centres in India, run by VFS Global. That checklist is dated July 2024, before the online-only change, so ignore its instructions for lodging the paper form at a centre. We could not confirm which services the centres keep after 1 October 2026. Check with VFS Global before you plan a visit.
Processing time and when to apply
INZ's headline is 80% of Visitor Visa applications decided within 2 weeks. Its wait-times page, updated weekly from applications decided in the previous 4 weeks, showed an average of 1 week when we read it on 27 September 2026. These are worldwide figures, not India figures. INZ also says it receives many visitor applications over summer, especially for Christmas travel, and suggests applying as early as possible for trips at that time of year.
If you include a reservation, have it issued the day before you submit the online application, and check the PNR on the airline website before you upload it. A hold is temporary, and how long it stays live depends on the airline, not on DTV. Our guide to how long a reservation stays live explains the airline side.
What INZ's India checklist lists
INZ's India checklist (July 2024), for stays under 6 months, asks for evidence that you can pay for your stay and your outward travel, and every example it gives is financial: sponsorship forms, bank deposit books, bank statements or payslips, credit card statements and income tax returns. Our guide to a bank statement for a visa file explains what officers read in those.
Under "You may also want to include" the checklist lists a cover letter, a "Day to day Itinerary to reflect your travel plans", visas from countries you have visited, and an Aadhaar card. No flight ticket appears anywhere on it.
The optional itinerary is where a reservation helps: it gives your written plan fixed dates and a route without buying a ticket. It does not replace the funds evidence. Keep the same dates across the itinerary, your cover letter and your leave letter. Two more figures from INZ: your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave New Zealand, and living funds are at least NZD 1,000 a month, or NZD 400 a month if your accommodation is already paid.
At the border: a paid ticket or funds on every trip
The same rule applies each time you land. INZ's wording: "Every time you travel here, you must have a ticket to leave New Zealand or proof you have enough money to buy one." Entry can be refused without either, unless your visa says "Return/onward travel not required". For visa-waiver travellers, INZ's visa-waiver visitor page states that "Your onward tickets must be paid for before your travel." A reservation on hold does not meet that wording. Our guide to the onward ticket rule for New Zealand covers check-in and arrival.
Where a flight reservation fits in a Visitor Visa file
A reservation fits in one place: the optional day-to-day itinerary, backed by proof of funds. It is a booking made in the airline's reservation system and held without paying the fare, delivered as a PDF by email or WhatsApp, typically 10–20 minutes after payment, at US$15 (₹1,200) per passenger for one-way or return. It cannot be used to board. The table compares it with the other two ways to cover the leaving evidence.
| Approach | Meets INZ's wording? | Money at risk if refused |
|---|---|---|
| Proof of funds only | Yes, the funds route | None beyond the visa fee |
| Proof of funds, plus a reservation on the itinerary | Yes, through the funds. The reservation only shows dates | US$15 (₹1,200) per passenger, non-refundable once issued |
| Paid refundable ticket | Yes, the ticket route | Whatever the fare rules deduct on cancellation |
A refundable fare is the only option here that meets the "ticket" wording. It has a real e-ticket number, and the refund amount and timing depend on its fare rules, so read them before you pay. Our page on a flight reservation for visa files explains how a hold differs from an issued ticket. For a couple or family, one DTV order carries every name on one itinerary; see family and group bookings.
Before you apply: a short checklist
- Choose your leaving-evidence route: bank statements showing money for a ticket, or a paid ticket
- Check the NZD total on INZ's Visitor Visa page on the day you pay
- Apply through Immigration Online, not on paper, after 1 October 2026
- Show living funds of NZD 1,000 a month, or NZD 400 if your accommodation is paid
- Confirm your passport is valid for 3 months past your planned departure from New Zealand
- If you add a reservation to your itinerary, receive it the day before you apply and check the PNR before you upload it
- Do not buy non-refundable travel until the visa is approved
This page reports Immigration New Zealand's wording as read on 27 September 2026. Fees, wait times and the paper-application rule can change, so confirm them on INZ's pages before you pay or apply. DTV is not affiliated with INZ, VFS Global or any airline.
For other countries, the visa guides hub lists every destination we cover. If a reservation helps your itinerary, you can order one online for up to 9 passengers on one booking.
A worked example: three weeks across both islands
Consider an Indian couple planning three weeks in New Zealand, starting in Auckland and finishing in Queenstown. Their file and their onward proof could look like this.
- They apply online for visitor visas, each uploading passport pages, bank statements, employment letters and leave approvals.
- They include a single flight reservation listing both names: arrival in Auckland on the 2nd and departure from Queenstown, via a connection, on the 22nd.
- Their itinerary shows Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, a ferry crossing to the South Island, then Christchurch and Queenstown.
- Accommodation bookings cover every night from the 2nd to the 22nd.
- Insurance covers the 2nd to the 23rd, allowing a day of margin.
- Once the visas are approved, they buy the actual flights, choosing the same dates.
- At check-in in India, they show their visas and purchased return. At Auckland, they complete the arrival declaration and answer the officer's questions.
Each step supports the next. The reservation gave the visa officer a clear plan; the purchased ticket gave the airline and border the evidence they needed. Nothing in the file contradicts anything else.
Seasonal and practical considerations
New Zealand's seasons are the reverse of India's. Summer runs from December to February, which is also the busiest period for flights and accommodation. Winter brings ski season to the South Island. Choosing dates with these patterns in mind helps your plan look realistic and helps you find accommodation that matches your itinerary.
Peak summer
Flights and rentals book up early. If your visa application coincides with this period, apply early and keep your plan flexible enough to cope with availability.
Shoulder seasons
Spring and autumn are quieter, with more choice of flights and rooms. They are also good times to apply, since visa processing tends to be less congested.
Long domestic distances
Driving between major sights takes longer than many visitors expect. A plan that covers both islands in a week can look implausible. Leave realistic travel days in your itinerary.
What to do if your visa takes longer than expected
Processing times vary with demand. If your visa decision takes longer than planned, your reservation may expire before you have an answer.
- Do not buy non-refundable flights while the application is pending.
- If the immigration office asks for updated travel details, provide a new reservation with your current dates.
- If your trip must move, update the itinerary, accommodation and insurance along with the flights.
- Keep a record of every change so you can explain it if asked.
Keeping your plan honest
The safest onward plan is the one you actually intend to follow. Officers and airline staff are not looking for perfect travellers; they are looking for plans that make sense. A realistic date, a genuine booking and consistent answers are enough for almost every visitor to New Zealand.
If anything about your plan is unusual, a short written note explaining it is often the quickest way to answer questions before they are asked.
Travellers who use the NZeTA
Citizens of visa-waiver countries apply for an electronic travel authority rather than a visa. The NZeTA is quicker to obtain, but it does not remove the onward travel requirement. Airlines and border officers may still ask for a plan to leave.
Pay attention to the levy
The NZeTA process usually involves a tourism and conservation levy alongside the authority fee. Check the official site for current amounts; we do not list figures because they can change.
Australian residents
Australian citizens travel to New Zealand under special arrangements, and permanent residents of Australia have their own rules. If you hold another nationality but live in Australia, check which category applies to you before you travel.
Final pre-departure checklist
- Visitor visa or NZeTA approved and the details correct.
- Return or onward booking to a country you can enter, dated inside your permitted stay.
- Arrival declaration completed close to departure as the official site instructs.
- Funds evidence available: a card plus a recent bank statement.
- Accommodation details for at least the first nights.
- Biosecurity items declared or left at home.
- Copies of all documents offline on your phone and on paper.
Once the visa is granted, our New Zealand onward ticket guide explains the ticket-or-funds rule that airlines check before you board.
Common questions from Indian families visiting relatives
Many Indian visitors to New Zealand are parents and grandparents visiting family who live there. These trips often run longer than a typical holiday and raise particular questions.
Who should sponsor the trip?
A family member in New Zealand may support the application with an invitation, evidence of their status and evidence of their ability to host. Check what the official guidance asks for in your category. The sponsor's support does not replace the visitor's own plan to leave.
How long is reasonable?
Family visits of a few months are common, but each visa has a maximum stay. Pick a return date that fits the visa you are applying for and explain the reason for the length of stay, such as the birth of a grandchild or a family celebration.
Should the return be fixed?
Yes, for the application. A visa officer needs a date to assess. If plans change later, you can change the actual ticket within the permitted stay.
What about health and insurance?
Older visitors should look closely at insurance cover for the full stay, since medical care for visitors in New Zealand is generally not free. Some visa categories may ask for evidence of insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Can a reservation on hold stand in for the ticket INZ asks for?
No, not on INZ's wording. INZ asks for "your ticket for travel out of New Zealand", and a reservation held without payment is not a purchased ticket. INZ's other route, bank or credit card statements showing money to buy a ticket, needs no flight document. A reservation can still give your optional day-to-day itinerary fixed dates and a route.
Can I send a paid ticket instead of bank statements?
Yes. A ticket out of New Zealand at the end of your stay, to a country you can enter, meets the rule. INZ also recommends not booking non-refundable travel before approval, so if you take this route, buy a refundable fare and read its cancellation conditions first. Our comparison of a reservation and a refundable fare sets out the cost of each.
Is the New Zealand visa fee refunded if my application is declined?
Not all of it. INZ says the NZD 100 visitor levy is not refunded even if the application is declined. For the NZD 300 application fee and the NZD 41 immigration levy, read INZ's refund rules before you pay. Budget for losing the full NZD 441 per application if you are refused, and apply only when your file is complete.
Do I need a hotel booking for a New Zealand visitor visa?
INZ's India checklist (July 2024) does not list one. Accommodation matters for the funds you must show: at least NZD 1,000 a month, or NZD 400 a month if your accommodation is already paid. A reservation that you have not paid for does not count as paid accommodation, so show the higher figure unless you have paid.
What should a day-to-day itinerary for New Zealand include?
One line per day: the date, the town you are in, where you sleep and how you move on. Put your arrival and departure flights at each end. The dates must match your cover letter, your leave letter and any flight reservation. Our travel itinerary template shows a worked example you can adapt.
Do I need the New Zealand Traveller Declaration as well as the visa?
Yes. INZ says everyone entering New Zealand must complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD). If you arrive by air, you can submit it from 24 hours before your journey starts. It is separate from the Visitor Visa and has nothing to do with your application file.
- Immigration New Zealand: Visitor Visa
- Immigration New Zealand: visa waiver countries and territories
- Immigration New Zealand: Fees Guide (INZ 1028, May 2026)
- Immigration New Zealand: paying the International Visitor Levy
- Immigration New Zealand: Visitor Visa and NZeTA wait times
- Immigration New Zealand: changes to paper applications for visitor and transit visas
- Immigration New Zealand: India Visitor Visa checklist (INZ 11223, July 2024)
- Immigration New Zealand: visa-waiver visitor visa
Last updated by Girish A. Visa requirements change, so confirm the current checklist with the embassy, consulate or official application centre before you apply. A reservation supports a visa file and cannot guarantee a visa decision.