New Zealand Eases Visa Rules To Attract Digital Nomad Tourists

Calling all digital nomads. New Zealand is rolling out the welcome mat just for you.

This week, New Zealand’s government announced that the rules for visitors will be changing. More specifically, international visitors arriving to the island nation with what’s known as a NZeTA visa will now be allowed to work while exploring the country, so long as your employer or client is located overseas.

Meaning digital nomads welcome.

The newly announced change took effect January 27 and applies to all visa applications received on or after that date.

“These new conditions mean that tourists can stay in New Zealand as a digital nomad and keep in touch with work back home, without breaching their visa conditions,” says the New Zealand government’s website.

The announcement comes as New Zealand is struggling amid an economic recession. What’s more, its tourism industry took a significant hit amid the border closures brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

What To Know About the New Visa Program

Both visitor visa recipients and individuals who enter with an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) will be afforded the newly announced visitation conditions, the NZ website explains.

Here are few key do’s and don’ts to keep in mind however, if you plan to take New Zealand up on its digital nomad offer. Visitor visa holders must not:

• Work for a New Zealand employer
• Provide goods or services to people or businesses in New Zealand
• Do work that requires them to be physically present at a workplace in New Zealand.

Tax Rules for Digital Nomads

Before booking that ticket to New Zealand, it’s also important to ensure you understand the tax rules that go along with the new visa program.

Digital nomads will be allowed to stay in New Zealand and work remotely for up to about 90 days days. After that, you may be subject to paying a resident’s tax.

“Generally, if the person’s income is taxed elsewhere, New Zealand will exempt it from tax if the person does not spend more than 92 days in New Zealand in a 12-month period. The days do not need to be consecutive,” the website explains.

However, and this is a key point for non-American travelers: If you’re a tax resident from one of the 40-plus countries with which New Zealand has a tax treaty (Think: Australia, most of Europe, the UK, the US and much of Asia), this timeline can typically be extended to as long as 183 days. 

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