NZ simplifies visa process for Chinese travelers

With an increasing number of Chinese tourists visiting New Zealand, China has become one of the most important tourism markets for New Zealand, New Zealand news website Skykiwi.com reported on March 1. Thus, the New Zealand government intends to simplify the visa process for Chinese travelers in order to attract more Chinese tourists. A new visa policy has gone into effect from March 1, by which some China UnionPay credit card holders will not need to provide a bank statement, employment status and income certificate.

For a long time, one of the major difficulties that Chinese traveling overseas have had to face is the complex visa application requirements and process. The New Zealand government extended the expiry date of the tourism visa for Chinese individual travelers from 12 months to 24 months in May 2013. What's more, Immigration New Zealand, China Southern Airlines and New York Airlines made a joint effort to help "rich" Chinese people get easier access to the visa application.

China UnionPay Co signed a new cooperation agreement with Immigration New Zealand during Chinese President Xi's state visit to the country last November. The two sides agreed to simplify the New Zealand visa application for Chinese UnionPay cardholders. According to this new agreement, holders of the UnionPay platinum or diamond credit cards issued within China (card numbers begin with 62) can provide card copies and bank statements within three months as a substitute for proofs of bank deposit, salary and employment, which make the application much easier. This value-added service is one of the rights and interests of UnionPay products and will gradually become a reality in more and more overseas destinations.

In addition, the revised Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) and Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL) will come into force the same day, March 1. The profession of external auditor has been removed from both lists, and café manager and restaurant manager are also gone from ISSL. The position of university lecturer has been moved from LTSSL to ISSL.