Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono, who successfully restored partial citizenship rights to Samoans affected by the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982, is now advocating for Pacific Island nations to be included in New Zealand’s Visa Waiver Visitor Visa Category.
In 2024, Tuiono introduced the Restoring Citizenship Removed by Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill, which passed unanimously in Parliament and became law on 25 November 2024. The bill restored partial citizenship rights to those affected by the original 1982 Act, which had revoked New Zealand citizenship from many Samoans following a Privy Council ruling.
Tuiono, along with Green MP Ricardo Menendez-March, has launched a petition urging Immigration Minister Erica Stanford to include Pacific nations in the Visa Waiver program. The program allows citizens of certain countries to enter New Zealand without applying for a visa in advance. Instead, they need only apply for a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before travel, costing NZD $17 via app or NZD $23 online, along with a NZD $100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL).
According to the Immigration New Zealand website, the Visa Waiver program allows visitors to enter New Zealand without first applying for a visa, provided they are from a visa waiver country. Visitors can bring family members if they meet visa waiver criteria, holiday, sightsee, visit family and friends, shop, and enjoy New Zealand as a visitor, as well as study for a short time.
However, the current list of 60 visa waiver countries includes no Pacific Island nations.
The list features countries such as Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, UK, USA, Uruguay, and Vatican City.
“Thousands of visitors from countries like Germany and the UK enjoy visa-free travel, yet our Pacific neighbours face costly and time-consuming visa processes,” said Tuiono. “It’s time to remove these barriers and show that New Zealand values our relationship with the Pacific.”
The petition argues that Pacific visitors often see their visas unfairly declined, highlighting 2022 data showing that over half of declined visitor visa applications came from just nine Pacific nations.
The Prime Ministers of Samoa, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands have all previously called on New Zealand to extend visa-free travel to Pacific citizens. The Green Party says this would align New Zealand’s immigration policy with its Pacific partnerships, creating a more equitable and community-focused approach.
The MPs are inviting New Zealanders to sign the petition and share it widely to support Pacific ‘āiga in visiting Aotearoa without “jumping through bureaucratic hoops.”
Supporters can sign the petition online, with hopes that public backing will push the government to act swiftly on this immigration disparity.
