Applying New Zealand visitor visa from USA

Wondering!! Why, there is so less content available on visitor visa processing? While applying for visa from USA( being an India passport holder) we struggled to find the correct process. Sometimes stuck at certain stage and now what next. So just thought to pen down the steps we followed and some important points. Hope it helps!.

New Zealand visitor visa is a short term visa usually valid for travel duration. As per immigration.govt.nz maximum duration for visa is up to 9 months.

Here are the steps for applying the visa

Documentation:-

Passport(s) original
Passport size color photographs
Pay stubs – 3 Months
Bank statement – 3 months
Employment letter
Marriage and Birth certificate( if required)
Booking details( flight to and from and hotel)

Details required in form :-

Travel dates
Employment details (current and previous)
Credit card details

Apply On paper :-

Download form INZ 1017 (Visitor Visa Application)
Fill the form with required details, including CC details at the end for visa fee
Print and bundle application with required documents mentioned above
Send application with original passport(s) to following address

New Zealand Visa Application Centre,1025 Vermont Avenue, NW 2nd Floor Washington, DC 20005, USA

Apply online :-

Till 2016 when we applied visa application was’t available online for Indian passport holders. I am not sure about the current status.

Some pointers :-

PDF form doesn\’t look like an editable PDF but still we managed to fill it with adobe in windows machine
Application once submitted can be tracked here
Usually it takes 25 days to complete the process, but current processing time can be checked in VFS website.
Complete and final your itinerary before applying visa as visa validity remains only for the travel dates ( +1 week)
Traveling to Canada, check here for bucket list ideas

Statistics :-

Time taken to figure out how to apply	1 weekend
Time taken to fill and post application package	1 week
Initial response from VAC to submit passports	2 days
End to end processing time after submitting passports.	25 days