Your first 90 days in New Zealand: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · September 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
The two-year visa threshold for public healthcare is the detail that decides your medical costs — a 23-month visa leaves you buying private insurance, a 24-month one does not. Check the exact duration granted, not the category name, and hold private cover until you have confirmed eligibility.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Activate your visa with Immigration New Zealand, then apply for an IRD number and enrol with a GP practice
Visa conditions apply from the day you enter; the IRD number should be obtained before your first payday to avoid the no-declaration tax rate
New Zealand's visa system is entirely electronic — there is no label in your passport and your status is tied to your passport number in the Immigration NZ system. The Accredited Employer Work Visa is the main work route and requires the employer to be accredited before they can hire you.
Get your IRD number (Inland Revenue Department number)
Without it, your employer must deduct tax at the highest no-notification rate, and you cannot open most bank accounts or claim any entitlement.
Applied for online with Inland Revenue once you have a New Zealand bank account and a valid visa — the bank account usually has to come first, which is the sequencing to plan for.
Open a bank account
ANZ, ASB, BNZ and Westpac let you start an application from overseas before you arrive, then complete identity verification in a branch on landing. Doing the pre-arrival application is genuinely worth it because the IRD number depends on the account, and the account depends on being physically present.
Enrol in healthcare
Publicly funded healthcare through Health New Zealand covers residents and work-visa holders whose visa is for two years or more; shorter visas are not covered and need private insurance. ACC covers accident-related injury for everyone in the country including visitors, which is unusual and genuinely comprehensive. Enrol with a GP practice — that enrolment is what gets you subsidised primary care.
Sort your driver's license
An overseas licence (in English or with an approved translation) is valid for 12 months from arrival; after that you must convert to a New Zealand licence, with drivers from a list of exempt countries converting without a practical test and others sitting theory and practical. Driving is on the left.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in New Zealand: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in New Zealand?
Activate your visa with Immigration New Zealand, then apply for an IRD number and enrol with a GP practice — Visa conditions apply from the day you enter; the IRD number should be obtained before your first payday to avoid the no-declaration tax rate. New Zealand's visa system is entirely electronic — there is no label in your passport and your status is tied to your passport number in the Immigration NZ system. The Accredited Employer Work Visa is the main work route and requires the employer to be accredited before they can hire you. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the IRD number and do I need one?
IRD number (Inland Revenue Department number) is New Zealand's personal tax/ID number. Without it, your employer must deduct tax at the highest no-notification rate, and you cannot open most bank accounts or claim any entitlement. Applied for online with Inland Revenue once you have a New Zealand bank account and a valid visa — the bank account usually has to come first, which is the sequencing to plan for.
Can I drive in New Zealand on a US license?
An overseas licence (in English or with an approved translation) is valid for 12 months from arrival; after that you must convert to a New Zealand licence, with drivers from a list of exempt countries converting without a practical test and others sitting theory and practical. Driving is on the left. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to New Zealand?
Publicly funded healthcare through Health New Zealand covers residents and work-visa holders whose visa is for two years or more; shorter visas are not covered and need private insurance. ACC covers accident-related injury for everyone in the country including visitors, which is unusual and genuinely comprehensive. Enrol with a GP practice — that enrolment is what gets you subsidised primary care. See our healthcare-systems guide for how New Zealand's system treats foreign residents.