The number of arrivals from the world's most populous nation continues to soar but securing a visitor visa remains a challenge for many Indian nationals.
From 1 January to 8 September, Immigration New Zealand processed 42,542 first-time visitor visa applications from Indian nationals, of which 32,085 were approved.
During this period, 9970 applications were rejected - a rejection rate of 23 percent, according to the latest Immigration New Zealand figures.
In 2023, first-time applicants from India submitted 91,748 visitor visa applications. Of these, 68 percent were approved, while 30 percent were rejected.
However, the total number of visa applications from India continues to rise post-Covid.
This growth is attributed to factors such as the rising appetite for overseas travel among India's growing middle class, relaxed visa rules by many countries and a younger population eager to explore new destinations.
According to a report published earlier this month by MakeMyTrip Limited, one of India's leading online travel companies, the number of Indian residents who took two or more trips abroad in a year increased by 32 percent from June 2023 to May 2024.
The number of arrivals from the world's most populous nation continues to soar but securing a visitor visa remains a challenge for many Indian nationals. Photo: 123rf
The United Arab Emirates, Thailand and the United States were the top three overseas destinations for Indian travellers, followed by Singapore and Indonesia.
Many countries in Southeast Asia and Central Asia, including Thailand, Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan, are capitalizing on India's travel boom by easing their visa requirements.
The 2024 Henley Passport Index ranked the Indian passport 82nd in the world, allowing visa-free access to 58 countries.
In contrast, New Zealand ranked fourth, with visa-free access to 190 countries and territories worldwide.
Despite this, Indian nationals continue to flock to New Zealand.
Before the pandemic, 84,288 visas were approved in 2018 and 83,583 in 2019.
In 2023, a total of 115,008 visitor visa applications from India were approved.
As of 31 August 2024, 97,842 applications had been approved.
From 1 January 2023 to 8 September 2024, China topped the list of visa applications to New Zealand with 315,467 submissions, followed by India with 134,290 applications.
Thailand, with 20,654 applications, had the highest approval rate at 96 percent, while Pakistan, with 7030 applications, had the highest rejection rate, with 71 percent of applicants failing to secure a visa.
Indian nationals had the second-highest rejection rate over the same period, with 28 percent of applicants denied a visa.
"India is an exciting and important market for New Zealand," said Jock Gilray, director of visas at Immigration New Zealand.
Gilray said Immigration New Zealand had seen a higher proportion of well-prepared applications from India recently.
"This has led to a higher approval rate and faster decision times," he said.
But he stressed the importance of applicants being sure to meet the immigration requirements of the visa category they were applying for.
"Visa applicants must demonstrate genuine intentions to visit New Zealand temporarily and return home at the end of their stay," he said.