Peters backs visa reforms for Pacific nationals ahead of petition handover

Pacific nationals often face long delays and high costs when trying to visit Aotearoa New Zealand - a barrier that New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister, Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters, says he wants to address ahead of the November general election.

NZ First has made Pacific engagement a key part of its election strategy. Peters says there’s a need to ease travel while maintaining compliance with visa rules.

In an interview on Pacific Mornings, Peters says visa costs and slow processing are the two biggest obstacles for Pacific people trying to travel to New Zealand, especially in family emergencies.

“The cost of the visa and the delays in getting it. If your grandmother or your mother were to die in New Zealand, you want to be on the next plane and you should be able to get that within 24 hours,” Peters says.

Peters points to recent reforms aimed at easing travel for Pacific.

Since July last year, people from all Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) countries applying for a visitor visa have been eligible for a multi-entry visa. This allows them to travel to New Zealand as many times as they want over 24 months, up from the previous 12 months.

Watch Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters' full interview below.

Despite the changes, Tonga currently has the highest number of overstayers in Aotearoa, with 2599 people living in New Zealand illegally as of 2025, according to Immigration NZ. Sāmoa ranks fourth with 1697 overstayers.

Peters said easing travel must go hand in hand with compliance. “Our approach is different,” he said. “We are saying to Pacific countries, we're going to change the criteria for these visas, but it's going to be like this. We're cousins, and cousins don't rip cousins off. You got that? So make sure you bear the law.”

Former National MP Anae Arthur Anae, who will hand over a petition in February, is calling for a three-month visa-on-arrival for Pacific nationals.

Former National MP Anae Arthur Anae. Photo/Supplied

“We identified 60 countries around the world that can arrive in a New Zealand airport and have a three-month visitor’s visa stamped into their passport, at no cost. And that total population is 1.65 billion people,” Anae told John Pulu on PMN Tonga last October. “The total population of our Pacific nations is less than 16 million… a fraction.”

Peters has signalled support for the petition but said any changes would need careful planning, including agreement with Pacific nations like Sāmoa.

Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt, of Sāmoa, welcomed the petition in a pre-recorded message presented at the Pacific Justice meeting in November.

“I support this petition and salute Anae for taking these first steps,” Laaulialemalietoa said. “While he has started this movement, I believe the Government of Sāmoa can bring the authority that this petition needs.”

Prime Minister of Sāmoa, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt and Winston Peters met at the Samoan Consulate in Mangere last October. Photo/Supplied

Anae and supporters are scheduled to hand over the petition to Peters at Parliament on 11 February. It is understood that more than 45,000 people have signed the petition.

The visa issue comes as migration and Pacific relationships are becoming increasingly important in the lead-up to the November election.

Peters’ party is aiming to present itself as responsive to Pacific concerns, while balancing the need for rules compliance and border control.