Visa Query for Raratonga

Hi,

Sorry if this has been covered in another topic but my searching skills suck and all your replies are so helpful and quick. This is really just to confirm what i think i all ready know. On arrival in Raratonga when they are issuing me my 31 day Visa because i will be staying in Raratonga nearly 6 weeks so do i just ask for a 60 day visa when i am there at raratonga airport or should i get this in Auckland...sorry my keyboard is falling apart no questions mark. I there any extra charge for this extension. Ive an Irish passport.

Any help,

Thanks

Joe.

Hi Joe,

Having failed the sattelite TV answer, I hesitate to comment until my next visit, but to the best of my knowledge you will need to apply for a three month extension and pay a nominal charge for the extension. I am not sure, but probably at the new government building in Avarua, you need not do it in advance in Auckland.

Papa Mike

You'll get the 30 (31?) day tourist visa on arrival, that's automatic for 99% of visitors (unless you are from Albania, maybe!). You can NOT extend it at the airport on arrival.

After you are settled in for a couple of days, you should go into the Immigration Dept in town to extend it. (mon-Fri, 81m to 4pm), It takes a couple of days to a week, depending on how busy or lazy things are.

In the past it has sometimes been extended for a month at a time, sometimes three months, etc., it changes all the time. But the total cannot be for more than 6 mos., including the arriving visa.
It's about NZ$30 for a month, more or less. I don't think you can get it done in Auckland.

Also, you cannot get the extension done on Aitutaki, Atiu, or any of the outer islands. So, check it out a few days after arrival, and see when you should apply.

I get this done every visit and I've been doing it for 7 years now. You go into town to the old wooden gov't building behind the post office. Way up on the third floor is immigration. Take cash ,your airline ticket and your passport. You'll be asked to fill out a questionaire and if your extenion is up to 3 months it costs NZ$70, if 4 or 5 months, NZ$170. The total time you can stay is 6 months without leaving. This is for an extended tourist visa (no working allowed) and they will stamp it on an empty page in your passport. So far I always got the visa issued immediately, once I was asked to come back in an hour. Enjoy Rarotonga.

Thanks a million to Papa, Raro and JWA for your help and swift replies to my query. We cant wait to get to the cook islands.

Regards,

Joe and Ais.