One thing left out by the article...how many hoops you have to jump through just to set foot on the place.
Want to visit? There’s an app for that, where they ask 20 questions, you scan your passport and take a photo and swear you have a ticket back to where you came from. Then cough up $80 bucks per couple to process the approval.
Want to stay 1 year (the max allowed)?
Add copies of your bank account info. You need to prove you have money or they won’t let you in. You need to prove you’ve had TB and other vaccinations or they won’t let you in.
“Want to visit? There’s an app for that, where they ask 20 questions, you scan your passport and take a photo and swear you have a ticket back to where you came from. Then cough up $80 bucks per couple to process the approval.
Want to stay 1 year (the max allowed)?”
I’m from the UK, which like the US is on the visa waiver list in NZ. All I needed was an ETA like I would to enter the US (which doesn’t cost $80 to process).
I wouldn’t complain too much about the checks though. Every sovereign country should scrutinise foreigners coming in and making sure they don’t intend to enter and stay illegally.