Tornberg fronted up to Queenstown police on Thursday, saying he went into hiding for three weeks, embarrassed because he could not afford the air fare home when his working holiday visa expired.
"He was embarrassed with his predicament - he'd overstayed his visa because he couldn't fly home," Constable Julian Cahill said.
Immigration New Zealand had issued Mr Tornberg with a warning letter and on Thursday he flew to Wellington, where the Swedish Consulate put him up in a hotel, he said.
He could be banned from the country for five years if he failed to leave before next Friday.
He flew to Auckland last night and was scheduled to fly on to Stockholm today after his parents and the Swedish Consulate arranged the flight for his voluntary departure.
Before three recent confirmed sightings around Queenstown, the former Fresh Choice worker was last seen on October 6, just a week after his working holiday visa expired.
As he was being transported to Queenstown Airport, Mr Tornberg told Const Cahill he had been following the story through news media - a part of his situation it seems the Swede also found embarrassing.
"He had cut out the news clippings and was disappointed the photos used were a year old," he said.
