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Travelling to New Zealand


For information about travelling to New Zealand by sea visit the following webpages:

Before you travel to New Zealand 

There are no COVID-19 pre-departure test or vaccination requirements to enter New Zealand, however, airlines may require evidence of vaccination or have other requirements to travel onboard their aircraft. 

Before you travel to New Zealand by air you must: 

Visitors to New Zealand require an outward/return ticket. 

New Zealand Traveller Declaration

All travellers to New Zealand must complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration before reaching passport control in New Zealand. You can complete a digital declaration at www.TravellerDeclaration.govt.nz, or a paper arrival declaration which will either be available on your flight or on arrival in New Zealand. 

You need to answer questions about your trip and what you’re bringing into the country.

If you complete a digital arrival declaration, you do not need to complete a paper arrival declaration.

To complete your declaration or to find out more visit www.TravellerDeclaration.govt.nz.

Arriving into New Zealand – what to expect 

It may take longer than usual to get through Customs, baggage collection and biosecurity at the airport – it is common for airports to be busy and have queues. 

You can help by having your documents completed and ready to present to border officers at the airport. 

Check what you need 

At the airport, you will need to show Customs officials at passport control your: 

  • visa (if you need one)
  • passport

Before reaching passport control, you also need to complete a digital New Zealand Traveller Declaration, this  will be automatically checked when you scan your passport at the eGate or when a border officer checks your passport. You do not need to print anything out.

If you have not completed a digital arrival declaration, you will need to complete a paper arrival declaration (Passenger Arrival Card or NZTD paper Declaration [air]) which will either be available on your flight or on arrival in New Zealand.

eGates

Check if you’re able to use an eGate at passport control as this can speed up your journey through the airport. You can use eGate if you are 12 years of age or older and have an ePassport from one of the specified countries. Find out more on our eGate page

Biosecurity

Travellers should declare biosecurity risk items or dispose biosecurity risk items on arrival in New Zealand. Everyone can help by telling their family and friends about New Zealand’s biosecurity requirements if they are travelling to New Zealand. Travellers are asked to consider what they bring into New Zealand – bringing in items that must be declared, or prohibited items are likely to increase processing times. Find out more on the  Ministry of Primary Industries' website and our prohibited and restricted items page 

Transiting through New Zealand 

The New Zealand Government has transit arrangements with some countries. 

If you pass through New Zealand on your way to another country and you do not plan to stay, you are a transit passenger. 

You can only transit New Zealand through Auckland International Airport, where you must stay in the transit area of the airport. You cannot apply to enter New Zealand. 

You can remain in transit for up to 24 hours. If you need to stay longer than 24 hours, you are not a transit passenger and you need to apply to enter New Zealand. Travellers transiting through New Zealand do not need to provide an arrival declaration.

Transit passengers who stay in the transit area and don’t enter New Zealand do not need to complete an arrival declaration.

Find out about transit requirements and the transit visa on Immigration New Zealand’s website 

Border processing levy 

People coming and going over New Zealand’s border must pay a border processing levy on arrival and departure. 

These charges are included in your ticket when you book air travel or a cruise. We’ll send an invoice for private crafts. 

Travellers arriving on airlines or private craft must pay: 

  • A Customs levy of NZ$16.59 
  • A biosecurity levy of NZ$16.92. 

Travellers departing on airlines or private craft must pay a Customs levy of NZ$4.52. 

Travellers arriving on a cruise ship must pay: 

  • A Customs levy of NZ$11.48 
  • A biosecurity levy of NZ$10.58. 

Travellers departing on a cruise ship must pay a Customs levy of NZ$4.55. 

These levy rates are exclusive of any applicable GST. 

These charges are included in your ticket when you book air travel or a cruise. We’ll send an invoice for private craft. 

Bringing items in and out of New Zealand  

Prohibited and restricted items

You won’t be able to bring prohibited items into New Zealand.

You may be able to bring some restricted items into New Zealand, but only if you have a permit for them, or after they have gone through treatments like fumigation.

Find out more on our Prohibited and restricted items webpage.

Note: you can’t bring pepper spray into New Zealand – we consider it to be a weapon.

Fees and charges

We charge duties based on how much you paid for items you’re bringing into New Zealand. We also charge GST (15%) on the total value, including duties.

If you don’t know how much it cost – e.g., it was a gift – we may have your item valued independently.

We only accept payments in New Zealand dollars. You can pay with cash, EFTPOS, or VISA/MasterCard credit cards.

Read more on our Duties and allowances webpage.

Bringing money into New Zealand

You are required to complete a Border Cash Report if you carry NZ$10,000  or more cash (or foreign equivalent) into or out of New Zealand. You can complete this in the paper form: NZCS 337: Border Cash Report (DOC 332 KB), or, on condition of acceptance by a Customs Officer, the online Border Cash Report form. If you have not completed a Border Cash Report before reaching passport control in New Zealand, a Border Officer will provide a form to you to complete.

Note: the online Border Cash Report form can only be completed within 72 hours of your trip to New Zealand.

Cash means:

  • physical currency
  • travellers’ cheques
  • cheques
  • money orders, postal orders, or similar
  • bearer bonds
  • a bill of exchange
  • promissory notes
  • any instrument prescribed by regulations under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009.

It’s a criminal offence to fail to declare cash on your report or to avoid making the report. If you do either, you could:

  • be fined
  • be imprisoned
  • have your cash seized.

Translations of the Border Cash Report are available in the following languages:

Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), FrenchGerman, Japanese, KoreanMāori, PortugueseSpanish.

Your Border Cash Report must be completed in English.

Learn more in Fact Sheet 13: Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (PDF 710 KB). 

Temporary Import Entry (TIE)

If you’re bringing in items you intend to take back out with you, you may not have to pay duty on them.

To qualify as “temporary imports”, the items must:

  • be in the same condition as when you brought them in
  • be uniquely identifiable, e.g., with a serial number
  • be for your personal use, and not for sale, exchange, distribution or as a gift
  • be non-consumable
  • leave NZ within 12 months of arriving here (yachts and small craft must leave within 2 years) - in some cases, we may grant an extension. You must apply at least a month in advance.

You will need a TIE if:

  • you don’t have a carnet for your items
  • your items aren’t household effects that came into NZ with you.

You must arrange a TIE with us before you arrive in NZ.

There is a fee on any TIE.

Financial security on temporary import entry

We may require financial security for temporary imports. There are three forms of financial security:

Items which qualify for temporary import entry

Items which qualify for temporary import include:

  • cameras (still, video, and motion picture) a supply of film, tapes, and accessories
  • binoculars
  • musical instruments
  • sound and video devices (e.g., tape recorders, CD players, mini disc players, DVD players, and dictating machines)
  • portable radio receivers
  • cellular or mobile telephones
  • portable personal computers (laptops) and accessories
  • baby carriages and strollers
  • wheelchairs
  • sporting equipment.

You can also bring in, as temporary imports:

  • professional equipment and items for display or use at exhibitions, fairs, meetings or similar events
  • items you’re importing for educational, scientific, cultural or humanitarian purposes
  • tourist publicity material
  • items you’re importing for sports purposes
  • animals.

Declaring items you owned before leaving New Zealand

When you arrive in New Zealand, you don’t need to declare any items that you had before you left the country (including duty-free bought before leaving).

If you’re worried that items you took overseas could affect your duty-free allowance, you can ask us for a Certificate of Export. This is proof that you owned the item when you left New Zealand.

You can get the certificate from us before you leave New Zealand. We can only issue it for uniquely identifiable items, e.g., with serial numbers.

If the items are new video or camera equipment, we suggest you carry documents proving you already owned them before you left.

Taking items back out of New Zealand

If you’re bringing items into New Zealand that you’ll be taking back out with you, you won’t have to pay GST and duties on some. These include:

  • still, video, and movie cameras
  • a reasonable supply of films, tapes, and accessories
  • binoculars
  • portable musical instruments
  • portable sound and video players, eg tape recorders, CD players, mini disc players, DVD player
  • dictaphones and portable recorders
  • portable radio receivers
  • cellphones (mobile phones)
  • laptops/tablets and accessories
  • baby carriages and strollers
  • wheelchairs
  • sports equipment.

If your items don’t match this list, we may need you to give us a cash deposit to cover GST and duties. We will refund you when you take the items out of New Zealand.