NZ Border Restrictions Dropped On The 21st Of June

As of today the 21^st of June, if you are flying to New Zealand you won't need to present a negative covid-19 test before you board the plane. This is great news for so many tourism operators large and small across our beautiful country who have had an incredibly tough couple of years. It's also good for those who want to come to New Zealand whether it be for a holiday, seasonal work, or to immigrate.

There are still a few things you'll need to check when you plan your trip:

New Zealand Traveller Declaration

Up to 28 days before you take off for NZ you can complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration online. This involves standard information that was required before the pandemic, including flight and contact details, travel history for 14 days prior, and of course your passport details. In most cases proof of vaccination is required, but from today on you won't need to also provide proof of a recent negative covid-19 test.

Proof Of Vaccination

All non-NZ citizens over the age of 16 will still be required to present proof that they have up to date vaccinations from their own country or wherever they have been residing prior to flying to New Zealand. The Government seems pretty steadfast on this rule so it looks unlikely to be loosened anytime soon.  If you are a New Zealand citizen then you can enter Aotearoa even if you are not vaccinated.

Covid Tests in New Zealand

When arriving at one of our international airports for the first time, all international arrivals will be given three rapid antigen tests (RATs) as part of a welcome pack that also includes details of a covid-19 tracking app. Travellers are asked to test on day one, and then again on day, and there is a third RAT as a backup just in case. You'll get reminder notifications sent out to log your results, and if someone tests positive for covid-19 they are told to visit a community health provider for a PCR test and also to self-isolate for seven days. This may of course be difficult if you are on a tour or travelling on your own itinerary, but community health providers should be able to provide support information and contacts to help tourists plan and implement self-isolation.

As a nation we are welcoming back tourists and hoping to return to normal soon, and with responsible visitors and some good systems in place, things will hopefully be back to normal soon. If you are looking at travel to New Zealand for work or leisure, we can sort all your NZ travel insurance needs, so get in touch for a quote.

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