New Zealand COVID-19 travel update
Travel to New Zealand
The Government has announced stricter isolation measures for ALL passengers (including New Zealand citizens and residents) departing after 23:59 New Zealand Time on Thursday 9 April 2020.
- High-risk arrivals will now be places in quarantine facilities for their 14-day isolation period, all other arrivals will be placed in managed isolation facilities
- The travel ban remains in place to all arrivals into New Zealand whether it is by air or sea, including super yachts
- New Zealand citizens and residents returning to New Zealand may travel to New Zealand and do not need approval from Immigration New Zealand before travelling
- There are a limited number of exceptions for other travellers who should seek approval from INZ before travelling
The following people should seek approval from INZ using the limited exceptions process before travelling to New Zealand:
- Partners, dependent children (aged 24 years and under) and legal guardians of New Zealand citizens and residents who are travelling with their New Zealand family member to New Zealand
- Australian citizens and permanent residents who normally live in New Zealand
- People with one of the following critical purposes in New Zealand:
- Essential health workers
- Other essential workers who are specifically agreed to by the New Zealand Government
- Samoan and Tongan citizens making essential travel
- New Zealand-based partners and dependent children (aged 19 years and under) of a work or student visa holder who is in New Zealand
- Critical humanitarian travel
All other travel to New Zealand by people who hold an NZeTA or a current work, student, visitor, limited, or transit visa is not permitted.
Transiting and departure from New Zealand
The New Zealand Government announced on Monday 7 April 2020 that New Zealand will enter into transit arrangements with a range of countries to make it easier for each other’s citizens to get home.
Current transit agreements:
- Australian citizens, residents and immediate family (partner or spouse, legal guardian and dependent children under the age of 24) are able to transit New Zealand to Australia. Transiting travellers must remain airside and cannot enter New Zealand.
- New Zealand citizens, residents and immediate family (partner, legal guardian and dependent children) who normally live in Australia are able to transit New Zealand to return to Australia. If you want to transit, you need to remain airside and not enter New Zealand. If you enter New Zealand, you will be required to self-isolate.
- New Zealand citizens, permanent residents who normally live in New Zealand and immediate family (partner, legal guardian and dependent children) are able to transit Australia to New Zealand. Transiting travellers must remain airside and cannot enter Australia.
New agreements as at Saturday 11 April:
- Citizens and ordinary residents of Chile, and their immediate family if travelling with them, whose immediate or ultimate destination after departing New Zealand is Chile. Transiting travellers must remain airside and cannot enter New Zealand.
- Citizens and ordinary residents of Canada or the United States, and their immediate family if travelling with them, whose immediate destination after departing New Zealand is their country of citizenship or ordinary residence. Transiting travellers must remain airside and cannot enter New Zealand.
- Citizens and ordinary residents of the countries listed below, and their immediate family if travelling with them, who are travelling to their home country via a transit hub after transiting New Zealand. A transit hub is Canada or the United States of America. Transiting travellers must remain airside and cannot enter New Zealand and meet normal entry and transit requirements of all countries on their journey.
- Austria, Brazi|, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay.
No other agreements have been made yet. When an agreement is made the details will be updated here.
For more information visit the New Zealand Government website.
