NZ Blocked to non-residents/NZ citizens, AU until Apr 13, others May 2 2022

[Mwenenzi]

I'm afraid I wont be travelling to NZ until they get rid of the requirement to test during the stay. Be blowed if I'm going to risk being locked in a hotel for 7 days!

IIRC all(?) AU states/territories have arrival tests for international arrivals. But hard to keep up with changing requirements.

 

[henrus]

IIRC all(?) AU states/territories have arrival tests for international arrivals. But hard to keep up with changing requirements.

Oddly all but the NT.

SA even has the crazy requirement that you need to get a PCR test after getting off an international flight and quarantine until that PCR comes back negative. It makes NZ look normal and mind you the day 7 test is just an honesty based RAT.

 

[jase05]

Oddly all but the NT.

SA even has the crazy requirement that you need to get a PCR test after getting off an international flight and quarantine until that PCR comes back negative. It makes NZ look normal and mind you the day 7 test is just an honesty based RAT.

It’s all a honour system here. The arrival PCR test is not enforced or checked

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

NZ does require day 0/1 and day 5/6 test results to be filed. But does not verify the results.

 

[henrus]

NZ does require day 0/1 and day 5/6 test results to be filed. But does verify the results.

No. You get a link via email (which you just press yes or no) or can call up and state your results to a message bank.

International travel

Information for air and sea travellers about entering and leaving New Zealand.

covid19.govt.nz

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Sorry autocorrect removed the word not.

Point is there us follow up in nz unlike australia.

 

[ric_melb]

Has anyone transitted Auckland on the way from Sydney to a third country, in this case Chile?
Transit time would be 2 hours and passenger triple vaxxed.
Passenger would take PCR test within 48 hours of international flight.
NZ High Commission have given conflicting advice.
1. With Australian passport and only in transit, not required to have PCR test or NZ Travellers Declaration.
2. Australian passport and in transit, documented PCR test 48 hours before departure and completed NZ Travellers Declaration.
I woukd be interested in anyone's actual experience. Thanks.

 

[henrus]

With Australian passport and only in transit, not required to have PCR test or NZ Travellers Declaration.

This is correct. No paperwork or tests are required to transit and remain airside in New Zealand.

Obviously if on seperate tickets or wanting to go landside then a covid test is required along with travel deceleration. Note New Zealand allows RATs for entry.

Home

A central place for information from the New Zealand Government about COVID-19.

covid19.govt.nz

 

[Beasley]

I wonder if this is the same for Australians heading to the Cook Islands?

 

[henrus]

I wonder if this is the same for Australians heading to the Cook Islands?

No, the Cook Islands is requiring all travellers heading there to perform a supervised RAT test in New Zealand.

Due to the above Australian's bound for the Cook Islands would need to meet NZ entry requirements to successfully enter NZ and then obtain a supervised RAT test before onward travel to the Cook Islands.

Travel Advisory | Cook Islands

Travel Entry Requirements

cookislands.travel

 

[AviationNZ]

No, the Cook Islands is requiring all travellers heading there to perform a supervised RAT test in New Zealand.

Due to the above Australian's bound for the Cook Islands would need to meet NZ entry requirements to successfully enter NZ and then obtain a supervised RAT test before onward travel to the Cook Islands.

Travel Advisory | Cook Islands

Travel Entry Requirements

cookislands.travel

They're loosening restrictions, with Australian passport holders able to enter the Cook Islands from April 12th and all travellers from 1 May, so I wonder if they'll update their website shortly and allow RAT tests to be done anywhere, so long as they're done less than 24 hours prior to arrival.

Cook Islands govt eases its Covid restrictions

Tourism operators in the Cook Islands are welcoming the government's easing of Covid-19 restrictions.

www.rnz.co.nz

 

[ric_melb]

Many thanks Henrus for your reply, and the link.

 

[Guvner]

Update today:
As New Zealand moves through the peak of Omicron and the country’s Covid-19 settings are relaxed, we will be adjusting some of our domestic and international travel requirements for customers.

From 14 April 2022, you will no longer be required to show proof of vaccination or negative test to fly around Aotearoa, and from 1 May 2022, we will remove the no jab, no fly policy for international flights. It’s important to note international visitors will still need to meet the relevant Government entry requirements.

As Omicron took hold in the community, we put in place several temporary measures aimed at keeping our people, customers and New Zealand safe. After a careful risk assessment, we feel now is the right time to step back some of those measures.

From Friday, 15 April, we will start to bring our food and beverage service back on board as we know it’s something our customers look forward to when they fly with us.

New Zealand and the world is moving back towards a sense of normality. We’re seeing customers return to our domestic network and we’re welcoming back Australians from today, with visitors from visa waiver countries such as United Kingdom, United States, Canada and more, shortly after. We’re aware Covid is not behind us yet so we have taken a considered approach and will continue to revise safety measures based on what we’re seeing here in New Zealand and around the world.

For that extra layer of protection, masks will still be required onboard domestic and international flights.

We’re expecting a bumper Easter with an increase in customers travelling to, from and around Aotearoa. We recommend you arrive early to the airport to ensure a seamless journey with us.

I would like to send a heartfelt thanks for the support you’ve shown us throughout the pandemic.

 

[henrus]

As New Zealand moves through the peak of Omicron and the country’s Covid-19 settings are relaxed, we will be adjusting some of our domestic and international travel requirements for customers.

These changes make very little difference to Australian's.

It's still a requirement that to leave the country you need to be vaccinated (or have a valid exemption), this means that basically all Australian's travelling on Air NZ would have met their requirement.

Probably the biggest change is that vaccine certs are no longer required on Air NZ domestic flights. Australian vax certs are not able to be scanned via the Air NZ app as so it was not possible to mobile/online check in for domestic flights as you needed to show your Australian cert at a desk - obviously all a moot point now!

 

[Mwenenzi]

In my view one the reasons for the NZ changes is that NZ is more open to AU from 13 April. As AU vax passes are not compatible with NZ software would have been chaos checking-scanning. Conversion possible, as NZ Govt web site, but that would take a long time when in 100's - 1000's.

21 March-->Couple frustrated by tourist attraction's refusal to recognise international vaccine passes, turning them away at the door

Reed said they shouldn't need New Zealand vaccine passes. “They're opening the border – what are they going to do when all these Australian tourists turn up?”

 

[jase05]

NZ scrapping all pre arrival testing from June 21st

 

[henrus]

NZ scrapping all pre arrival testing from June 21st

Yay!

 

[JohnSydney2000]

Now, opening up ?

NZ removes vaccination requirement - 12 Sep 2022

Removal at 11.59pm tonight. I have just seen it on the NZ Customs Website. Happy travels. John.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[henrus]

Now, opening up ?

Well technically they opened to AU citizens from 13 April but you just had to be vaccinated, mind you at that time there were still outbound restrictions on Australian's who weren't vaccinated leaving.

An NZ travel deceleration will still be required to "support contact tracing" although no idea how it'll really help.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Now, opening up ?

NZ removes vaccination requirement - 12 Sep 2022

Removal at 11.59pm tonight. I have just seen it on the NZ Customs Website. Happy travels. John.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Covid-19 traffic light system, vaccine mandates and most mask requirements to end

The Covid-19 Protection Framework - also known as the traffic light system - will end tonight at 11.59pm: Here's what you need to know.

www.rnz.co.nz

Here are the key details:

• Only those who test positive for Covid-19 will be required to isolate for seven days and household contacts will no longer be required to - but must daily test using a RAT beforehand
• All government vaccine mandates are set to end in two weeks on 26 September
• Vaccination requirements for incoming travellers and air crew will also be removed
• Support for business and workers will continue through leave support payments
• All New Zealanders aged 65 and over and Māori aged 50 and over will have automatic access to Covid-19 anti-virals if they test positive
• From Tuesday, case and hospitalisation number reporting becomes weekly, not daily