Border processing requirements

Immigration New Zealand border process

If you require a visa for entry into New Zealand you need to lodge an application for a visa at your nearest office as early as possible to avoid unnecessary delays.

The application criteria and procedure can be found on our website.

You may not require a visa if you are travelling on a passport issued by a visa free country- please refer to our website for the complete list of visa free countries.

Immigration New Zealand has branches located all across the world with dedicated staff waiting to assist you.

All our offshore branches have their own page within our website which contains both branch-related and region-specific information. We recommend you check these before submitting your visa application.

Please refer to our website www.immigration.govt.nz

• For further information about visa requirements and how to apply
• The list of visa free countries and
• To find your nearest Immigration New Zealand office.

If transiting Australia please refer to the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship www.immi.gov.au for further information.

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New Zealand customs service requirements - personal concessions

Your personal concession allows you to bring into New Zealand free of duty:

• Goods obtained overseas and/or purchased duty free in New Zealand with a total combined value of not more than NZ$700 (does not include clothing, toiletries and jewellery intended for personal use and not for gift, sale or exchange).

If you are over 17 years of age you can bring into New Zealand free of duty:

• Three bottles (or other containers) each containing not more than 1125ml of spirits, liqueur, or other spirituous beverage; and
• 4.5 litres of wine or 4.5 litres of beer (the equivalent of six bottles); and
• 50 cigarettes or 50 grams of cigars or tobacco products or a mixture of all three not weighing more than 50 grams.

If you bring into New Zealand goods which are not covered by your personal concession or are more than the above allowances, you will have to pay full Customs charges. If the duty and/or Goods and Services Tax payable is less than NZ$50, no collection will be made but this does not apply to tobacco products or alcoholic beverages.

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Prohibited and restricted items

You cannot bring into New Zealand the following prohibited and restricted goods;

• Weapons such as firearms and protection sprays such as mace;
• Objectionable (indecent) articles such as video tapes; films, records, CD-ROM’s, and publications;
• Illicit drugs;
• Endangered species of flora and fauna, and products obtained from endangered species.

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Personal medications

You must declare all medications you are bringing with you. You can only bring “Prescription only” medications into New Zealand if they have been prescribed for you.

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Cash reporting

If you are carrying on your person or in your baggage, cash in any currency to the value of NZ$10,000 or more, you must report this to a Customs officer when you are completing passport formalities on arrival in New Zealand.

For more details on Customs advice to travellers check our website: www.customs.govt.nz/Pages/default.aspx

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Ministry for primary industries biosecurity requirements

Declare or dispose. It is New Zealand law.

1. Fill out your Passenger Arrival Card. All risk goods must be declared.
2. Dispose of any risk goods you have not declared in the amnesty bins.
3. Present your Passenger Arrival Card to the MPI Biosecurity Inspector. Declared risk goods may then be inspected.

Your bags may be sniffed by detector dogs, x-rayed or searched.

If you have any questions ask one of the MPI Biosecurity Inspectors.

If you fail to declare biosecurity risk goods you could get a fine or be prosecuted.

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Biosecurity risk goods

A full list of risk goods that must be declared will be on your Passenger Arrival Card.

It includes:

• All food, fruit, herbs, herbal remedies, sports and nutritional supplements and drinks;
• Any articles that may have soil or grass attached, such as sports shoes and boots.

Before departure you should clean all sports equipment to remove soil and grass. This will assist with border processes when you enter New Zealand.

Make sure these items are easy to access for biosecurity inspection.

For more information about biosecurity risk goods, and what you must declare at New Zealand borders, check out: http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/enter/declare