New Zealand Travel Guide
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Guide
One forgotten apple can cost you 400 New Zealand dollars, on the spot. Anyone who fails to declare a biosecurity risk item, even by accident, can be handed an instant infringement fee of NZ$400, and used gear such as hiking boots and camping equipment is among the most commonly seized items. There are amnesty bins after baggage claim, before the biosecurity checkpoint, at Auckland, Christchurch, and Queenstown airports, where you can drop food, outdoor gear, or anything else without penalty.
Everyone entering New Zealand, including citizens, babies, and children, must complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration, which is free, through the app or travellerdeclaration.govt.nz. By air, you can submit it from 24 hours before you depart, and it must be done before you reach passport control.
Most visitors from visa waiver countries also need an NZeTA, at about NZ$17 through the official app or NZ$23 online according to one guide, usually processed within 72 hours and valid for 2 years, allowing visits of up to 3 months. On top of that comes the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy of NZ$100, charged automatically when you apply. It is non-refundable, even if the application is declined.
Border crossings
- There is no land border, only ports of entry
New Zealand is an island nation, so every arrival is by air or sea. Auckland, Christchurch, and Queenstown are named as airports with amnesty bins, and transit passengers passing through Auckland Airport are exempt from the levy.
- The biosecurity checkpoint is the real border
After baggage claim you reach the biosecurity checkpoint. Items you declared get inspected, and items you did not can cost NZ$400.
Transit routes
- Use the amnesty bin before the checkpoint, not after
The bins are positioned after baggage claim but before the biosecurity checkpoint, which is the window in which disposing of an item is penalty-free.
- Clean your gear before you pack it
Hiking boots, camping and fishing equipment, and sports gear often carry soil or plant material. Guides advise cleaning them thoroughly, and you should still declare them.
Entry point notes
- Who is exempt from the levy
Holders of Australian or New Zealand passports, citizens of many Pacific Island nations, transit passengers through Auckland Airport, New Zealand and Australian resident visa holders, and those with a Business Visitor Visa or APEC business travel card are exempt. Australian permanent residents still need an NZeTA but do not pay the levy.
- The levy is separate from the NZeTA fee
The NZeTA processing fee and the levy add up to about NZ$117 to NZ$123 per person for most travelers, according to guides, so budget for the total rather than the small fee.
- Fees and rules have changed recently
The levy rose to NZ$100 on 1 October 2024. Check the official Immigration New Zealand site for the current amounts before you apply.