New Zealand has been progressively reopening its borders since May this year, when travellers from Singapore, UK, USA and other visa waiver countries were allowed entry. Pre-departure testing was scrapped in June, and other countries were admitted from August.
Now comes the good news that the country is doing away with its remaining COVID restrictions, effective Tuesday, 13 September 2022 onwards.
| From 13 September 2022 |
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In addition to the changes listed above, the mask mandate will also be removed from international and domestic flights. This basically restores travel to pre-COVID conditions, with the exception of having to fill in the New Zealand Traveller Declaration.
Do remember that Singaporeans and nationals of other visa-waiver countries will still need to apply for an NZeTA, as was the case pre-COVID.
Mask-wearing no longer required
Masks were previously required in indoor settings across New Zealand, as well as on domestic flights and inbound international flights (passengers on outbound flights could follow the rules of the country they were flying to).
From Tuesday 13 September 2022, New Zealand has removed all mask mandates, with the exception of healthcare settings. This includes domestic and international flights, and the upshot is that passengers travelling between Singapore and New Zealand will no longer be required to mask in either direction. This will be a welcome relief, given the flight time of 9-10 hours!
For the full list of Singapore Airlines flights that do not masks, refer to the article below.
Updated: Which Singapore Airlines flights won’t require masks
Other airlines flying to New Zealand such as Qatar Airways or Emirates may still require onboard mask wearing- though I doubt anyone based in Singapore will be flying those carriers over.
Vaccination requirement scrapped
Travellers to New Zealand were previously required to present proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to enter the country.
From Tuesday 13 September 2022, the vaccination requirement has been scrapped..
From 11:59pm (NZT) on 12 September 2022, air and sea travellers and crew do not need proof of vaccination to enter New Zealand.
This applies to people entering New Zealand from anywhere in the world. Please check with your travel provider, for example your airline, as they may still require proof of vaccination.
-NZ Government
On-arrival testing no longer mandatory
Travellers to New Zealand were previously required to take an on-arrival and post-arrival self-administered ART on:
- Day 0/1 (the day of arrival is Day 0)
- Day 5/6
Test kits were provided on arrival; I received three of these when I travelled to New Zealand in May this year. Results needed to be submitted to the Ministry of Health, but otherwise the inconvenience was minimal.
From Tuesday 13 September 2022, on-arrival testing is no longer mandatory. Travellers will still continue to receive free ART kits at the airport, and “encouraged” to test on the day of arrival & day 5/6 and report the results by calling 0800 222 478 (choose option 3).
That said, it’s not a legal requirement anymore.
What requirements remain?
| ✈️ Checklist for travel to New Zealand |
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NZeTA
Singaporeans and nationals of other visa waiver countries must apply for an NZeTA before departing for New Zealand. APEC Business Travel Cardholders with “NZ” on the back of their card are exempt.
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand Visa-Waiver Countries | |
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| 1. Citizens only 2. Residents with HKSAR or British National–Overseas passports only 3. Citizens only 4. Citizens only 5. Only if you have a Macau Special Administrative Region passport 6. If you have the right to live permanently in Portugal 7. If you are a permanent resident 8. If you are travelling on a UK or British passport that shows you have the right to reside permanently in the UK 9. Including USA nationals |
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An NZeTA is valid for unlimited entries over a two-year period, and costs:
Do note there was a price increase from 31 July 2022; prior to this, the cost was NZD$9 via the app and NZD$12 via the website.
On top of this, an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) of NZD$35 must be paid at the time of applying for an NZeTA, so the total cost will be at least NZD$44 (~S$40).
NZ Traveller Declaration
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| NZ Traveller Declaration |
New Zealand will be retaining its Traveller Declaration requirement, though the revised form will be drastically simplified.
Travellers who depart for New Zealand after 11:59pm (New Zealand Standard Time) Monday 12 September, no longer need proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the country.
Everyone travelling to New Zealand by air needs to complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration for contact tracing purposes.
This website will be updated in the coming days.
-NZ Traveller Declaration
Travellers will only be required to complete a simple health declaration and provide details for contact tracing purposes.
Completing the declaration is free of charge; beware of lookalike websites that levy a fee!
Conclusion
New Zealand has scrapped the last vestiges of its COVID-era restrictions, which means no more mask-wearing on planes, vaccination requirements or mandatory on-arrival testing.
The only pre-departure logistics for Singaporeans will be applying for an NZeTA (approval is normally instant) and completing the NZ Traveller Declaration.
