New Zealand follows in Australia’s footsteps and has lifted the last entry restrictions related to COVID-19 on 20 October 2022. International travellers now only need a valid passport and a visa or NZeTA for their trip to New Zealand.
Vaccination no longer required
More and more countries have lifted all entry restrictions related to COVID-19 for international travellers. In October, New Zealand also decided to lift the vaccination requirement. From now on, all international travellers who have a valid visa can enter New Zealand, regardless of their vaccination status.
Because unvaccinated travellers can now travel to New Zealand unrestricted, the Traveller Declaration has become obsolete. Previously, all travellers needed to complete this health declaration and show proof of vaccination before departure to New Zealand. Now, travellers only need to have an NZeTA or New Zealand visa. The NZeTA is an electronic travel authorisation that can be applied for completely online. This electronic travel authorisation is easier to acquire than a visa and is available to all European travellers who meet the NZeTA requirements.
Tourism revived
In the time the borders of all countries in the world closed because of COVID-19, the tourism industry in New Zealand kept busy. During the period that no tourists were allowed into the country, a lot of hard work has been done to build new tourism facilities.
New Zealand has always been paradise on earth for nature lovers. It is the country with the most national parks and nature reserves in the world. While international tourists had to wait patiently, New Zealand has worked hard to organise as many new and nature friendly activities for travellers as possible. On the South Island, for example, new biking routes have been created using suspension bridges between mountains and platforms along steep cliffs. On the North Island, an adventurous hiking trail has been mapped out through the volcanic landscape of Mount Tarawera.
In a number of cities, new hotels have been built to better manage the influx of tourists. Many of these new hotels require an early reservation, as they have become popular quite quickly. However, it is not necessary to have booked accommodation when applying for an NZeTA. This means that you can apply for the required travel authorisation when you decide to make a trip to New Zealand. The NZeTA is valid for two years and can therefore even be applied for a year before the trip. During this validity period, you can travel to the country multiple times. The maximum length of stay allowed with an NZeTA is three months per trip. During this time, you can visit much of this beautiful and diverse country.
NZeTA or New Zealand visa still required
All international travellers and business travellers are required to apply for an NZeTA before departure, except for travellers holding an Australian or New Zealand passport. Children also need to have a valid travel authorisation. An NZeTA can only be applied for using a standard passport or emergency passport. For German children, the children’s passport can also be used for the application. Other proof of identification, such as an ID card, driving licence or refugee travel document, do not meet the NZeTA requirements.
Please note: this news article about the visa for New Zealand is more than one year old. It might contain outdated information and advice, and no rights can therefore be derived from this article. Are you going on a trip soon and do you wish to do know what rules currently apply? Read all about the up-to-date information about the visa for New Zealand.