New Zealand simplifies entry procedures with a digital tourist declaration form

Traveling to New Zealand is becoming more convenient with the introduction of the NZTD (New Zealand Traveller Declaration) digital declaration system. All international travelers arriving in the country by air or sea can now complete an online declaration instead of a paper form.

The NZTD digital declaration was designed to collect important information about arriving travelers for biosecurity, immigration control and public health purposes. It was previously used only by air passengers, but has recently become available to sea travelers, including passengers and crew of international cruise ships calling at ports in New Zealand (the country is also known by its Māori name Aotearoa).

The move to digital declaration for cruise ships follows the successful introduction of NZTD for air passengers in August 2023. This innovation is designed to significantly simplify and speed up the border crossing process for travelers.

Brief details of the NZTD system:

• A digital tourist declaration must be completed by anyone entering New Zealand.
• Filing the declaration is free of charge and takes about 10 minutes.
• You can fill out the NZTD online or through a mobile app. But for those who cannot complete the NZTD online, a paper form is available.
• For air travelers, the declaration must be submitted no earlier than 24 hours before departure to New Zealand and before passing through passport control on arrival.
• Maritime travelers must file the NZTD no earlier than 24 hours before the ship departs from its last foreign port and before docking in a New Zealand port.
• A trusted person can assist with the completion or do it on behalf of the traveler.
• A declaration is required for every person, including infants and children.
• The digital declaration is linked to passport details and is checked at entry at eGate or by a border officer.
• There is no need to print anything out.

New Zealand has introduced the NZTD (New Zealand Traveller Declaration) online declaration system to simplify the process of entering the country. All international travelers arriving by air or sea must complete a digital declaration before arrival. Here are the step-by-step instructions for filing the NZTD:

Start the process: Go to the portal app.travelerdeclaration.govt.nz or download the NZTD mobile app from the App Store or Google Play. Once you start filling it out, you will be sent a reference number to your email. Save it for future reference.

On the NZTD declaration you need to provide:

• Passport details
• Contact information in New Zealand (first residential address)
• Travel history for the last 30 days
• Flight/route information
• Baggage and hand luggage details
• Immigration status and visa information (if required)
• Declaration of goods

Be sure to declare:

• Foodstuffs, goods of vegetable/animal origin
• Used outdoor equipment
• Medicines
• Tobacco and alcohol
• Cash amounting to NZ$10,000 or more

The New Zealand Travel Declaration (NZTD) is an important document that requires careful and honest completion. False information or concealment of data in the declaration has serious consequences, including fines, confiscation of property, prosecution and even deportation.

Post-declaration procedure: After submitting your declaration, you will receive detailed instructions on how to enter the country. No documents need to be printed - all information will be available electronically.

Use your unique reference number to make corrections to a declaration that has already been filed. Remember to resubmit the declaration after making changes. Please note that you will not be able to make changes once you pass through passport control, so be careful when filling out the declaration. In case you forget to declare anything, inform the border officer.

Filling in the declaration:

• You can fill out the declaration yourself or with the help of a trusted person.
• For transit stops, fill in the declaration form no earlier than 24 hours before departure to New Zealand.
• For long-haul flights with connections, the 24 hours start from the time of departure of the first flight to New Zealand.
• Provide the passport details you will use to enter the country on the declaration form.
• If there are changes to your itinerary, update the information on the declaration form.
• Transit air passengers who do not leave the transit zone do not need a declaration.
• There are also exceptions for travelers arriving as a result of emergencies.

Declaration Check: Upon arrival in New Zealand, your NZTD declaration will be automatically checked against your passport details. Be prepared for possible baggage inspection and additional questions from border guards. The main thing is to declare all goods and follow the instructions to avoid fines and other unpleasant consequences.

Be careful when filling in the declaration form and provide accurate information to make your trip to New Zealand pleasant and carefree.