New Zealand has decided to fast-track the opening of its border for visitors after giving up its zero-covid strategy earlier this year (impossible after the Omicron variant) and when having its first real surge.
The country will welcome fully vaccinated visitors from Australia (Australian citizens & permanent residents) from April 13, visitors from visa-waiver countries, and those already holding a valid visa from May 2, 2022.
You can New Zealand’s page for visitor information here.
Test Requirements:
Visitors need to have a negative Covid-19 pre-departure test performed using one of the following three methods:
- a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test administered no more than 48 hours before the scheduled departure of your first international flight to New Zealand, or
- supervised rapid antigen test (RAT) no more than 24 hours before the scheduled departure of your first international flight to New Zealand, or
- a supervised loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) test no more than 24 hours before the scheduled departure of your first international flight to New Zealand.
+ Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) on days 0/1 and 5/6 after arriving in the country.
Approved Vaccines:
Visa-Waiver Countries:
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia (citizens only)
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong (residents with HKSAR or British National–Overseas passports only)
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea, South
- Kuwait
- Latvia (citizens only)
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania (citizens only)
- Luxembourg
- Macau (only if you have a Macau Special Administrative Region passport)
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Oman
- Poland
- Portugal (if you have the right to live permanently in Portugal)
- Qatar
- Romania
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan (if you are a permanent resident)
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom (UK) (if you are travelling on a UK or British passport that shows you have the right to reside permanently in the UK)
- United States of America (USA) (including USA nationals)
- Uruguay
- Vatican City
Conclusion
Asia is now rapidly reopening. The only country, excluding China + its satellites, that hasn’t mapped out its plan to welcome visitors is Japan.
New Zealand handled the first 12+ months of covid exceptionally well, but hold on way too long for an unattainable zero covid strategy that was destined to fall apart, and eventually, it did.
I am glad that the country welcomes most fully vaccinated visitors from May 1, 2022. It makes traveling to Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands much easier.
