Travel Information
Travelling to New Zealand is easy. For practical information and travel advice before you arrive in NZ, click here.
Before travelling to a country, you need to know the basic facts.
Learn more about New Zealand here.
Travel Advice
Information obtained from the Ministry of Primary Industries
To make sure your arrival in New Zealand goes smoothly:
- fill out your digital traveller declaration correctly before arrival so Customs staff can efficiently and accurately assess biosecurity risk. Everyone travelling into New Zealand must complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration
- declare all risk items – like food, plants, wooden products, soil, water, outdoor equipment, and animal products so we can assess and prevent any pests or diseases entering New Zealand
- dispose of undeclared risk goods in marked amnesty bins on your arrival to avoid being searched or fined. This material is safely disposed of to remove biosecurity risk
- know what are prohibited and restricted items like products from endangered animal or plant species.
Declared risk goods may be inspected to ensure it’s safe for them to be brought into New Zealand.
Remember, if you fail to declare risk goods, you could face a $400 instant fine or be prosecuted.
You must declare risk goods.
Risk goods may be on your person (in your clothing or a small bag) or in your luggage. You must declare risk goods by completing a New Zealand Traveller Declaration. It’s free to complete a digital declaration on the official New Zealand Traveller Declaration website or the NZTD app. A paper declaration form is available on arrival for travellers who cannot complete it online. All travellers into New Zealand must complete a declaration even if you don’t have anything to declare.
If you make a false or incorrect declaration – even by accident – you are breaking the law and you can be fined or put in prison.
New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) website
Official declarations – Customs Service
Information for travellers in languages other than English
What are risk goods?
It’s not possible for us to list all the goods considered a risk. This is because an item’s risk isn’t always the same. It depends on things like the country it comes from, its ingredients, or packaging.
As part of the declaration process, an officer is likely to ask you questions to clearly establish what you are carrying. The answers you give in this interview are part of your declaration. If you give incomplete answers about your risk goods, you can still be fined or prosecuted if any are found during an inspection.