COVID-19 Travel Updates

Monday 5th October

• Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern has announced that COVID-19 restrictions in the city of Auckland will be lifted from 23.59 (local time) on 7 October, when it will move to the reduced status of Alert Level 1.

Friday 2nd October

• New Zealanders who do not live in a NZ COVID hotspot will be able to visit NSW and the Northern Territory from 16 October without having to quarantine. New Zealanders who travel to these Australian states would still need to have the appropriate managed isolation booking upon return, spend two weeks in managed isolation, and pay the fee which applies to anyone who left New Zealand after August 11. At this stage the arrangement is one-way, with Australians not able to travel to New Zealand.

Thursday 29th September

• Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern has yesterday, 28 September, said that plans for a ‘travel bubble’ between New Zealand and some Australian states could finally be in place before the end of the year; with the virus largely contained in New Zealand, and as cases continue to decline in Australian regions, talks of the long-discussed arrangement have been revived.

Monday 21st September

• New Zealand's government has today, 21 September, lifted all COVID-19 restrictions across New Zealand, with the exception of the city of Auckland. Some restrictions were also though gently lifted in Auckland, including the allowance of gatherings of up to 100 people.

Friday 4th September

• Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern today, 4 September, announced the retention of current COVID-19 restrictions in New Zealand until at least mid-September; this means that Auckland will remain on alert level 2.5, limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people, and the rest of the country will remain on the less restricted alert level 2. A review will be due on 14 September.

• Jetstar has suspended all New Zealand Domestic flights until at least the end of Wednesday 16 September; this follows the New Zealand government's recent announcement of the extension of COVID-19 alert level 2 across New Zealand, and 2.5 in the city of Auckland, until 23.59 (local time) on 16 September 2020.

Monday 24th August

• New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, has said that the current reinstated lockdown measures in Auckland will be extended until 11.59pm on 30 August, with the city’s step down from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2 restrictions starting gradually from the following morning. Under Alert Level 3, most businesses remain closed and residents must stay at home when not at work or school. The rest of the country will remain at Alert Level 2 until at least 6 September.

Friday 14th August

• New Zealand's government has announced a 12-day extension to the country’s reinstated COVID-19 restrictions after a new cluster of cases has grown to 29. The measures will now last until at least 26 August; Auckland will remain on Alert Level 3, meaning most businesses will remain closed and residents must stay home when not at work or school. The rest of the country is under Alert Level 2, meaning residents and visitors must wear a mask if possible, and gatherings of more than 100 are banned.

Tuesday 11th August

• New Zealand is set to increase its COVID-19 alert level following four cases of COVID-19 being detected in a household in Auckland - the first domestic cases of the virus in around 100 days. Auckland will return to Alert Level 3 lockdown restrictions from midday tomorrow, 12 August until at least midnight on Friday, 14 August. Residents will be asked to stay at home and many businesses will close. The rest of the country will also be raised to level two restrictions during the same initial time period.

Tuesday 21st July

• Air New Zealand have announced that validity of travel credit issued under their COVID-19 flexibility policy for international and domestic travel has now been extended; passengers are now able to make a new booking until 31 December 2021 for travel dates until 31 December 2022. The policy previously covered bookings made by 30 June 2021 for travel until 30 June 2022.

Wednesday 8 July

• New Zealand's government has announced that they are making immediate short-term changes to visa settings to support temporary migrants already onshore in New Zealand and their employers. All existing temporary work visas due to expire by the end of 2020 will now be extended by six months.

Tuesday 23 June

• New Zealand's government yesterday extended a ban on cruise ships arriving in the country, which was previously set to expire on 30 June. It also tightened measures for visitors to exit quarantine, after reporting more COVID-19 cases linked to overseas travel. Passengers in quarantine may now need to undergo multiple virus tests, and must test negative for COVID-19 before leaving the facilities.

Monday 8th June

• New Zealand will lift all social distancing measures from 00.01 (local time) on 9 June as it moves to Alert Level 1; this follows the news that for now, New Zealand has eliminated the transmission of COVID-19. Public and private events, the retail and hospitality industries and all public transport are due to resume - however the country's strict border restrictions remain in place, suspending most international arrivals.

Tuesday 2nd June

• New Zealand's Prime Minister has said today that by next week the country could move to Alert Level 1, which means all social distancing measures and curbs on mass gatherings will be lifted. Borders will though would remain closed to international arrivals at this time. A decision is due to be made by 8 June.

Monday 11th May

• Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that New Zealand will go into Alert Level 2 on Thursday 14th May in a staggered approach - for more information please see the PM's announcement here.

Monday 20th April

• Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that New Zealand will move from COVID-19 Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3 at 11.59pm on Monday April 27.

Thursday 2 April

• Air New Zealand will continue to operate on Alert Level 4. Domestic flights within New Zealand are only available for essential workers. Travellers will need to check that they qualify to travel under the essential services list before they book a ticket or head to the airport. Please see more information here.
• Virgin Australia has made the decision to withdraw from flying Auckland to Rarotonga and Auckland to Tonga.

Friday 27 March

• Jetstar will be temporarily suspending all New Zealand domestic services from Saturday 28 March 2020. 

Thursday 26 March

• New Zealand is now at Alert Level 4. This means there are restrictions in place for passengers arriving to/transiting through New Zealand.  

Monday 23 March

• Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that New Zealand is now at Alert Level 3 and the in next 48 hours will move to Alert Level 4. 
• Air New Zealand are working to add more domestic flights in the next 24 hours to support customers to safely return home.

Thursday 19 March

• New Zealand closed its borders to non-residents and non-NZ citizens from 11.59pm, Thursday 19 March 2020. 
• Safe Travel today has updated its advice. The New Zealand Government is advising that New Zealanders do not travel overseas at this time due to the outbreak of COVID-19, associated health risks and travel restrictions. More information here. 

Wednesday 18 March

• On 18 March, Safe Travel issued a notice advising all New Zealand citizens they should consider returning home. The New Zealand Government is advising New Zealanders to avoid non-essential travel overseas due to the outbreak of COVID-19, associated health risks and travel restrictions. For more information please refer to advice on Safe Travel.
• NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that all travellers will have to self-isolate on their arrival to New Zealand.

Monday 16 March

• Effective from 1am Monday 16 March 2020, all travellers, except those coming from specified Pacific Islands, will have to self-isolate for 14 days on their arrival to New Zealand. This includes New Zealanders. The restrictions will be reviewed in 16 days and there will be more advice for self-isolation next week. 

Saturday 29 February

Changes to Travel Restrictions:

These restrictions apply to any foreigners who:

1. Have been present in, or transited through, Iran or mainland China or any other notified country, 14 days prior to them departing for New Zealand. Mainland China includes all of China, but not Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR, and not Taiwan. 

2. Were a passenger or crew on board the Diamond Princess Cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises, or any other notified cruise ship, within 14 days of disembarking from the cruise ship.

Sunday 2 February

On Sunday 02 February 2020 the Government announced it is placing temporary entry restrictions into New Zealand on all foreign nationals travelling from, or transiting through, mainland China to assist with the containment of the novel coronavirus and to protect New Zealand and the Pacific Islands from the disease.

• The New Zealand Government and other national governments have placed restrictions around travel to and through China. SafeTravel has been updated to advise New Zealand Citizens to not travel to China - more information here. 
• Any foreign travellers who leave or transit through mainland China after February 2, 2020 (NZ time) will be refused entry to New Zealand.
• New Zealand citizens and permanent residents returning to New Zealand will still be able to enter, as will their immediate family members, but will be required to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival back in the country.