New Zealand Will Allow Foreign Travelers to Visit Starting in April

It will be the first time in two years that New Zealand will be open to tourists.

gracethang2/Shutterstock
gracethang2/Shutterstock

When the pandemic began, New Zealand shut down its borders, enforcing some of the strictest restrictions in the world. On November 14, the country loosened some restrictions for New Zealanders stranded abroad during the pandemic. However, officials still hadn’t given a clear date for when tourists would be able to return.

Now, a date has finally been given for when foreign travelers will be able to enter the country. Starting April 30, all fully vaccinated travelers will be able to enter the country, with a staged reopening happening over a period of time. The reopening to foreign visitors may include a staging period determined by visa status.

To enter the country, foreign travelers will be required to have a negative pre-departure test, proof of vaccination, a declaration of travel history, a test on arrival, a requirement to self-isolate for seven days, and a final negative test before leaving isolation. More details about isolation requirements will be provided in December.

Other restrictions for New Zealand residents have also been lifted. Starting January 16, 2022, fully vaccinated New Zealanders will be allowed to travel freely without having to isolate themselves. On February 13, all fully vaccinated New Zealand citizens will be allowed to travel from New Zealand to all other countries.

“Closing our border was one of the first steps we took to keep our country safe from COVID-19 and it’ll be the last thing we open up,” New Zealand’s Minister of Covid-29 response, Chris Hipkins, said in a press release.

Complete details on travel to New Zealand can be found on the government’s website.

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Opheli Garcia Lawler is a staff writer at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.