Arriving in New Zealand
What you can and cannot bring into New Zealand and what to expect with customs procedures and screenings.
Ensure you have read the information on the NZ Customs website which explains your travellers declaration, help if you require English language support when completing your arrival card and what to expect through customs screening and baggage search.
New Zealand Customs Service: On your arrival
If you are arriving in Auckland and taking a domestic flight to Christchurch, here are some things to know:
- You will arrive in the international terminal and will need to collect your luggage and go through customs procedures.
- Then go to the domestic terminal for your flight to Christchurch. You can follow the pedestrian walkway but with a lot of luggage we recommend taking the free terminal transfer shuttle.
- When you arrive at the domestic terminal you will be required to check your luggage in for your new flight.
- If there are any delays in your domestic flight, please ensure you tell people who may be waiting for you in Christchurch like shuttle services or homestays.
NZ Traveller Declaration Information: www.travellerdeclaration.govt.nz/
What you can bring into the country
New Zealand border control has strict rules on what you can bring into the country. The majority of restricted or prohibited items are those which pose a biosecurity risk to New Zealand’s fragile and unique environment. For this reason, you need to be mindful about what you pack in your luggage for New Zealand and know what you need to declare when arriving in New Zealand.There are large fines if you do not follow the border control rules.
The below information is just a guideline, please review the NZ Customs Service and Ministry of Primary Industries websites for the most current guidelines about what you can and cannot bring:
- New Zealand Customs Service: Prohibited and restricted items
- Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI): How to declare items when arriving in New Zealand
If you are not sure about something you are bringing into New Zealand, it is a good idea to declare it anyway. Failure to declare a risk item or falsely declaring an item will incur an instant NZD$400 fine and either your item being sent for treatment at your expense, treated at the airport at your expense or destroyed. There is also a risk of being fined up to NZD$100,000 in court and other strict penalties.
Ensure you look at the risk items mentioned below as well as the Passenger Arrival Card and we recommend using the MPI online tool to check if you can bring an item to New Zealand
MPI online tool: Check if you can bring or send an item to New Zealand
Examples of the types of items you must declare when arriving in New Zealand
- Any food
- Animals or animal products including food, souvenirs with animal products on, raw wool, etc
- Plants or plant products including nuts, seeds, medicinal products, etc
- Other biosecurity risk items including animal medicines, biological cultures, organisms, soil or water
- Equipment used with animals, plants or water
- Items that have been used for outdoor or farming activities
- Alcohol and tobacco over the duty-free allowance
- Prescription medicines
- More than NZ$10,000 in cash
- More than NZ$700 worth of goods not including your clothes, toiletries, etc
Declare ALL Food When Arriving in New Zealand
You must declare all food that you are bringing into New Zealand. This doesn’t mean that you cannot bring food into New Zealand, but you must declare it. However, there are some food items that you absolutely cannot bring with you into the country.
Food you must not bring into New Zealand
- Fresh fruit and vegetables
- Fresh meat or fish
- Honey and bee products