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New Zealand’s tough border reopening excludes international visitors for five months
November 25th 2021
Indonesia, Fiji, India, Pakistan and Brazil will be removed from New Zealand’s “very high risk” classification list in coming weeks but the country will not reopen its borders to international visitors for five months. Read More » New Zealand announced on Wednesday it would begin easing border restrictions from January 16 when it will allow fully vaccinated citizens and residents to return home from Australia. Fully vaccinated New Zealanders will be able to return from other countries from February 13. However, in a decision that has caused consternation in Australia, fully vaccinated foreign nationals will not be permitted to visit the country until April 30 - and the process could be staged by visa category. Fully vaccinated arrivals will have to home isolate for seven days and return negative COVID tests before and after their flights. New Zealand’s COVID-19 Response Minister, Chris Hipkins, said he was making the announcement to give families, businesses, visitors and airline and airport companies certainty and time to prepare. “Some people and businesses want us to start to open up before Christmas. That’s understandable, but others want us to be more cautious. We acknowledge it has been tough, but the end of heavily restricted travel is now in sight,” Hipkins said. “There continues to be a global pandemic with cases surging in Europe and other parts of the world, so we need to be very careful when reopening the border. In the end, we have done what we have always done and that is to follow expert advice – which continues to show us the border is our biggest risk for new cases.” Air New Zealand (Air NZ) welcomed the news but extended flight cancellations to January 17. “We have kept our operation ready for this. We look forward to seeing the tens of thousands of Kiwis who will be making plans to board our aircraft soon,” said Air NZ chief customer and sales officer, Leanne Geraghty. "A date for travel is the certainty Air New Zealand has been waiting for. While it would have been nice to reunite friends and families this side of Christmas, customers now will have the confidence to plan reunions and holidays into the New Year.”
