The Only Guide to the Passenger Arrival Card You’ll Ever Need
Entering a new country is not as easy as it used to be, especially with pandemics thrown into the mix. Due to health requirements and strict biosecurity measures at the border of New Zealand, everyone arriving in New Zealand needs to complete a New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card. Find out how to complete the form and what evidence you’ll need to supply with this complete guide to the entry paperwork for New Zealand.
For the complete list of arrival formalities for entering New Zealand, be sure to also check out our guide, Arriving in New Zealand: Airport Customs, Biosecurity & the Arrival Process.
New Zealand Traveller Declaration No Longer Required
From Thursday 20 October 2022, travellers flying to New Zealand by air do not need to complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration.
If you have already completed a Traveller Declaration for travel after Thursday 20 October 2022, you will not be required to present your Traveller Pass on arrival into New Zealand.
What is the New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card?
The New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card is a form that you must complete either on the final leg of your journey to New Zealand or at the airport in New Zealand before passing through Passport Control/Customs. The form requires you to fill out your personal details, as well as asks simple yes/no questions concerning customs, biosecurity and immigration. Once you have filled out the Passenger Arrival Card, keep a hold of it so you can hand it to Passport Control and Customs and Biosecurity once you arrive in New Zealand.
How to Complete the Passenger Arrival Card
Part of your in-flight entertainment on your flight to New Zealand is filling out the Passenger Arrival Card for New Zealand. The card/form will be handed out to you by the flight crew during your flight (the final leg of your journey that ends in New Zealand). Once you have filled out the card, keep a hold of it so you can hand it to Passport Control and Customs.
Take a look at the form in the section below to familiarise yourself with what information you’ll need to complete it. Your passport and boarding pass will come in handy for this.
What Does the New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card Look Like?
How to Complete the New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card?
Want more? In the video above, Robin fills up the Passenger Arrival Card for New Zealand so you know what to expect. Note that the “COVID-19” section of the Passenger Arrival Card mentioned in this video is no longer applicable.
8 Tips for Filling Out the Passenger Arrival Card for New Zealand
Here are the answers to the most common questions asked about the Passenger Arrival Card for New Zealand.
- Bring a pen with you! Just in case you don’t get one given to you on the plane.
- In Section 1 for “occupation or job” simply put unemployed, if you do not have one.
- In Section 1 for “full contact or residential address” put the name of your first accommodation if you know it. If not, leave it blank.
- Do not answer Section 2a, if you are not from New Zealand.
- In Section 2b, tick the “holiday/vacation” option even if you are doing a working holiday or backpacking in New Zealand.
- One of the most important parts of the card is the declaration Sections 5 and 6. If you don’t declare something that you should have declared, you will face a hefty fine. If in doubt, declare it! If you have sports and outdoors equipment, make sure they are clean before you pack them. Get more information on this in What Do You Need to Declare When Arriving in New Zealand?
- In Section 8, if you are from a visa-waiver country, meaning that you automatically get a visitor visa when you enter New Zealand, circle “Yes” to “I do not hold a visa I am applying for a visitor visa on arrival”. Note that the NZeTA is not a visa.
- Lastly, keep this card with your passport, as you will need to hand the card in at Customs then again to Biosecurity. Learn about that process in Arrival Advice: Passport Control and Immigration and Arrival Advice: Biosecurity & Customs in New Zealand.
[UPDATE] The New Zealand Traveller Declaration Form
From Thursday 20 October 2022, travellers flying to New Zealand by air do not need to complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration.
If you have already completed a Traveller Declaration for travel after Thursday 20 October 2022, you will not be required to present your Traveller Pass on arrival into New Zealand.
Due to the announcement that aspects of the New Zealand Traveller Declaration will evolve and replace the New Zealand paper arrival card next year, we have left the information required by travellers for the old Traveller Declaration process, should you need to refer to it. Otherwise, we will update this page once the new Traveller Declaration process has been established.
Below is a guide to completing the New Zealand Traveller Declaration, which is a requirement for those travelling to New Zealand by air.
When Do I Need to Complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration Form?
Anyone travelling to New Zealand by plane must complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration Form before your flight to New Zealand. You can begin completing the form 28 days before departure, once you have booked your flight. The processing centre for New Zealand Travellers Declaration Forms is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week where applications are processed based on the departure time of flights. In other words, forms are processed quickly.
Note that there is a saving feature on the online application. After saving an unfinished declaration, a code will be emailed to you so you can access your application in future. The form typically takes up to 40 minutes to complete from scratch.
Where Can I Find the New Zealand Traveller Declaration Form?
The online form can be found at travellerdeclaration.govt.nz.
What Do I Need to Complete the NZ Traveller Declaration Form?
- Your passport number
- Your first international airport of departure
- The date and time of your first international flight
- The date you will arrive in New Zealand
- The flight number of your flight into New Zealand
- A list of the countries you have visited in the previous 14 days before arrival in New Zealand
- Your contact details while in New Zealand (used for contact tracing while in NZ)
- Details of your emergency contact (they don’t have to be in New Zealand)
- An email address.
What Proof of Vaccination Do I Need to Enter New Zealand?
You no longer need proof of vaccination to enter New Zealand.
The New Zealand Traveller Pass: What Happens After You Apply
After you have submitted a complete New Zealand Traveller Declaration Form, you should soon receive an email with the decision on your declaration.
If your declaration is approved, you will be issued a Traveller Pass, which will give you instructions on what you need to do when you arrive in New Zealand, such as self-testing, for example. Note, it is no longer mandatory to provide COVID tests on arrival in New Zealand, however, it is encouraged. Find more information at covid19.govt.nz.
Your Traveller Pass contains a QR code unique to you. Either print out the QR code or have it available on your phone to show on check-in at the airport and to New Zealand Customs on arrival.
If there is an issue with your declaration, then you will receive an email outlining the issue and asking you to correct the issue and resubmit the declaration.
More About the Entry Forms to Complete for New Zealand
That’s it for our guide to the New Zealand Traveller Declaration Form and Passenger Arrival Card for New Zealand. For more arrival tips, check out our full arrival guide, Arriving in New Zealand: Airport Customs, Biosecurity & the Arrival Process.
What other paperwork do you need to complete for entering New Zealand? Check out the following guides:
- NZ Tourist Visa: Do You Need a Visa to Visit New Zealand?
- 10 Things You Need to Know About the NZETA
- New Zealand Packing List: What to Pack for New Zealand
Finally, get our complete guide to visiting Aotearoa with The Best Travel Guide to New Zealand.
Author
Robin C.
This article was reviewed and published by Robin, the co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. He has lived, worked and travelled across 16 different countries before calling New Zealand home. He has now spent over a decade in the New Zealand tourism industry, clocking in more than 600 activities across the country. He is passionate about sharing those experiences and advice on NZ Pocket Guide and its YouTube channel. Robin is also the co-founder of several other South Pacific travel guides.