A Guide to the NZ Passenger Arrival Card & Traveller Declaration [2023]© NZPocketGuide.com
A Guide to the NZ Passenger Arrival Card & Traveller Declaration [2023]

A Guide to the NZ Traveller Declaration (Passenger Arrival Card)

© NZPocketGuide.com

The Only Guide to the New Zealand Traveller Declaration You 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 Traveller Declaration (NZTD), formerly known as the 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.

What is the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD)?

The New Zealand Traveller Declaration, formerly known as the New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card, is a form that you must submit either online 24 hours before starting your trip to New Zealand or in paper form 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 Traveller Declaration, keep a hold of it so you can hand it to Passport Control and Customs and Biosecurity once you arrive in New Zealand.

A Guide to the NZ Passenger Arrival Card & Traveller Declaration [2023]© NZPocketGuide.com

3 Ways to Complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration

There are three ways to complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration: in paper form, online or through an app. 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.

1. The NZ Traveller Declaration Paper Form

Part of your in-flight entertainment on your flight to New Zealand is filling out the Traveller Declaration Form 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.

If you don’t complete the form during your flight, there are forms available at your arrival airport in New Zealand before getting your passport checked.

2. The NZ Traveller Declaration Online

Up to 24 hours before starting your journey to New Zealand, you can submit the New Zealand Traveller Declaration online at travellerdeclaration.govt.nz. It’s free (don’t pay anyone to do an “NZTD completion service” or similar) and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Your digital declaration is linked to your passport and is checked when you arrive. You are not required to print anything out.

Note that you can start your New Zealand Traveller Declaration at a time that suits you. The earliest you can submit your declaration is 24 hours before you start your trip to New Zealand.

3. The NZTD App

There is also an app available to complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration: the NZTD App. It works similarly to the website form, with the difference being that the app allows you to scan your passport to instantly upload your passport details. See travellerdeclaration.govt.nz to learn more.

What Does the New Zealand Traveller Declaration Form (Passenger Arrival Card) Look Like?

A Guide to the NZ Passenger Arrival Card & Traveller Declaration [2023]© New Zealand Government
A Guide to the NZ Passenger Arrival Card & Traveller Declaration [2023]© New Zealand Government

Video: How to Complete the New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card?

Want more? In the video below, Robin fills up the Passenger Arrival Card for New Zealand so you know what to expect.

A Guide to the NZ Passenger Arrival Card & Traveller Declaration [2023]© NZPocketGuide.com

8 Tips for Filling Out the NZ Traveller Declaration for New Zealand

Here are the answers to the most common questions asked about the NZ Traveller Declaration for New Zealand.

  1. If you plan to complete a paper form on your flight, bring a pen with you! You’re unlikely to be given one on the plane.
  2. In Section 1 for “occupation or job” simply put unemployed, if you do not have one.
  3. In Section 1 for “full contact or residential address in New Zealand” put the name of your first accommodation if you know it. If not, leave it blank.
  4. Do not answer Section 2a, if you are not from New Zealand.
  5. In Section 2b, tick the “holiday/vacation” option even if you are doing a working holiday or backpacking in New Zealand.
  6. 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 outdoor 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?
  7. 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.
  8. Lastly, keep this card with your passport, as you will need to hand the card in at Customs and then again to Biosecurity. Learn about that process in Arrival Advice: Passport Control and Immigration and Arrival Advice: Biosecurity & Customs in New Zealand.

More About the Entry Forms to Complete for New Zealand

That’s it for our guide to the New Zealand Traveller Declaration 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:

Finally, get our complete guide to visiting Aotearoa with The Best Travel Guide to New Zealand.

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

Laura S.

This article has been reviewed and published by Laura, the editor-in-chief and co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. Laura is a first-class honours journalism graduate and a travel journalist with expertise in New Zealand and South Pacific tourism for over 10 years. She also runs travel guides for five of the top destinations in the South Pacific and is the co-host of over 250 episodes of the NZ Travel Show on YouTube.

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