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New Zealand has finally dropped all its Covid travel restrictions

You no longer need proof of vaccination and a negative test to visit Aotearoa

Ed Cunningham
Written by
Ed Cunningham
News Editor, Time Out UK and Time Out London
New Zealand
Photograph: Shutterstock
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Been hankering to get down to the glorious peaks, mighty glaciers and cute hobbit holes of New Zealand? Well, it’s just got a heck of a lot easier. As of September 13, NZ has got rid of all the mandatory travel restrictions it introduced during the pandemic.

In terms of vaccination and testing requirements, New Zealand has been among the strictest countries in the world for much of the past two-and-a-bit years. However, now that’s all in the past. Travellers arriving in the country now do not need to show either proof of vaccination or a negative test to get past border control.

Just one Covid protocol remains: all arrivals in the country will be given free rapid tests and encouraged to take them on days one and six of their stay. This won’t be a legal requirement, but it’s still the decent thing to do.

And that isn’t all: NZ has got rid of pretty much all its domestic Covid restrictions, too. Face coverings are now not mandated anywhere apart from in healthcare settings, though they will still be recommended on public transport. The only remaining rule is that anyone who tests positive in NZ must isolate for seven days. 

In other words, there’s never been a better time to plan a NZ trip! While you’re there, be sure to check out Auckland’s Karangahape Road, which we recently named the sixth coolest street in the entire world.

Did you see that it’s just got loads easier to visit Japan, too?

Plus: here’s everything to see and do in New Zealand.

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