Personal travellers

On your journey to New Zealand, you may be shown a 'Declare or Dispose' in-flight video or cruise ship video explaining biosecurity entry requirements.

When you arrive in New Zealand, you will need to go through an entry process. This will involve immigration, customs and biosecurity checks.

You will receive a Passenger Arrival Card on arrival in New Zealand that all air passengers must complete. Travellers arriving by sea should refer to the Ships and Vessels section for procedures they will follow.

If you have any risk goods you no longer wish to keep, put them in the amnesty bins provided at the airport's arrivals area or declare them on your Passenger Arrival Card. The bins are usually your last opportunity to throw away risk goods before entering MAF's Biosecurity area. Failure to declare risk goods can lead to an instant fine or prosecution. More information about fines.

It is normal for travellers to see and be questioned by people in uniform. You may also see our inspectors accompanied by one of our Ministry for Primary Industries Detector Dogs. They are trained to sniff out any risk goods that you may be carrying. Your bags may also go through an X-ray machine and may be searched to identify any biosecurity risk goods on arrival into New Zealand. The X-ray units use a very low radiation level and are completely safe. They do not affect photographic film, medications, foodstuffs or people, including pregnant women.

Additional information about requirements for items you may wish to bring into the country is available in Your Belongings.

A theme for those arriving for a visit is - Declare or dispose . If in doubt, ask a biosecurity inspector. If you break the law by continuing to carry any risk goods without declaring them, under New Zealand law you will be fined. Our qualified inspectors will respond to your enquiries as soon as possible. For general enquiries phone 0800 00 83 33 - or email your enquiries to MPI Clearance. Information is also available from your travel agent.

To find out more information about planned trans-Tasman initiatives to streamline passenger travel, click here .

Holders of New Zealand and Australian ePassports who are over 16 years old have the option of using SmartGate when arriving at Auckland International Airport. Find out more .

Page last updated: 30 April 2012