Register your overseas travel and/or residential details here.
If you require emergency consular assistance in Fiji please phone the Duty Officer on +679 9921 956.
Our email service for receiving Travel Advisories has been updated. The updated service allows subscribers to customise their subscription account to meet individual travel needs. Changes include being able to select countries or regions of interest, and being able to nominate multiple email accounts to which information and advice can be sent to.
Before travelling overseas make sure your passport is valid. Many countries require you to have a minimum of six months validity on your passport for the duration of your trip. You should have at least one clear visa page in your passport for immigration stamps. Well in advance of your travel you should also check with the relevant country's High Commission or Embassy to see whether you require a visa to enter or transit the countries you will be visiting. Failure to comply with any of the above may see you turned away at the border and New Zealand consular officials cannot intervene on your behalf.
Over 2 million Muslim pilgrims are expected to visit Mecca to perform the Hajj in November 2009. As there is a continuing high risk of terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia, New Zealanders considering making the pilgrimage are advised to read our travel advisory for Saudi Arabia. If you decide to travel, register your details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Saudi authorities have placed restrictions on who can perform the Hajj this year due to the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Visit the Ministry of Hajj website [external link] for more information. The Ministry of Hajj is the Saudi government department with overall responsibility for managing the annual pilgrimage. For further information on the pandemic see our Travel Health Notice: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009.
Before you travel to the South Pacific please remember to take out travel insurance which includes provision for medical repatriation to New Zealand. In some South Pacific countries, medical assistance is limited and repatriation to New Zealand for urgent medical treatment is the only option. Repatriation is often by private air ambulance which can be very costly (in some cases, up to $100,000). These costs have to be met by the traveller's insurance provider or the traveller themselves if they don't have insurance. Remember that the New Zealand Government will not pay for medical repatriation to New Zealand.
For the latest information on the Pandemic situation, including travel advice, see our Travel Health Notice: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009.
New Zealand is currently engaged in the "manage it" phase of its Pandemic Plan to manage the spread of Pandemic Influenza.
See the New Zealand Ministry of Health website [external link] for more information.
Please phone the Healthline (0800 611 116) if you feel unwell while in New Zealand.
From 1 July 2009 all holders of New Zealand Emergency Travel Documents travelling to or transiting through the USA will require a visa from the USA authorities.
Those transiting through the USA should seek a transit (class C1) from the nearest US Embassy prior to departure.
Those planning on entering the USA will require a non-immigrant visa (class B1- Business or B2 – Tourist) from the USA authorities.
USA Customs and Border Protection may exercise discretion at ports of entry if you are travelling for medical or other emergency reasons but you may be detained for further processing and/or denied admission.
Relevant information is also on the following websites:
Until further notice travellers to Tokelau are required to spend a period of 7 days in Samoa to prevent the spread of Pandemic Influenza. Travellers to Tokelau need to obtain a permit to travel to the atolls.
Further information can be found on www.tokelau-govt.info [external link] or from the Tokelau Apia Liaison Office hei@lesamoa.net, telephone +685 722 7422.
There are now confirmed outbreaks of dengue fever in North Queensland, Australia (Townsville, Cairns, Port Douglas). Significant dengue fever outbreaks are also currently occurring or have recently occurred in many parts of the Pacific (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu), as well as countries in Asia and Latin/South America. Dengue fever is a serious viral disease spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes. As there is no vaccine to protect against dengue fever, travellers to these regions are advised to use insect repellent, wear protective clothing, and stay in lodgings where there are mosquito screens on windows and doors. If you feel unwell during your trip or in the first two weeks after your return, you are advised to seek immediate medical advice.
Page last updated: Friday, 06 November 2009, 11:48 NZDT
