Official advice for New Zealanders living and travelling overseas
Official advice for New Zealanders living and travelling overseas
Reviewed: 19 November 2019, 13:01 NZDT
After weeks of civil unrest, demonstrations are continuing in Santiago and other cities across Chile. New Zealanders in Chile should continue to monitor local media for updates and follow the instructions and advice of the local authorities. You should expect to see a significant police presence in major cities. Transport links may be impacted, including by blockades on inter-city highways or potential delays at airports. Although airports are now operating normally again, you should check the s...Read More
Reviewed: 19 November 2019, 11:12 NZDT
Measles is a highly infectious virus that spreads easily from person to person through the air, via breathing, coughing and sneezing. It affects both children and adults. The Ministry of Health is advising people travelling overseas to make sure they are fully immunised against measles before they go. New Zealand has had a number of outbreaks due to the disease being bought into the country through international travel. Being fully immunised prevents the spread of measles to and from New Zealand...Read More
Reviewed: 15 November 2019, 14:58 NZDT
Protest activity is ongoing in Hong Kong and there continues to be a risk of violent confrontation. 'Flash mob' demonstrations take place with little or no warning, and have resulted in violence and vandalism. Expect road closures, transport disruptions and heightened police action, including the use of tear gas. Protest locations on Hong Kong Island continue to include the main commercial districts, including Causeway Bay, Central, Admiralty and Wan Chai Protests may also occur in Kowloon (...Read More
Reviewed: 12 November 2019, 09:10 NZDT
We have reviewed our advice and now advise New Zealanders to avoid non-essential travel to Bolivia due to demonstrations and civil unrest. Read our full advice on SafeTravel. The current political situation in Bolivia is highly unpredictable following the abrupt resignation of the president at the urging of the military, in response to widespread protests in the wake of presidential elections on 20 October 2019. Clashes between protesters and security forces have happened, resulting in injuries....Read More
Reviewed: 6 November 2019, 09:19 NZDT
The Pacific cyclone season began on 1 November and runs until 30 April. New Zealanders travelling to the Pacific are encouraged to register their details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Travellers who register can be warned if a major cyclone approaches and given advice on precautions to take. We can also make contact with you following a significant cyclone to check on your well-being. If you are in an area affected by a cyclone, you should follow the advice of the local author...Read More
Updated: 5 November 2019, 15:17 NZDT
Major cities in India are currently experiencing severe levels of air pollution. Some of the most common health effects of air pollution include irritation of eyes, throat and lungs. For people with existing respiratory conditions such as asthma or bronchitis, breathing in air pollution can make these conditions worse. New Zealanders in areas affected by the air pollution are advised to monitor pollution readings, such as those provided by the Air Quality Index website. If you have concerns ...Read More
Reviewed: 23 September 2019, 14:05 NZST
In September 2019, an outbreak of polio was declared in the Philippines. In July 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced a situational update on circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 outbreaks in the WHO African and Eastern Mediterranean regions. In June 2018 an outbreak of vaccine-derived poliovirus was declared by the Papua New Guinea Government in Morobe province. In July 2018, preparations for implementation of large scale immunization activities and intensified surveilla...Read More
Reviewed: 22 July 2019, 18:00 NZST
On 20 July British Airways announced that it was suspending its flights to Cairo for seven days as a security precaution. Lufthansa have announced similar measures for two flights. Other airlines may be affected. If you plan to travel to Egypt we advise you to contact your airline for further information. We take this opportunity to remind New Zealanders of our travel advice for Egypt. New Zealanders in or travelling to Egypt should exercise increased caution in Egypt due to the unpredictable p...Read More
Reviewed: 17 July 2019, 10:00 NZST
On 17 July 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) determined that the ongoing Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The Ugandan government has also confirmed an outbreak of Ebola in Kasese District in western Uganda, originating in the neighbouring DRC. To date, there have been over 2500 confirmed or probable cases of Ebola in the DRC, resulting in over 1600 deaths since the outbreak began in August 2018. The outbreak i...Read More
Updated: 15 July 2019, 09:55 NZST
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has announced that New Zealand visitors no longer require visas to travel to South Africa. The visa exemption for New Zealand passport holders came into effect on 15 August 2019. The exemption allows New Zealand passport holders to enter South Africa for a period of up to 90 days, without a visa, for holiday or business visits. The exemption also applies to New Zealand passport holders transiting through South Africa. New Zealanders requiring fu...Read More
Reviewed: 11 July 2019, 15:20 NZST
Every year New Zealanders put themselves at risk of arrest or detention for drug-related offences overseas. Remember that when you are overseas you are subject to that country's laws and penalties - no matter how harsh they may appear by New Zealand standards. In many countries, penalties for drug-related offences are severe. Possession, use or trafficking of even very small quantities of drugs can lead to lengthy imprisonment thousands of miles away from family and friends. New Zealand does not...Read More
Posted: 18 March 2019, 14:10 NZDT
The terrorist attacks in Christchurch on 15 March, which were motivated by extreme right-wing ideology, have attracted global attention and strong international condemnation. International reactions to those events are difficult to predict and may change at short notice. New Zealanders travelling overseas should continue to use common sense, exercise caution and be vigilant. They should look out for and report suspicious behaviour, as they would in New Zealand. New Zealanders should conti...Read More
Reviewed: 1 March 2019, 14:45 NZDT
The United Kingdom (UK) is preparing to exit the European Union (EU). We provide the following information for New Zealanders living in or travelling to the UK. New Zealand citizens who plan to continue living in the UK after it leaves the EU can use the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website tool to seek guidance on visa status and rights to stay. Further information can be found through the UK's Department for Exiting the European Union: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/dep...Read More
Reviewed: 27 February 2019, 13:25 NZDT
People travelling to the Pacific should take extra steps to avoid mosquito bites following an outbreak of dengue fever. Outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses are common in the tropical and sub-tropical climates in most Pacific Islands, in North Queensland (Australia), Asia (including India), Africa and Central/South America. Dengue fever is spread by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito and cannot be spread directly from person to person. Dengue outbreaks continue to be reported from the Pac...Read More
Reviewed: 3 December 2018, 10:40 NZDT
There are ongoing demonstrations in Paris and across France. Protests have turned violent and traffic has been disrupted across the country. We continue to advise New Zealanders in France to avoid all demonstrations, protests and rallies, follow any advice issued by the local authorities and monitor local media for developments. New Zealanders currently in or travelling to France are encouraged to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and read the full advisory for France. N...Read More
Reviewed: 6 November 2018, 08:25 NZDT
If you’re heading overseas, don’t forget to take out comprehensive travel insurance. Your policy should cover any activities you plan to undertake (from scuba diving to scooter riding), personal liability, medical treatment, emergency medical evacuation, and any pre-existing medical conditions. Even minor medical treatment can be very expensive overseas. If you suffer an injury overseas and return to New Zealand, ACC may be able to help with treatment costs in New Zealand, but only if you i...Read More
Reviewed: 10 September 2018, 09:05 NZST
Outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses are common in the tropical and sub-tropical climates in many Pacific Islands, in North Queensland (Australia), Asia (including India), tropical Africa and Latin/South America. West Nile virus is commonly found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America and West Asia. Dengue fever, chikungunya virus and Zika virus are spread by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito and cannot be spread directly from person to person. Malaria is caused by a parasite s...Read More
Reviewed: 18 July 2018, 11:20 NZST
Due to recent law changes, the United States of America has implemented entry requirements when arriving into their territory, or travelling to Cuba from the US. These could impact your travel in the region. Additional security questions at check-in Passengers on direct flights to the United States may be subjected to additional security-based questions at their airline check-in counter and may require additional security screening. This may cause delays, so we advise passengers to ensure they a...Read More
Posted: 29 March 2018, 17:03 NZDT
The Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services has issued a public notice advising of an outbreak of meningococcal disease in Fiji. Though the risk for travellers to Fiji is low, people staying in local communities or for longer periods of time should be vigilant and aware of the symptoms of meningitis following an outbreak of meningococcal disease.Meningococcal disease is a bacterial infection that causes two very serious illnesses: meningitis (an infection of the membranes that cover the b...Read More
Reviewed: 5 March 2018, 14:11 NZDT
Yellow fever is an acute viral disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Infection with the yellow fever virus causes varying degrees of disease, from mild symptoms to severe illness with bleeding and jaundice. About 15% of people infected with yellow fever progress to a severe form of the illness, and half of those will die, as there is no cure for yellow fever. Beginning in late 2016, and continuing through 2017 the Brazilian Ministry of Health reported outbreaks of yellow fever in several e...Read More
Reviewed: 2 October 2017, 10:20 NZDT
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade liaises with the Ministry of Health to provide information on health issues for New Zealand travellers, including information on disease outbreaks and health precautions for travellers. For more information on travel health issues, please see our Health and Travel page. ...Read More
Yemen
Reviewed: 20 November 2019
Reviewed: 20 November 2019
Guyana
Reviewed: 20 November 2019
Reviewed: 20 November 2019
South Africa
Reviewed: 14 November 2019
Reviewed: 14 November 2019
Papua New Guinea
Reviewed: 13 November 2019
Reviewed: 13 November 2019
Travelling or living overseas? Help us find you in an emergency, so we can check on your well-being or send you important information.
Not travelling or living overseas but still want to stay up to date with our travel advice? Have the latest travel advisories sent to you via email.
If you access consular assistance through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, or register on SafeTravel we will collect and use your personal information for the purpose of providing consular services to you. Read More
Health alerts and general travel health tips....read more
This page provides information on how you can help yourself, and how we can help you, when things go wrong overseas...read more
Information on passports and visas for your next trip overseas....read more
Information on travel insurance and why it's important....read more
Please note, only consular emergencies, for example death, arrest, illness or injury to New Zealand citizens will be handled outside office hours.
Location and contact details for New Zealand Embassies around the world.
Bolivia
Thailand
Ecuador
Hong Kong