Official advice for New Zealanders living and travelling overseas
Official advice for New Zealanders living and travelling overseas
Reviewed: 5 December 2022, 14:21 NZDT
The holiday period in December and January is peak season for international travel, and we wish all New Zealanders safe travels over the summer holidays. We have some advice for Kiwi travellers to consider before departure: Register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the SafeTravel website so that you receive important updates. Read the travel advisory for your destination so that you are aware of any potential risks. Organise comprehensive travel insurance. Getting travel insur...Read More
Reviewed: 11 November 2022, 12:13 NZDT
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is ongoing, with attacks and heavy fighting occurring in several areas of Ukraine, including in and around Kyiv and other major cities. There are ongoing reports of gunfire, artillery bombardments, explosions and missile strikes. Civilians are being impacted. There is a real risk to life. There is also concern about military activity and shelling around Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, particularly the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. We advise New Zealanders in...Read More
Reviewed: 3 November 2022, 12:19 NZDT
The Pacific cyclone season runs from 1 November 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 authoritie...Read More
Posted: 31 October 2022, 15:02 NZDT
Qatar: FIFA Men’s World Cup 2022 This information, for New Zealanders planning on travelling to Qatar for the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup beginning on 20 November 2022, should be read in conjunction with the travel advisory for Qatar. Before you go All New Zealanders planning on attending the FIFA Men’s World Cup are encouraged to: - Ensure they have a comprehensive travel insurance policy in place that includes provision for medical evacuation by air. - ...Read More
Reviewed: 30 August 2022, 12:27 NZST
About Monkeypox Monkeypox (MPX) is a viral infection that is mainly spread through skin-to-skin contact with someone who has MPX. While it is not very contagious, there has recently been an increase in cases globally. MPX is zoonotic, which means it can pass between animals and humans. Current situation MPX is endemic in parts of Central and West Africa. In May 2022 a global outbreak was confirmed and cases have since been reported in more than 80 countries. While anyone can get MPX, the curre...Read More
Updated: 5 March 2022, 00:25 NZDT
Kiwis will be excited to be able to travel again after the New Zealand Government announced the next steps to reconnect New Zealanders to the world. This includes removal of the need for vaccinated New Zealanders to self-isolate on return from any country, and dropping the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s global “do not travel” advisory which has been in place since March 2020. But before they go, travellers will need to make sure they have thought through the complexity of the n...Read More
Posted: 3 August 2021, 15:20 NZST
Typhoons and hurricanes are currently affecting areas of Asia and the Americas. New Zealanders travelling to Asia and the Americas are encouraged to register their details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Travellers who register can be warned if a major storm approaches and given advice on precautions to take. If you are in an area affected by a typhoon or hurricane, you should follow the advice of the local authorities at all times (including any evacuation orders) and seek s...Read More
Reviewed: 5 February 2020, 15:15 NZDT
New Zealand citizens who continue to live in the UK now that it has left the EU can: use the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website tool to seek guidance on visa status and rights to stay. find more information in the UK's Department for Exiting the European Union: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-exiting-the-european-union. If you are a New Zealander who holds a European passport, or who has a European spouse you should refer to guidance from the UK Governm...Read More
Reviewed: 21 January 2020, 11:58 NZDT
What is dual citizenship or dual nationality?If you are a citizen of more than one country you are a dual citizen or dual national. This means you are a citizen of both New Zealand and another country at the same time. New Zealand allows dual citizenship and multiple citizenship but some other countries do not. A country could still consider you to be one of their citizens even if you don't accept that nationality if you: have a parent, or in some cases a grandparent, who is a citizen of that ...Read More
Reviewed: 23 December 2019, 13:39 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 New Zealand Ministry of Health is advising people travelling overseas to make sure they are fully immunised against measles before they go. Following recent outbreaks of measles in Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and the Philippines the New Zealand Ministry of Health asked primary care providers in New Zealand to ensure vaccinations are...Read More
Reviewed: 17 December 2019, 11:46 NZDT
Major cities in India have recently been 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 conc...Read More
Reviewed: 17 December 2019, 11:44 NZDT
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
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: 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
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
China
Reviewed: 28 November 2022
Reviewed: 28 November 2022
Burkina Faso
Reviewed: 23 November 2022
Reviewed: 23 November 2022
Liberia
Reviewed: 22 November 2022
Reviewed: 22 November 2022
Afghanistan
Reviewed: 22 November 2022
Reviewed: 22 November 2022
Brunei Darussalam
Reviewed: 18 November 2022
Reviewed: 18 November 2022
Slovak Republic
Reviewed: 18 November 2022
Reviewed: 18 November 2022
Tanzania
Reviewed: 17 November 2022
Reviewed: 17 November 2022
Tonga
Reviewed: 14 November 2022
Reviewed: 14 November 2022
Travelling or living overseas? Register with us so we can send you important information following an emergency.
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.