Aviation border health
Aircraft arriving in New Zealand from overseas are subject to health entry requirements to mitigate public health risks.
Pātiki and Waharua Kōpito patterns
Air travel poses some unique problems for controlling the international spread of disease. When large numbers of people are able to move quickly around the world, disease can spread easily – beyond the travellers to those they come into contact with after the flight.
Aircraft arriving in New Zealand from overseas are subject to health entry requirements. These relate to potential public health risks, such as ill health among passengers or crew, or the presence of animals or insects that may carry diseases (eg, rodents or mosquitoes).
The primary aim of these requirements is to prevent the international spread of disease or other public health risks.
Passengers arriving on aircraft in New Zealand need to fill out a Passenger Arrival Card. This contains information required by the various New Zealand government agencies, including health authorities. Copies of the card are provided on arriving aircraft.
There are also requirements on aircraft departing New Zealand, so that diseases and public health threats are not exported from New Zealand to another country.
COVID-19 and aviation travel
Additional aviation-related requirements have been imposed to contain and control the spread of COVID-19. See COVID-19: Aviation sector for more information.
COVID-19 advice for travellers is also available.
The following information is more generic in nature and not specific to the COVID-19 response.