Anybody hunting New Zealand this year?

[Justbryan]

Please post your hunt report if you are going to New Zealand in 2022. I will hunt in mid July for Tahr. I am hoping someone is going in April - June this year and can report issues or successes.

If you are going to New Zealand before me please send me a PM or post on this thread. I am interested in talking to hunters with experience navigating NZ covid restrictions.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Following.

 

[AZDAVE]

Was supposed to go on a motorcycle tour of New Zealand in 2021 that got moved to Mar 2022 and has yet again been moved to 2023. So I will be interested in this thread also.

 

[TheGrayRider]

I can’t find accurate information on the internet of what is/is not required to enter New Zealand by Americans at this time. Quite a bit of information on various websites seems grossly outdated.

 

[Justbryan]

I can’t find accurate information on the internet of what is/is not required to enter New Zealand by Americans at this time. Quite a bit of information on various websites seems grossly outdated.

Most of the information posted on the internet is from before the re-opening announcement. The government posed the new requirements but I have some questions that may not be clear till we have USA citizens going through New Zealand customs. My real question is will they accept our CDC immunization card. They seem to favor the electronic validation systems but a lot of our citizens travel yearly to New Zealand.

There will be two covid self-test required by NZ with results emailed to them. No quarantining will be required. NZ can change any of these requirements at anytime. I have bought tickets so I am going to attempt the trip this year.

So, if anybody goes to NZ before July then please give us a report on the process. Any going in May or June?

 

[R eight]

Quarantine free travel for Australians to NZ started today. I believe a negative Covid test is also required.
Quarantine free travel for other nationalities to NZ currently planned to start a month later.
I had planned to be hunting there now…but alas not to be. Also according to the NZ Police website…Visitors firearms license applications are requested 4 to 5 months in advance? ( a covid thing apparently?)

good luck with your hunt.

 

[R eight]

Firearms & Safety (FSA)

New Zealand Police

www.police.govt.nz

You want to travel to New Zealand

Visa applications to visit, work, or study in New Zealand are now open. This information is for people who requested a border exception or who could not travel while the border was restricted.

www.immigration.govt.nz

 

[R eight]

I should also point out that the rules are changing rapidly.
A few weeks ago the situation was that Australians would be kept out of NZ until July. That was bought forward several months….to today.

 

[Justbryan]

Latest update — 13 April 2022​

• Vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents can now enter New Zealand and self-test on arrival.
• From 11:59pm 1 May 2022, vaccinated visitors from visa waiver countries, and visitors from other countries who already hold a valid visitor visa can enter New Zealand and self-test on arrival.

Who can enter New Zealand later in 2022​

From 11:59pm 1 May 2022​

The following vaccinated people can enter New Zealand and self-test on arrival:

• Visitors from countries who do not need a visa (visa waiver visitors)
• Visitors from other countries who already hold a valid visitor visa

Visa waiver countries and territories | immigration.govt.nz(external link)

Find out more about what you need to do before and after entering New Zealand:

How to enter New Zealand if you are self-testing on arrival

Travelling to New Zealand - New Zealand Customs Service

covid19.govt.nz

 

[Justbryan]

Any updates on traveling to New Zealand? Anybody gone yet?

I know the "New Zealand Traveller Declaration" is now required to be completed. You can start the declaration 28 days prior to your first flight with passport info, proof of vaccination, travel history, flight details, contact details, and emergency contacts. Then you have to take a covid test 24 hours before departure (RAT and LAMP) or 48 hours before scheduled departure (PCR) then you can complete the declaration form. IF approved you will get a QR code which is unique to you. This traveller pass will be emailed prior to departure. It may be printed out or uploaded to your mobile device. You will have to show the pass to get on the plane.

Has anybody completed this process yet?

 

[Raider]

Working on a report but I headed over for 2 weeks in May. The Traveller Declaration is pretty straightforward. I took a picture of my CDC vaccination card and emailed it to myself. No issues uploading it. You can start the declaration up to 28 days before you travel. Once you create it, they'll email you instructions I think with a link to resume the form when you have other information to add.

The biggest pain in the process is the covid test. I don't know what your flight plans are but it seemed like most of the flights leave in the evening which for me meant doing the RAT same day. I had trouble finding a PCR testing option that would guarantee you results within 3 days let alone the 48 hours required by New Zealand.

I flew out of Chicago connecting through LA. The Chicago airport had a testing service which worked remarkably well. Really long story but my friend who was traveling with me ended up needing to fly out the next day so he got a PCR test and they had his results back to him in not much longer than it took them to get me my RAT results. I think if you can find a place that doesn't send their tests out to an external lab that it can be done PCR which would give you more time and less anxiety about getting the results.

Once I had the testing results, I was able to upload them to complete the Traveller Declaration and submit it. I don't remember exactly but it took them probably 15-20 minutes to approve it. I don't know if that's the norm for everyone, my friend said it was about the same for him but that's just a sample size of 2. You get an email with a QR code that is used by your airline to prove that you completed the declaration. Checking into the LA to Auckland flight was the only time that I needed the QR code the entire trip. I don't know if they'll have a better system worked out by the time you travel but Air New Zealand manually checked everyone on the flight in at the desk at the gate needing the Traveller Declaration QR code and the NZeTA. I had been so focused on the Traveller Declaration that I had forgotten to do the NZeTA before the same day. This was also approved in 20-30 minutes but I would recommend doing this well before, just not worth the anxiety.

I hadn't thought about it but my domestic leg was codeshared between Air New Zealand and United. United wanted to independently verify the vaccine card and testing results that Air New Zealand would require. They were slower than New Zealand in approving the documents on their online system and I ended up getting help at the United desk to check into my flight. I showed them my vaccine card, test results, and what I told them was my NZeTA (I hadn't actually gotten that approval email by that point) and got my boarding pass. If you have a separately booked domestic flight, this shouldn't be a problem but thought it worth mentioning.

 

[Raider]

As far as the testing required while you're in New Zealand, they hand you three rapid tests when you go through customs. You'll get an email to the email address you provide on the Traveller Declaration on days 0 and 5. The email provides a link to report your results. No pictures required, it has drop down boxes that ask whether the validity line (should be yes) and the test line (should be no) are visible. They then ask you to confirm that you are submitting a negative result and you click the submit button. They also send you an email asking if you want to take part in their contract tracing which I ignored.

That 3rd test ended up being important for us getting home. I was shocked that Auckland airport didn't have a RAT service. I've had family members travel from Caribbean islands that had an airport testing service to make sure that tourists leave their countries. For the major travel hub of a developed country not to have one was surprising. They did have a PCR service, but it didn't seem like it would have been useful unless you were in Auckland for a couple days as they needed to send out the tests for a lab to process them. We ended up being able to get our supervised RAT test completed by Zoom video call with the 3rd test kit. Thankfully it seems that the US has ended the testing requirements for entry so this shouldn't be a problem going forward. I don't know if you're flying Air New Zealand but it may be worth making sure that they're not pulling some odd requirement of still needing a test to fly home on their airline even though the US doesn't require it. They were still requiring masks the entire flight both directions so I might not put it past them.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Does New Zealand still have COVID requirements or vaccination requirements for entry by Americans? Quite a few articles on the internet and many seem outdated. Traveling in May 2023. Thanks, TheGrayRider.

 

[WISafariHunter]

I fly out to NZ in a couple weeks. (April) Outfitter and Air don’t seem to have any requirements based on the conversation I have had.

 

[kdenn]

@TheGrayRider , just back from hunting NZ. No issues with Covid requirements at all, NZ now reopen for business. Had great success with wife and I each getting a nice free range stag. She added a very nice fallow while I shot alpine goat and Arapawa ram. Scenery was spectacular and people very warm and friendly. Enjoy your trip and good luck.

 

[Mekaniks]

@TheGrayRider , just back from hunting NZ. No issues with Covid requirements at all, NZ now reopen for business. Had great success with wife and I each getting a nice free range stag. She added a very nice fallow while I shot alpine goat and Arapawa ram. Scenery was spectacular and people very warm and friendly. Enjoy your trip and good luck.

We would love to see a hunt report!