New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card
During your flight to New Zealand you will receive a New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card.
This must be completed in full and presented to customs officials on your arrival in New Zealand. You must declare on this form whether you are carrying prohibited or restricted goods, such as weapons or illicit drugs, duty-free goods exceeding more than $700 in value, tobacco and alcoholic beverages exceeding the stated limits, agricultural items such as foods, plant, and animal products, goods which you are carrying for another person, and more than $10,000 NZD, or the equivalent in foreign currency. It is not necessary to declare clothing, footwear, jewelry, and toiletries provided they are for your personal use.
You must complete all immigration, customs, and MAF Biosecurity formalities before leaving the airport’s arrival hall. After clearing passport control and collecting your luggage, you should hand your New Zealand Passenger Arrival Card to a MAF Biosecurity or customs officer. Passengers who incorrectly fill out their Passenger Arrival Card risk an on-the-spot fine of $200 NZD. Tourists face an additional fine of up to $100, 000 or a five-year prison sentence for breaching the country’s biosecurity laws. To avoid these penalties, it’s important to ask a MAF Biosecurity or customs officer if you are unsure about completing any part of the card. Declared items are inspected by MAF Biosecurity and customs officers and, in most cases, immediately returned to their owners.
Some items may require treatment, such as fumigation, while others may be confiscated.
MAF Biosecurity or customs officers may ask to search your bags. This is a routine procedure, and should not raise any concerns. Refusal to comply may result in your detainment at the airport. Visitors are not permitted to use cell phones or other electronic communication devices within parts of New Zealand’s customs areas. Signage will indicate what devices cannot be used in certain sections of the airport. If you are unsure whether you can use your cell phone where you are, you can ask the nearest customs officer. A more detailed list of items to be declared is available from the MAF Biosecurity New Zealand website.
[Source: New Zealand Customs Service]
