How to travel to New Zealand with the new self-isolation rules – Stuff.co.nz

The new self-isolation rules for travellers to New Zealand have given us greater clarity on what our international journeys will look like.

Heres a step-by-step guide to planning a trip if youre fully vaccinated and eligible for self-isolation or wondering if you are.

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Travellers will be able to get someone to pick them up at the airport if they cant get to their place of self-isolation on their own.

New Zealand is set to open its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from all over the world in five stages in 2022. Unvaccinated Kiwis can also travel to the country, but will have to enter managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) upon arrival.

All fully vaccinated arrivals will be able to self-isolate from some point this year. The date you can self-isolate depends on which category you fall into.

READ MORE:* Government shares self-isolation rules for travellers* Border reopening: What you need to know about overseas travel* New Zealand border reopening: Your questions answered

New Zealand citizens, residents and other eligible travellers including partners and dependent children will be able to self-isolate from 11:59pm February 27 if they are travelling from Australia. Kiwis from other parts of the world can self-isolate from 11:59pm March 13, and temporary visa holders from 11:59pm April 12.

Self-isolation is set to be open to vaccinated travellers from Australia and visa-waiver countries from July at the latest, and from October at the latest for those with New Zealand visas of any kind.

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Travellers will be given three rapid antigen tests at the airport to take home with them.

Unvaccinated children aged 16 and under can self-isolate either alone or with their vaccinated parents or guardians. You cannot self-isolate if you cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, but you may be able to enter MIQ.

Book a flight to New Zealand and, if youre a New Zealander, register with SafeTravel, which can help you out if things go wrong while you are overseas.

You can self-isolate anywhere in New Zealand provided it has cellphone coverage, a landline or wi-fi so the Ministry of Health can get in touch with you if needed. You also need to be able to access a Covid-19 testing centre.

The Government strongly recommends self-isolating in standalone private accommodation such as a house or apartment where you and those you travelled with (your travel isolation bubble) will be alone.

If you self-isolate with family and friends, your travel bubble should keep your contact with them to a minimum and no one else should visit the household. Other household members do not have to self-isolate with you, meaning they are free to come and go. If anyone in the bubble tests positive for Covid-19, the whole household will have to self-isolate.

You can also self-isolate in a hotel, motel, university hostel or other form of sole-hosted accommodation such as Airbnb, Bachcare or Bookabach. Let the accommodation provider know you will be self-isolating when you book.

An official record of your Covid-19 vaccination status in New Zealand, My Vaccine Pass will enable you to access cafes, restaurants, pubs, tourism sites, events and other venues.

If you were vaccinated overseas, make sure you received a vaccination approved for My Vaccine Pass (these include Pfizer, Janssen, AstraZeneca and Moderna), and add your vaccination record to New Zealands Covid Immunisation Register (CIR). You will need to fill out an Overseas Vaccination Submission Form and supply evidence of your vaccinations.

Complete the Ministry of Healths online traveller declaration before you leave for New Zealand. Youll need your flight details, contact information, and information about where youre self-isolating.

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Most travellers to New Zealand need a negative Covid-19 pre-departure test.

Most travellers need a negative Covid-19 pre-departure test to enter the country.

From February 28, most travellers entering self-isolation or MIQ will be able to choose from three options: a PCR test taken no more than 48 hours before departure, a supervised rapid antigen test (RAT) taken within 24 hours of departure, or a supervised loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) test taken within 24 hours of departure.

Before then, only PCR tests are accepted, unless you are from one of 105 specified places where getting a test is difficult or impossible. You can find the full list of these places here.

If you cant take a test for medical reasons, you need a medical certificate stating this 48 hours before your flight.

Make sure you have your passport, visa (if applicable), boarding pass, completed traveller declaration, evidence of your vaccination status, and a negative pre-departure test result.

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You should wear a mask on-board, other than when eating or drinking.

Keep your face mask on throughout your flight, except when eating or drinking. Experts recommend wearing a N95 or other high-quality mask on board, and removing your mask to eat or drink only when those beside you have replaced their own masks.

Customs will verify you meet New Zealands entry requirements. Once through, youll be given a welcome pack containing three RAT kits and a guide to self-isolation and testing.

Initially, arrivals must self-isolate for seven days. You cannot stay in New Zealand for a shorter amount of time as you must self-isolate for the full seven days.

Getting to your destination: You must travel to your place of self-isolation as quickly and directly as possible. The Government recommends using private transport, but you can catch a domestic flight, ferry or other forms of public transport if need be. You can also catch a taxi or ride-share.

If someone is picking you up, you should both wear a face mask for the whole journey and sit as far apart as you can. Open the windows if possible to increase ventilation. Dont stop to visit people on the way or visit a shop of any kind, including a supermarket or grocery stores. If you must stop for petrol, visit a contactless gas station.

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You can catch a domestic flight to your destination if need be.

If youre delayed in getting to your destination, you can stay in a temporary location if needed, but you must self-isolate while there.

Staying with others: If youre self-isolating with family or friends, wear a face mask when you are in shared spaces and keep two metres away from them at all times. Do not share a bedroom with them if possible, and minimise the time spent together in shared spaces such as kitchens and bathrooms. Open windows to keep the place well ventilated.

Getting tested: Youll need to use two of the RATs you were given at the airport: the first on day zero/one and the second on day five/six. The third is a backup test. Babies under six months old do not need to test.

The instructions you received at the airport will tell you how to interpret your results, and youll need to report them via an email survey whatever they are. If your test is negative, continue to monitor yourself for symptoms. If its positive, call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 and tell them you have been overseas within the past seven days, returned a positive result, and need to arrange a PCR test. You cannot catch public transport to be tested. Let Healthline know if this is a problem. If your test is invalid, you will also need to call Healthline and organise a PCR test.

Leaving self-isolation for short periods: You can leave your place of self-isolation in very limited circumstances. Acceptable reasons are to go to a testing centre, get urgent or medical care, attend court or another judicial institution, visit a dying relative who is not expected to live beyond your period of self-isolation, or visit the body of a relative before a funeral or tangihanga. You can also leave if there is an emergency that makes it unsafe for you to remain there.

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You can exercise near the place youre self-isolating if it has no outdoor area, but you must wear a mask and keep at least two metres away from others.

Visits need to be agreed to by the organisation concerned (such as the hospital or funeral home) in advance. You should use your backup RAT and return a negative result before heading out.

Exercise: You should exercise on the property of the place youre self-isolating, but you can exercise nearby if there is no outdoor space such as a backyard, and you wont come into contact with many people. Avoid shared spaces such as gyms and playgrounds, wear a face mask the entire time, and keep at least two metres away from anyone outside your travel bubble.

Getting food and other supplies: You must not leave to get food or other supplies. Arrange for contactless delivery, or ask the relatives or friends youre self-isolating with to get them for you. You can find your local food bank on the Family Services Directory website.

If you develop Covid symptoms: Call Healthline on 0800 358 5455 or +64 9 358 5453 if you have an international SIM card. If you have a doctor in New Zealand, you could call them instead.

Completing self-isolation: You are free to go when your seven days are up, you have returned negative results for all required tests, and you do not have any Covid symptoms.

For the seven days after self-isolation, you should avoid visiting anyone who may be vulnerable to Covid along with rest homes and large gatherings such as weddings, funerals and tangi.

Make sure you download the NZ COVID Tracer app for contact tracing purposes before leaving self-isolation, and familiarise yourself with what is and isnt allowed at the traffic light setting of the Covid-19 Protection Framework in your area.

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How to travel to New Zealand with the new self-isolation rules - Stuff.co.nz