Due to the spread of the corona virus, the New Zealand authorities have implemented measures for visitors, including entry restrictions. It is per. March 20, 2020 at 23:59 introduced entry refusal for foreign citizens (with some exceptions). For more information about coronavirus, see the section Health.
Safety
New Zealand is a well-functioning country that is easy to travel in. Travelers should have travel insurance to cover accident and death expenses. Health and sanitation are about the same as in Norway.
Norway is represented by the Honorary Consulate General in Wellington and Honorary Consulate in Auckland. Responsible Norwegian Embassy for New Zealand is the Embassy in Canberra.
In October 2014, the national terror threat level was raised from very low to low. New Zealand is generally a safe country to travel in. Travelers should have travel insurance that covers expenses that can occur in the event of a travel accident and death. For more information see the embassy’s article on assistance to Norwegians abroad. By the way, travelers should exercise common caution and take reasonable precautions to reduce the risk of being hit by crime.
The Embassy encourages all travelers to take extra care of passports, credit cards, cash and tickets. Always take this with you when you leave the car and take extra care of your handbag/wallet wherever you go. Take advantage of the hotels’ safe deposit box offer. Due to very large distances, it takes a long time and extra costs are incurred to replace the passport. Keep separate copies of passports and pages with current visas.
In New Zealand, traffic is on the left. Therefore, always remember to look to the right when crossing the road or when crossing at junctions or roundabouts. A good rule is to look at both sides.
New Zealand is occasionally affected by natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, snow avalanches and volcanic eruptions. The country has very good surveillance and warning systems. New Zealand experiences several earthquakes annually. In 2010 and 2011, the Canterbury region and the city of Christchurch were severely hit by several major earthquakes and aftershocks that caused deaths, personal injuries and major infrastructure damage. For updated information, see the New Zealand Civil Defense website.
Tsunami may occur as a result of submarine earthquakes in the Pacific.
New Zealand has a number of volcanoes and some of these are nowadays tourist attractions. For more information see GeoNet.
Follow local news and follow the messages and advice of the New Zealand authorities in the event of a crisis.
Local emergency number is 111 for all inquiries.
In crisis and emergency situations, the public is encouraged to contact the Norwegian embassy in Canberra on tel: +61 2 6270 5700 or by e-mail: emb.canberra@mfa.no.
Outside the embassy’s opening hours, the public can contact the UD’s 24-hour operating center on tel: +47 23 95 00 00 or by e-mail: UDops@mfa.no
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs encourages anyone traveling to countries outside Europe and North America to register at http://www.reiseregistrering.no/. Travel registration is also recommended for anyone who is going to be abroad for an extended period of time, including students and other residents.
If a crisis occurs where there is reason to believe that family and friends may be concerned, the embassy encourages Norwegians in the affected areas to contact family members in Norway. Family members can also contact the local authorities in the affected areas. General precautions for natural disasters in Oceania can be found here.
Entry
Please note that entry regulations may change. The Foreign Service is not responsible if the following information on entry regulations or visa requirements is changed at short notice. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure that travel documents are valid for entry and to familiarize themselves with the current entry rules for each country.
New Zealand has decided that foreign travelers arriving in New Zealand from or via mainland China may be denied entry into the country. The background is the spread of the coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Read more about the decision and who is not covered by the Coronavirus update.
From 1 October 2019, Norwegian citizens must have an electronic entry permit (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority – NZeTA) in order to travel to or via New Zealand. NZeTA can take up to 72 hours to receive, and the permit must be granted before checking in on an aircraft or cruise ship. If you already have a valid visa or residence permit in New Zealand, you do not need NZeTA. If you travel to New Zealand before 1 October, you do not need NZeTA, although the departure date from New Zealand is after 1 October.
For further information, see the NZeTA New Zealand Immigration Authority website.
New Zealand requires a passport to be valid for at least three months after the scheduled departure date. Also note that countries in Asia most often require that the passport must be valid for at least six months at the time of travel for all travel via Asia. For travel via the USA, you must either have a machine-readable passport or a visa.
Norway has a bilateral agreement on working holiday visas with New Zealand, which gives Norwegian citizens under the age of 31 the right to stay and work in New Zealand for up to twelve months.
New Zealand has strict quarantine rules. Foods and articles of untreated wood, natural materials, skins and the like must be declared and approved by quarantine inspectors on arrival. Failure to declare will result in a fine on the spot. Pets such as dog and cat can only be imported after prior consent and valid papers.
Health
Coronavirus (covid-19): Due to the prevalence of the coronavirus, the New Zealand authorities have implemented measures for visitors, including: entry restrictions. It is per. 20.03.20, at 23:59 introduced entry refusal for foreign citizens (with some exceptions). Nor will it be possible to get transit via New Zealand airport.
Information about the measures can be read on the New Zealand Immigration website. Norwegian travelers should also keep abreast of the development of the corona virus, as well as follow the instructions and instructions of the New Zealand authorities.
You can find more information and guidance from the Norwegian health authorities on the website of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
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Health and sanitation are about the same as in Norway. No special vaccines are required for stays in New Zealand. The water can be drunk from the tap in the big cities. Bottled water is easily accessible. There are no toxic/ dangerous animals or insects in New Zealand. The sun in New Zealand can be very strong, and sun protection is recommended.
Practical information
According to allcitycodes, the area code for phone calls to New Zealand is +64. Time difference is ten hours at Norwegian summer time and twelve hours at Norwegian winter time. All regular credit cards are accepted at ATMs and shops/hotels. Vending machines are readily available in cities. It is not possible to withdraw money with foreign cards in stores.
Power uses 240 volts and three-point plugs. Adapters are normally available in stores.
Country code +64 with subsequent local area codes. Mobile coverage is good in cities, but partly poor in peripheral areas.
English and Maori are official languages. Passports are the only valid credentials for tourists. New Zealanders usually dress relatively formally at work, but informally in their spare time. Tips are common, but not necessary. In New Zealand it’s left-hand traffic. For short stays, Norwegian drivers’ licenses are accepted by authorities and car rental companies, but then official translation must be brought. More about the requirements for translation of foreign driving licenses for use in New Zealand can be found on the New residents and visitors website. It is also recommended to contact the relevant car rental company well in advance of arrival. New Zealand generally has strict laws against possession and use of drugs. As in Norway, smoking is not allowed indoors at restaurants, bars and cafes.
Banks are open from 09:30 to 16:30 Monday to Friday, but are closed on weekends. Public offices and shops are usually open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Many shops are open on Saturdays and some also on Sundays.
Here is an overview of the holidays and holidays: January 1 and 2 (New Year), February 6 (National Day), Good Friday, 1st and 2nd Easter Day, April 25 (Anzac Day), first Monday in June (Queen’s Birthday), Fourth Monday in October (Workers’ Day), December 25 and 26 (Christmas). If 1st Christmas Day or 1st New Year’s Day falls on a weekend, the following Monday is marked. If the 2nd Christmas or 2nd New Year’s Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, mark the following Monday or Tuesday.
For further information, Honorary Consulate General in Wellington and Honorary Consulate in Auckland can be contacted:
Royal Norwegian Consulate General Wellington
Deloitte House
PO Box 1990
Wellington
Tel: +64 4 471 2503
Fax: +64 4 472 8023
E-mail: norconsulgen@deloitte.co. nz
Royal Norwegian Consulate Auckland
c/o Wilhelmsen Ships Service Ltd.
PO Box 640 060 Birkenhead
Auckland 0746
Tel: +64 21 780 726
Fax: +64 9 356 2371
Email: royalncakl@gmail.com