New Zealand to welcome travellers from visa-waiver countries including Singapore from May 1

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Mar 16 that vaccinated travellers from visa-waiver countries such as the UK, Japan, Korea and Singapore will be allowed to enter the country from May 1.

Vaccinated travellers from Australia will also be allowed to enter New Zealand two and a half weeks earlier on Apr 12.

Travellers visiting New Zealand are not required to isolate upon arrival. They are only required to have a pre-departure test and produce negative Antigen Rapid Tests (ART) on arrival and on the fifth day of their visit.

Ms Ardern stated that New Zealand is now “safe to open up” as the country is highly vaccinated and predicted to be off their Omicron peak. 

The New Zealand border will reopen much earlier than what was initially planned – which was to open it to Australians by July and to all other countries by October this year.

Ms Ardern added that the reopening of the New Zealand border after two years will “help accelerate the economic recovery from COVID-19” as the country welcomes back tourists and begins rebuilding their struggling tourism industry back up to pre-COVID-19 levels.