lmk

DH and I have been in NZ since February 26, 2020. We are South African residents until late 2023 but are US citizens traveling on US passports. We are retirees, active, in mid-50s but I do have asthma and weak lungs so avoiding COVID-19 is a high priority, as is access to reasonably good health care. We have health insurance that covers hospitalizations in most major cities throughout the world.

When NZ and South Africa went into lockdown in late March we decided to stay here in NZ and spent the first couple of months in Queenstown, hiking and enjoying the autumn. As NZ reopened for domestic travel we toured the South Island, and when winter arrived we headed to the North Island in search of warmer weather, traveling extensively. We are now in the far "winterless north" of NZ being buffeted by gale force winds and rain for the past four days.

Our NZ visas expire September 25 and it is unclear if we will be allowed to renew/extend them so we are trying to do some contingency planning. We do not want to go back to the US or South Africa under current circumstances with virus cases still climbing (and with the alcohol ban in South Africa still in effect), but eventually do plan to return to our holiday home on a wildlife reserve in rural South Africa (near Kruger NP). The trans-Tasman bubble does not appear to be materializing soon, which we had previously thought might be a possibility. If we have to leave NZ due to expiration of our visas in late Sept. we are now entertaining the idea of going elsewhere, perhaps in southern Europe, for a few months (90 days). We realize we would likely need to quarantine for 14 days and/or present negative covid tests. The IATA rules vary so much and are confusing, as some refer to where you're "arriving from" (e.g. NZ, or where you transit through on the way?) whereas others refer to citizenship or country of residence or long-term visa holders (without defining what "long term" means -- e.g. if our current NZ visitors visas are from Feb. 26-Septemer 25 2020, are those considered long-term?)

Apparently we should not have a problem getting into Turkey or the UK (depending on where/how we transit -- one option might be via AKL-BKK on Thai if that route restarts?). It looks like Croatia would take us if we have confirmed tourist bookings. I think Switzerland is a possibility. Our first choices would be Greece or Italy but according to the IATA rules, or depending on how they are enforced/interpreted, I am not confident they would let us in.

Thoughts?

Mwenenzi

Have you made enquiries for extending your tourist visa? In this time NZ is as it safe its gets for Covid-19
But in NZ little will happen until after the 19th Sept general election. Any (political) decision could cost votes

Would be surprised if any country would consider a tourist visa as a long term visa.
Different countries have different rules as to passport/residency/transit/been somewhere for X days.
General Coronavirus-related travel resources
https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/int...1580226297.htm

orbitmic

I can't find where the last person has left the crystal ball - we'll need it for that one OP, unfortunately, things are so volatile at the moment that it's really hard to impossible to guess what regulations will be for the period which you are interested in. In fairness, coming from NZ, you probably stand a better chance to get whatever most favourable regimes will be at the time, but it's still nearly impossible to know which countries will be open at all, especially with cases picking up in various parts of the world (and of course, you never know if New Zealand's excellent streak might be interrupted at some point as has been the case for Victoria).

What I would say is that when you look at regulations, and again notwithstanding the fact that those can change at any time, your entitlements are more likely to be based on your place of origin and legal residency than by your citizenship alone, which in our case, is likely to be an advantage.

I'd agree with the post above that extending your stay is likely to be the only transaction that might give you some certainty early on if it is approved. Any "new" destination and you will likely be worrying about whether you'll still be able to get in till a few days before your planned departure date.

MDTyKe

I would definitely recommend contacting Immigration NZ to see about extending - it's probably one of the safer spots, unless you wanted to come to Hawaii and quarantine here (I'd avoid Oahu, but the other islands have pretty minimal numbers of cases).

PS: Beautiful part of South Africa by the way. I was at a private reserve next to Kruger (flew into Hoedspruit) just as this whole Corona thing started to happen; would go back in a heartbeat.

lmk

Hoedspruit is our home! We live on a wildlife reserve there with giraffe, zebras, wildebeest, etc. -- we miss our home so much!

garykung

Definitely extend your visa.

Even there is no blanket extension, many countries have been compassionate about the COVID-19 situation. As soon as you have the mean to stay, i.e. money, NZ will not reject the visa extension as of now.

Mwenenzi

Thousands of people in NZ wanting another visa extension (various visa types) Many will have little money.
03 Aug 2020----> Backpackers beg for visa extension, fearing Covid-19 if they have to leave NZ
03 Aug 2020----> Foreigners stranded in NZ call for extension to visas
20 Mar 2020----> Coronavirus: NZ will be 'flexible, compassionate' to temporary visa holders

lmk

Yes, we are going to try to extend our NZ visas and will reach out this week when back in Auckland area. Fingers crossed. But eventually we will need to go somewhere...it is the lack of certainty that is worrying, although we are happy to be healthy and safe here.

orbitmic

Sure, but ultimately, the only certainty is (and has been from the start) your ability to go home to a place where you have either citizenship or legal residency (in your case, that's two different places). Much of the world is explicitly trying to limit unnecessary incoming travel unless absolutely safe, and this will remain the case (and possibly even worsen) for months to come. The type of travel you are considering is one that is of course perfectly legitimate in perfect time, but unfortunately very much ticks the "unnecessary" box, so uncertainty will remain till the last minute as to whether you are considered "absolutely safe" at the time of entry.

So that's basically the trade off. You get some certainty if you were to return to one of the two countries where your trip would be considered essential (US and South Africa) but where you do not wish to go for perfectly understandable reasons; everywhere else, you are a "non essential" and thus uncertainty is and will remain the rule of the game for the foreseeable future.

rabble

Don't leave. Your NZ visa will be extended.

kiwifrequentflyer

I think, given you have plenty of money, the New Zealand government will probably extend your visa just fine, they have been extending a lot of visas. It is in the interest of NZ to do so, really.

Mwenenzi

04 Sept 2020 (rnz.co.nz)---> Covid-19 visa extensions allow visitors, migrants more time
OP last posted on FT on 17 Aug 2020. Last visited FT yesterday (from profile)

Edit
NZ Government web site---> COVID-19: Key updates
But check the details

lmk

Just saw this news, thanks for flagging, as we had not seen any such announcement. (Of course this is after we spent hundreds of dollars on our new visa application and hundreds more getting chest x-rays...oh well...just happy the issue is apparently being sorted as we are not the only ones in this situation!)