henrus

Are they getting rid of the separate transit holding area from Auckland airport or is that still a thing?

tauphi

It's still a thing. Remember foreigners are still banned from entering NZ, only NZ citizens/residents are allowed to enter.

damoslim

Hi there, my daughter and I are travelling to NZ from the U.K. at the start of April. We transit in SFO where we’ll have to go through customs. According to the Nz requirements this means that we’ll have to have our pre-testing within 24h/48h (antigen/pcr) of the departure from SFO.

This wouldn’t be too much of a problem but I’ve written to the PM and cabinet office email and they wrote back to say we’d also have to test in the US. This doesn’t make any sense to me and I’ve read the relevant legislation / Director-General’s gazette or whatever it is, and there’s no mention that the test has to be conducted in the country of your last departure. I’ve written back and unfortunately they’re not as quick to reply this time! Problem is, with just 7 hours in SFO we’re going to have to pay for a rapid pcr ($250 a head) or get a cab to a nearby pharmacy. Bit of a pain, and it could all go horribly wrong if flight delayed (or - worse - if it’s positive!)

(Other relevant info: vaccinated, nz citizens).

Anyone have any other info? I think we’re in the clear but I just can’t find anything that goes into much detail about landside transit requirements.

thanks
Damian

malmostoso

You're highlighting here something that I hadn't considered.

If you check here you'll see that when you select "no" to staying airside the wording is pretty clear:
(emphasis mine)

So I think that yes, you'll have to get a test in SFO. I'd be surprised if there's not an option at the airport to get a RAT in a few minutes.

Hopefully someone will weigh in to confirm or deny.
Have a great trip!

Mwenenzi

Is LHR-SFO-AKL-WLG all on 1 ticket?
My understanding was testing before first flight (but may be incorrect).
But a USA formal entry (immigration/customs) may hamper that.USA does not have the concept of transit (airside or landside)
7hrs to get PCR/RAT and with written results at SFO area could be tough.
Would be better if the pre departure test for USA could also be used for NZ entry.

NZ Govt-->Pre-departure tests to enter New Zealand (Last updated: 14 March 2022 at 10:06 am)
(my red high light)
Some of these NZ govt web pages are changing frequently - daily.

Edit
https://www.flysfo.com/travel-well/covid-19-testingBook now !

Silver Fox

This really is not my definition of a country that is open. No wonder her stock has fallen quite considerably.. And I'll say it before the usual bedwetters do: "deaths are low"....

damoslim

Ah, funnily enough I’d read that but not interpreted in that way. I’d thought it meant the specific requirements depended on where you’d transited through but not that the test would have to be stamped there. But maybe that was wishful thinking!

I also read the gazette from Director-General (I’m too noob to post link). No mention there of where the test has to be done - just the timeframes. Feels like a lot of US transits could be caught out by this!

Many thanks for helping out

Beckett66

You wouldn't currently need an extra test in the USA, although this could always change. As a regular traveller not coming from a group 1 country (some Pacific Islands), you're a "General traveller-Z" covered by Schedule 14 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order 2021. Schedule 14 applies clause 14 of that order:

Clause 14 requires you to get a "COVID-19 test within the specified period" before you arrive. The specified period for a General traveller-Z is defined in this Director-General notice:

The requirement is:

• A PCR test with a specified period of 48 hours before the person’s journey to New Zealand begins.
• A LAMP test supervised by a health professional with a specified period of 24 hours before the person’s journey to New Zealand begins.
• A RAT supervised by a health professional with a specified period of 24 hours before the person’s journey to New Zealand begins.

And the notice says:

... a journey may include a multi-leg journey. A traveller is taken to have begun their multi-leg journey:

• on the traveller’s first international departure; or
• if the person stays after that first international departure in any country or other place for more than 72 hours, on their international departure from the country or other place at which the person most recently stayed for 72 hours or more before arriving in New Zealand.

So as long as you don't stay in the USA for >72 hours, you're fine.

Mwenenzi

Unfortunately the NZ Govt web page most people would refer to does not mention the "multi-leg journey" and "if the person stays after that first international departure in any country or other place for more than 72 hours, on their international departure from the country or other place at which the person most recently stayed for 72 hours or more before arriving in New Zealand"
But has the selection buttons to clarity (confuse?) the requirements
Many people coming into NZ will be/have been on a "multi-leg journey"

https://covid19.govt.nz/internationa...r-new-zealand/

tauphi

As the test rule is enforced by the airlines I think the only thing that matters is what TIMATIC says.

malmostoso

The links you post are very informative and clear, thanks!

One must hope that the check in agent at SFO is equally well informed!

Kiwi Flyer

I had a similar question with my return to NZ next week. Last week it took me ages to find the details from the gazette. The info was not on the governments main covid website, or the ministry of health covid website.

I have printed out a copy to show airline agents if they give me grief about being tested in the originating country only and not the transit country.

damoslim

I was thinking about printing out too. I wonder if you’d be able to pop back in here and let me know how it worked out for you?

Thanks to everyone for their responses!

Mwenenzi

As anticipated opening up to AU from 13 April & many other countries on 01 May. About 60 visa waiver countries.

NZ Govt When New Zealand's borders open [update 16 march 11:34]
From AU is only for "Australian citizens and permanent residents." Not other people who have been in AU for say 14 days. AU is open to the world, so getting in visitors.

(rnz.co.nz)--->Jacinda Ardern gives update on border reopening
From a travellers view (ExecTrav AU)--->New Zealand to welcome back Australian travellers from April 13

tauphi

There is one gotcha for travelling to NZ though, their age cutoff for pre-flight Covid testing is 2 years old. That's significantly lower than most countries in the world.