Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade refreshed its Smartraveller advice for New Zealand on 19 December 2025 (current as at 21 December), keeping the destination at the lowest ‘Exercise normal safety precautions’ level but inserting a sharp reminder: every arriving passenger must complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) before clearing passport control.
The NZTD, introduced this year to replace paper arrival cards, captures biosecurity and customs data electronically and is mandatory for all travellers, including Australians who enjoy visa-free entry. Failure to lodge the form online or via the mobile app can lead to airport delays and, in some cases, infringement notices of up to NZ$400. Airlines have begun compliance checks at check-in, and those who arrive unregistered are channelled into manual processing lanes at Auckland and Christchurch, adding 30–45 minutes to peak-time clearance.
![Travel advisory reminds Australians of compulsory NZ Traveller Declaration]()
Travellers seeking a hassle-free way to stay compliant can use VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/), which now offers step-by-step guidance for completing the NZTD alongside visa and ETA services for more than 200 destinations. The platform lets individuals and corporate mobility teams upload supporting documents, track real-time status updates and store QR codes in one secure dashboard, trimming valuable minutes off pre-departure admin.
For mobility managers co-ordinating Trans-Tasman assignments, the advisory is a timely prompt to update pre-departure checklists: assignees should complete the NZTD 24–72 hours before travel, retain the QR code confirmation and have their onward address and biosecurity disclosures handy. Employers should integrate NZTD completion into corporate travel-booking workflows, alongside ETA approvals for the United States and Japan.
The advisory also reiterates standard seismic and weather warnings for New Zealand, but DFAT sources stress that the NZTD is the only regulatory change likely to catch frequent flyers unaware over the summer holiday period. With passenger volumes forecast to exceed 2019 levels on several Trans-Tasman routes in January, failure to comply could have ripple effects for connecting flights onward to North America and South America.
The NZTD, introduced this year to replace paper arrival cards, captures biosecurity and customs data electronically and is mandatory for all travellers, including Australians who enjoy visa-free entry. Failure to lodge the form online or via the mobile app can lead to airport delays and, in some cases, infringement notices of up to NZ$400. Airlines have begun compliance checks at check-in, and those who arrive unregistered are channelled into manual processing lanes at Auckland and Christchurch, adding 30–45 minutes to peak-time clearance.
Travellers seeking a hassle-free way to stay compliant can use VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/), which now offers step-by-step guidance for completing the NZTD alongside visa and ETA services for more than 200 destinations. The platform lets individuals and corporate mobility teams upload supporting documents, track real-time status updates and store QR codes in one secure dashboard, trimming valuable minutes off pre-departure admin.
For mobility managers co-ordinating Trans-Tasman assignments, the advisory is a timely prompt to update pre-departure checklists: assignees should complete the NZTD 24–72 hours before travel, retain the QR code confirmation and have their onward address and biosecurity disclosures handy. Employers should integrate NZTD completion into corporate travel-booking workflows, alongside ETA approvals for the United States and Japan.
The advisory also reiterates standard seismic and weather warnings for New Zealand, but DFAT sources stress that the NZTD is the only regulatory change likely to catch frequent flyers unaware over the summer holiday period. With passenger volumes forecast to exceed 2019 levels on several Trans-Tasman routes in January, failure to comply could have ripple effects for connecting flights onward to North America and South America.
