New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, declared on Wednesday that the country’s borders will reopen – months ahead of schedule.
From 11.59 p.m. on April 12, fully vaccinated Australians will be allowed entry, and visitors will not be required to isolate.
“We’re ready to welcome the world back,” Ardern said. “Now that we’re highly vaccinated and predicted to be off our Omicron peak, it’s now safe to open up.”
From midnight on May 1, fully vaccinated tourists from “visa-waiver” countries like as the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, and Germany will be welcomed back to New Zealand.
Travelers must still show a negative COVID-19 test before departure and two quick antigen tests within a week of arrival, but they will not be required to isolate.
In recent weeks, New Zealand has continued to reduce its reopening timeline and standards. It claimed in February that tourists wouldn’t be allowed to return until July, but that was only the worst-case scenario.
According to Auckland Airport, there are currently 13 airlines flying to 25 overseas destinations from New Zealand, down from 29 carriers pre-pandemic.
