New Zealand Reopens Borders To Fully-Vaccinated Travellers in 2022

New Zealand is set to ease border restrictions for fully vaccinated Australians in early 2022.

The announcement on Wednesday, confirmed that the border will open to New Zealand citizens and visa holders coming from Australia from January 16.

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The move comes after New Zealand slammed their borders shut, locking out citizens and tourists at the start of the Covid pandemic.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced the first phase of the re-opening plans, calling it "the safest approach to ensure risk is carefully managed".

"Closing our border was one of the first steps we took to keep our country safe from Covid and it will be one of the last things we do in terms of opening up".

"We do know that the international restrictions we have had around our border have been tough for many people," he conceded.

“There continues to be a global pandemic with cases surging in Europe and other parts of the world, so we do need to be very careful when reopening the border.”

Minister Hipkins confirmed that travellers will still be required to "self-isolate at home for a week and test negative for the virus – but most will no longer have to pass through the country’s expensive and highly-space limited managed isolation facilities".

New Zealanders and visa holders in all other countries will be granted entry from February 13, while foreign travellers can enter from April 30.

All travellers must be double dosed, must self-isolate for seven days, and will need to undergo a Covid test upon arrival.

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