Official advice for New Zealanders living and travelling overseas
The holiday period in December and January is peak season for international travel, and we wish all New Zealanders safe travels over the summer holidays. We have some advice for Kiwi travellers to consider before departure:
Major bushfires have been severely affecting parts of both New South Wales and Queensland. A State of Emergency was declared by the New South Wales Premier and a State of Fire Emergency was also declared across 42 Local Government Areas in Queensland. Both have since been lifted. Many residents in the affected areas in both states were issued a ‘leave immediately’ or ‘prepare to leave’ order. Severe bushfires have the potential to continue to occur throughout Australia during the summer period.
We have reviewed our advice and now advise New Zealanders to exercise increased caution while in Bolivia. Read our full advice on SafeTravel.
Major cities in India are currently experiencing severe levels of air pollution. Some of the most common health effects of air pollution include irritation of eyes, throat and lungs. For people with existing respiratory conditions such as asthma or bronchitis, breathing in air pollution can make these conditions worse.
Major wildfires have been severely affecting both Northern and Southern California. A state-wide state of emergency was declared by the California Governor in late October, and while it has since been lifted, the situation remains volatile due to extremely dry conditions.
After weeks of civil unrest, demonstrations are continuing in Santiago, Valparaíso city and other cities across Chile. Our level of advice has not changed. We continue to advise New Zealanders to exercise increased caution in Chile due to civil unrest.
Read what our advisory levels mean and the full advice on SafeTravel.
Widespread protests and demonstrations are ongoing in Catalonia, including in Barcelona, and are expected to continue for some time. Violent clashes have occurred between demonstrators and police resulting in injuries. During protests, strikes and demonstrations, transport services are likely to be affected and delays expected.
We advise New Zealanders in the area to:
Munich’s annual Oktoberfest beer festival is scheduled to take place this year between 21 September and 6 October 2019 in Bavaria, Germany. New Zealanders planning on attending this year’s festival should read this information in conjunction with our current travel advisory for Germany.
Before you go
All New Zealanders planning on attending Oktoberfest are encouraged to:
On 20 July British Airways announced that it was suspending its flights to Cairo for seven days as a security precaution. Lufthansa have announced similar measures for two flights. Other airlines may be affected. If you plan to travel to Egypt we advise you to contact your airline for further information.
If you are considering an international surrogacy arrangement, comprehensive information is available on the Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children website. We strongly encourage you to read the Fact Sheet on International Surrogacy.
If you are overseas for the purpose of surrogacy you should:
