After months of delay, the New Zealand Government has released details for the new border reopening plan. Photo / Getty Images
Fully vaccinated Kiwis will be able to bypass New Zealand's managed isolation at the border after Sunday, February 27.
This is one of five steps Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced this morning, which indicate how travel in and out of New Zealand will resume.
Here's what you need to know.
When can fully vaccinated people visit New Zealand without needing an MIQ spot?
Step 1: From 11.59pm on Sunday, February 27, fully vaccinated Kiwis and other currently eligible travellers will be able to travel to New Zealand from Australia and self-isolate instead of going into MIQ.
Step 2: At 11.59pm on Sunday, March 13, exemptions will be made for critical workers and skilled workers and their family members. They must earn at least 1.5 times the median wage to be eligible to enter New Zealand.
Step 3: From 11.59pm on April 12, the border will be extended to include an international student cohort of up to 5000 students for entry ahead of semester 2 and temporary visa holders who still meet relevant visa requirements.
Step 4: Penciled for "no later than July" by the Prime Minister, non-citizens can enter the country from visa-waiver countries such as Australia, the UK and the US.
There is a "high likelihood of its date coming forward", said Ardern.
The critical worker border exception will also be removed.
Step 5: From October all other visitors and students who require a visa to enter New Zealand, with normal visa processing resuming.
What will self-isolation look like?
Travellers will be asked to follow "broadly the same requirements we have in New Zealand for close contacts at the time of their travel", said Ardern.
Currently, returning New Zealanders need to self-isolate for 10 days. However, when the isolation period drops for close contacts in New Zealand (in phase two of the Omicron response), returnees will only need to isolate for 7 days.
Based on the MIQ and Ministry of Health websites, this is what travellers can expect.
Guidelines currently involve staying in a place that has access to a GP or Covid-19 testing centre, cellphone coverage/landline or Wi-Fi and contactless access to food and other essential supplies.
At the date of writing, advice from MIQ and the Ministry of Health about general self-isolation claims you can isolate in your home if you usually live in Auckland or Christchurch but cannot isolate with family or other household members.
People can self-isolate in temporary accommodations such as hotels, motels, campervan parks, holiday parks, Airbnbs or caravans but additional requirements apply. For example, it must be a private dwelling and property managers must be notified that you are self-isolating.
What tests will I need when I arrive into New Zealand?
All arrivals will be given three rapid antigen tests upon arrival at the airport, to take home.
One for use on day 0/1, and one for use on day 5/6, with one extra for backup.
"That gives us the best chance of identifying cases that have come across the border," Ardern said.
"If a positive result is returned at any point, returnees will be asked to get a follow-up PCR test at a community testing station.
"That will help us to monitor any possible variants that may emerge. It will also help us assess when it's safe to lift self-isolation requirements."
Travel from Australia to New Zealand
Fully vaccinated New Zealand citizens coming from Australia can return and skip MIQ from 11.59pm on Sunday, February 27.
Returning Kiwis must be fully vaccinated, which means having received two doses of a recognised Covid-19 vaccine.
Upon arrival, they will have to self-isolate for 10 or 7 days depending on what phase of the Omicron outbreak response New Zealand is in but will not need a space in a Government-run managed facility.
Travel from New Zealand to Australia
According to Australia's Department of Home Affairs, you can participate in quarantine-free travel from New Zealand to Australia if you meet certain eligibility requirements.
Excluding exemptions and special cases, people over 12 years old must:
— Be fully vaccinated, which means having had two doses of a recognised vaccine (with allowances for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children aged 12-17)
— Present a negative PCR or NAAT test taken within three days of the flight's scheduled departure to Australia or a medical certificate as evidence of a negative RAT taken under medical supervision within 24 hours of departure
— Provide a declaration that you have spent at least 14 days before travel in either Australia or New Zealand if you are not an Australian or New Zealand passport holder, or an eligible visa holder.
For the full eligibility requirements, see the Australia Department of Home Affairs website.
That being said, it's important to know that specific Covid-19 regulations and requirements will vary by state and territory in Australia.
Travelling to Victoria may be different to visiting New South Wales, so the Australian Government recommends checking quarantine arrangements with the relevant state or territory before making plans.
Does this mean Kiwis can travel internationally?
If the proposed plan goes ahead, fully vaccinated New Zealand citizens around the world will be able to return to the country without needing an MIQ spot.
Therefore, Kiwis would be able to travel somewhere other than Australia or the Cook Islands then return and self-isolate.
However, unfortunately, this won't be a return to the simple world of travel as we once knew it.
For a start, at the time of writing, Safe Travel has a "do not travel" advisory set for all destinations other than the Cook Islands. This "level 4 of 4" warning means, while people can travel, it may be extremely difficult to get any sort of travel insurance cover.
Additionally, what is required from travellers to visit varies drastically between countries and states and can change overnight in response to the pandemic. Some destinations will require booster shots, others have set expiration dates for vaccine passports and certain countries are still closed entirely to travellers.
What happens to MIQ?
The Defence Force will begin withdrawing from MIQ, with some hotels returning to traditional use to support the return of our tourists.
However, some will remain in use for "high-risk travellers, such as those who are unvaccinated", said Ardern.
Are all of these dates and details set in stone?
As demonstrated by the impact of Omicron on border reopening plans around the world, all information can be subject to change in response to Government updates.
Before making any travel plans, it is advised you check up-to-date information with specific businesses or Government platforms.
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