Welcome to Hamilton Airport
We are the gateway to the magic of the Mighty Waikato and the Central North Island of New Zealand.
We're pleased to provide the following information to make your arrival into our beautiful country as easy as possible.
New Zealand Traveller Declaration
Everyone travelling into New Zealand MUST complete a free New Zealand Traveller Declaration.
You can complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration whenever it suits you (up to 24 hours before you start your journey to New Zealand), and it can be done online or via the NZTD app. If you are a New Zealand visa or NZeTA holder, you still need to complete a Traveller Declaration.
The New Zealand Traveller Declaration collects the Customs, Immigration, and Biosecurity information of travellers. The online form aims to help arriving international passengers move through the airport more efficiently and improve the safety and security of New Zealand.
If you are carrying NZ$10,000 or more in cash and/or foreign currency equivalent you must notify a Customs Officer.
Your declaration will be checked when you arrive and any goods you’ve declared will be inspected by a Ministry for Primary Industries officer after you’ve cleared Passport Control and collected your bags. Please note: your bags may be sniffed by detector dogs, X-rayed or searched.
Immigration
For the most current immigration information please refer to the Immigration New Zealand website or call:
Freephone within NZ only: 0508 558 855
Phone from overseas: 0064 9 914 4100
Customs
You must tick ‘Yes’ in the Customs section of your New Zealand Traveller Declaration if you are bringing any of the following into New Zealand:
Items that are banned or controlled, including weapons, drug paraphernalia (e.g. bongs or hash pipes), objectionable content, illegal wildlife products, or drugs.
Any goods exceeding your NZ$700 personal allowance, including gifts.
Tobacco or alcohol above the permitted limits (see below).
Items intended for business, trade, or resale.
Goods you're carrying for someone else.
NZ$10,000 or more in cash (or the equivalent in another currency).
Cigarettes, cigars, tobacco
50 cigarettes, or
50 grams of cigars, or
50 grams of tobacco products, or a mixture of all three.
Alcoholic beverages
up to six bottles (4.5 litres) of wine, champagne, port or sherry
up to twelve cans (4.5 litres) of beer
three bottles (or other containers) each containing not more than 1.125ml of spirits, liqueur, or other spirituous beverages
Please note: if you bring in more than the allowances above, you will incur Customs charges. For more information click here.
There are severe penalties for failing to declare articles that are prohibited, restricted or for which you are required to pay duty/sales tax.
For the most accurate information about what can and cannot be brought into New Zealand and what you need to declare, please refer to the New Zealand Customs Service website or call:
Freephone within NZ only: 0800 4 CUSTOMS (0800 428 786)
Phone from overseas: 0064 9 300 5399
Biosecurity
Biosecurity checks at airports protect New Zealand’s vital primary sectors, economy, and unique biodiversity from damaging and costly pests and diseases. New Zealand’s $57 billion primary sector export industry is directly protected by these checks and other parts of the biosecurity system.
International travellers are asked to understand the importance of protecting New Zealand and its economy when their bags are checked or when they are required to answer questions from biosecurity officers.
Here’s what you need to know:
Biosecurity officers identify travellers and goods of biosecurity interest using risk assessments and tools such as x-ray screening, detector dogs, and baggage searches.
Travellers must declare or dispose of risk items before or upon arrival in New Zealand.
The penalty for an unintentional false declaration is an NZD$400 infringement fee. Those who deliberately make an incorrect or false declaration may be prosecuted.
Travellers carrying risk items may experience longer processing times.
Travellers can check what they can bring at www.biosecurity.govt.nz/travel
It only takes one moment to check your luggage for forgotten risk items.
New Zealanders can assist by informing friends or family visiting from overseas about New Zealand’s biosecurity requirements.
You must complete your New Zealand Traveller Declaration as outlined above. You must also declare all risk items, such as food, plants, wooden products, soil, water, outdoor equipment, and animal products so they can be assessed and we can prevent any pests or diseases entering New Zealand. Remember, there are instant fines if you fail to declare risk goods. To access an online tool that will help you decide if your items constitute a risk, click here.
For the most current immigration information please refer to the Ministry of Primary Industries website or call:
Freephone within NZ only: 0800 00 83 33
Phone from overseas: +64 4 830 1574
Exotic pests and diseases: 0800 80 99 66
Duty and tax-free shopping
Voyage Duty Free operates the duty and tax-free store at Hamilton Airport.
Please note: you will not be able to shop duty-free on arrival back into New Zealand. You can however, purchase via "click and collect" - either online or at the store before you leave - and on arrival back to Hamilton Airport the items you have ordered will be available for collection - you will pass the Click & Collect location on your way to baggage claim.
Shop online from a range of spirits, fragrances, jewellery, gifts, skincare and more here.
Duty Free goods can be pre-ordered online (click image above) and collected at our Click & Collect point when you arrive. There is no Duty Free store available on entry. If you are leaving New Zealand, there is a physical Duty Free store to purchase from.
