New Zealand exists as an island nation surrounded by sea and it is a nation that is lucky to be free of many pests and disease. Due to this if you wish to import items to New Zealand during your move over there you have to ensure that your items are checked and abide by the correct Import Health Standards. To make this process a lot quicker and smooth we compiled a list of some of the things that are prohibited and items that are restricted.
Items that are prohibited from being imported into New Zealand include:
- Animals, Insects, Fish, Reptiles, Birds etc
- Weapons and Firearms.
- Milk, Meat, Eggs
- Noodles and Rice
- Fresh fruit and vegetables
- Coral, ivory, snakeskin or whale bone including ornaments, jewellery, souvenirs and handicrafts
- Clam, turtle and tortoise shells
Animal products such as shells and coral cannot be brought into New Zealand without the correct CITES documentation. This is due to the fact that New Zealand is part of a worldwide agreement to prevent trade in endangered species.
There are many items that you are permitted to ship to New Zealand that will not need to be declared and that you are free to import; however if you are unsure about any items it is important that you keep them either in a separate luggage bag or at the very top of your main bag. This enables the quarantine officer to inspect them quicker and will avoid you being on the receiving end of a fine. Some examples of items that you will need to declare for inspection due to them being restricted are as follows:
- Seeds and plant cuttings
- Dried flowers
- Items made from plants
- Items made from bamboo, cane, coconut and straw
- Items made from hair, fur, unprocessed wool, feathers and bone
- Stuffed animals
- Animal equipment including grooming and veterinary equipment as well as saddles and birdcages
Other items that you wish to ship to New Zealand and that will become inspected include camping equipment such as tents, which need to be cleaned so that there are no materials on the inside of it. Also all of the tent pegs and poles need to be thoroughly cleaned so that there is no soil left on them. All hiking footwear should also be properly cleaned and are highly likely to be inspected; this is why it is important that footwear should be placed in an easily accessible place.
As well as camping equipment, fishing equipment and watersports accessories are also going to be inspected and may be restricted. All freshwater activity equipment such as life vests, dive suits and water vessels, as well as fishing equipment including rods, reels, tackle boxes, nets and waders should be clean and free of organic residue and comply with the conditions of the Import Health Standard.If you are currently planning a move to New Zealand and have many items that need to be imported it is important to ensure that you have checked the Import Health Standard’s prohibited and restrictions section to ensure that you are able to do so.
