Immigration at the border

How Immigration New Zealand (INZ) collaborates with border agencies and others to protect the New Zealand border.

Our role at the border

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) works to protect New Zealand’s border in collaboration with border agencies, such as New Zealand Customs Service, Ministry of Primary Industries and other border stakeholders. We aim to strike the balance between helping genuine travellers enjoy their stay in New Zealand while managing the increasing demand on our border protection services.

Border Officers

Our Border Officers use their expertise and systems to make sure all passengers travelling to and arriving in New Zealand have the right to do so. They assess and screen passengers to help legitimate travellers enter the country, while keeping any immigration risks overseas. Our Border Officers also work with passengers referred by other agencies to make sure they have the right to enter New Zealand.

Airline Liaison Officers

Airline Liaison Officers (ALOs) add another layer to our approach to managing immigration risks at the border. They are currently based at airports in 4 countries around the world and help support airlines and their passengers to meet New Zealand’s entry requirements.

Entry to New Zealand

Anyone coming to New Zealand temporarily must satisfy us they meet all the requirements at the time they travel to New Zealand. If they do not, they may be denied boarding their flight to New Zealand or refused entry when they get here.

Key statistics

In the 2024/25 financial year:

• 6.5 million passengers arrived in New Zealand, of which 2.8 million were New Zealand citizens.
• 2,944 passengers were offloaded from flights inbound to New Zealand.
• 462 passengers were turned around at the New Zealand border.
• INZ issued infringement notices to airlines for 131 offences and $263,000 in fines.

The table below shows key statistics at the Border from 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025.

Being denied boarding

Passengers can be denied boarding a flight to New Zealand while still overseas. At check-in, we screen passenger details against its database to determine eligibility to travel. Based on this screening, airlines receive a directive such as “Okay to Board,” “Board with Outward Ticket,” or “Do Not Board.” If concerns are identified, border officers or Airline Liaison Officers may step in to review travel documents and conduct interviews to assess the traveller’s intent. Those who are not considered genuine may be denied boarding. This process ensures that only travellers who meet all legal, health, and character requirements are allowed to travel to New Zealand.

The main reasons people are denied boarding include:

• We have identified concerns which must be mitigated before the traveller is allowed to travel to New Zealand.
• The passenger requires a visa to travel to New Zealand but does not hold one or it is not valid because it has expired or been used.
• The passenger requires a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) but does not hold one or does not hold a valid one because it is expired or the incorrect type.
• The passenger presents a passport that is recorded as being lost/stolen/invalidated or the passenger’s identity is in serious doubt.
• The passenger is unable to meet entry requirements for New Zealand.

Being refused entry to New Zealand

People who do not meet requirements may also refused entry to New Zealand and turned around before they can leave the airport. Being refused entry is generally as a result of a referral from Customs, which manages the frontline processing of arriving passengers. These referrals are largely due to a misrepresentation of intentions (for example, declaring to come for a holiday but instead intending to work) and/or circumstances in their home country (such as declaring ownership of a large business or ongoing employment when in fact this is not the case).

The key difference between being denied boarding and being refused entry lies in timing. A denied boarding decision happens overseas, before the traveller boards their flight, while a traveller may be refused entry to New Zealand if they arrive in New Zealand but are not permitted to enter the country. A traveller refused entry will be placed on the next available flight back.

Carriers' obligations

Commercial carriers flying to New Zealand are subject to obligations under the Immigration Act 2009. Some of these obligations include:

• to provide to Immigration New Zealand Advance Passenger Processing (APP) data for every person (passengers and crew) who intends to board a craft traveling to or from New Zealand before boarding
• to comply with APP boarding directives, and
• to check people travelling to New Zealand hold the required documentation for immigration purposes.

This prevents carriers from bringing people to New Zealand who may be excluded, considered ineligible to enter New Zealand or who may otherwise pose a threat to New Zealand.

Additionally, carriers have obligations to provide Immigration New Zealand with passengers’ booking information and to facilitate travel out of New Zealand for any passengers who are not eligible to enter the country.

Failing to meet their obligations may result in infringements and/or prosecution.

Infringement fees range from NZ$ 1000 to 5000 and prosecutions may result in convictions of imprisonment for up to three months and/or fines of up to NZ$ 50,000.

Since 2011 there have been 15 prosecutions against airlines for failing to comply with their obligations under the Immigration Act 2009. The airlines involved were all found guilty and ordered to pay fines ranging from NZ$ $5,000 to $12,000.