I’m going to the Pacific Islands – can I bring food back?
What happens if I don’t declare any goods on the list?
I’m from the UK and had some medication sent over from home. Why does Customs charge me extra for the medicine?
I’m going to the Pacific Islands – can I bring food back?
New Zealand has strict rules about bringing food or animals into the country. These rules help keep New Zealand free from diseases and pests. There are some foods you can’t bring into the country, and some you have to declare (make customs aware of) first - if you declare the food then you might be allowed to keep it.
You’re not allowed to bring any of these products into the country:
- avian meat (e.g. chicken, turkey) or eggs
- fresh fruit, vegetables or fungi
- honey, pollen, propolis, honeycombs or other bee products
- live animals, pets, birds, bird’s eggs, fish or insects
- live plants, plant cuttings, bulbs, corms, rhizomes or tubers
- fresh cut flowers or foliage
- lei, or lei materials
- straw packaging
- coral, ivory, snakeskin, crocodile products or whale bone, including ornaments, jewellery, souvenirs and handicrafts
- clam, turtle or tortoise shells
You have to declare any:
- meat, fish or shellfish
- egg products
- milk, milk powder, butter, cheese or milk-based baby foods
- dried fruit or vegetables
- noodles or rice
- nuts, seeds, unpopped popcorn, herbs or spices
- seeds for planting, including those commercially packaged
- dried mushrooms or fungi
- plant material or items made from plants
- herbal remedies, health supplements or homeopathic remedies that include animal or plant products
- dried flower arrangements
- items stuffed with seeds or straw
- items made of bamboo, cane, coconut or straw
- wooden items, drums, carvings, spears or masks
- items made of hair, fur, unprocessed wool, skin, feathers or bone
- hunting trophies or stuffed animals
- clothing and footwear used around animals, animal equipment, grooming or veterinary equipment, saddles, bridles and birdcages
- outdoor, camping, sports equipment, and hiking boots or other sporting footwear which could be contaminated with soil, seeds or water
When you come back to New Zealand, you have to fill out a passenger arrival card. This card tells you what you can and can’t keep, and what you have to declare in case you’re not sure about anything. More information is available on the Biosecurity website and in a quick guide.
What happens if I don’t declare any goods on the list?
If you don’t declare quarantine-risk goods you can be fined up to $100,000 and you could face up to five years in prison. People who don’t declare risk goods can get an instant fine of $400.
More information about fines is available on the Biosecurity website.
I’m from the UK and had some medication sent over from home. Why do Customs charge me extra for the medicine?
Whenever anything comes into the country, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) have to check to see whether the goods are OK to bring in. They charge for the time spent checking the goods, and the amount charged depends on the product itself. There is a list of the costs available on the Biosecurity website and more information about getting goods sent into the country is also on their website.