New Zealand eGate Passport Control Access Now Available to 48 Nationalities Starting June 2025
New Zealand has officially expanded access to its high-tech eGate border system to 11 additional countries and territories, offering faster, smoother airport entry and exit experiences to even more international travelers.
This major announcement was made by the New Zealand Customs Service on May 26, 2025, after successful trials in collaboration with Immigration New Zealand. This new eGate access update brings the total number of eligible countries to 48, covering a wide range of visa-waiver nations across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania.
Who Are the New eGate-Eligible Countries Starting June 2025?
Travellers from the following 11 countries and regions can now breeze through New Zealand’s airports using eGate:
- Andorra
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Monaco
- Norway
- Vatican City
- Macau (SAR of China)
- Oman
- Kuwait
- Bahrain
- United Arab Emirates
These additions complement existing eligible countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, China (mainland), and many EU member states.
What Is eGate and How Does It Work?
eGate is an automated self-service system at major New Zealand airports that uses biometric facial recognition technology to verify your identity against the photograph stored in your ePassport.
It allows faster processing at immigration by letting travelers skip the manual passport checks — significantly cutting down queue times at busy terminals.
✅ Here’s How It Works:
- Scan your ePassport at the eGate kiosk.
- Stand still for the camera to take a facial recognition photo.
- The system matches your live image with the one stored in your passport’s chip.
- If the match is successful, the gate opens and you’re through in seconds!
Where Can You Use eGates in New Zealand?
eGates are available for both arriving and departing travelers at:
- Auckland Airport
- Wellington Airport
- Christchurch Airport
- Queenstown Airport
Who Can Use eGate?
You can use the eGate if:
- You are 10 years old or older.
- You have a valid ePassport from any of the 48 eligible countries.
- You’ve completed the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) online before arriving.
Important Tip: Make sure your appearance closely matches your passport photo. Remove any headwear or large glasses unless worn in your passport picture.
What Is the New Zealand Traveler Declaration (NZTD)?
Before passing through eGate, all incoming travelers must complete a New Zealand Traveler Declaration, which includes customs and health-related questions. You don’t need to print anything — the system checks your declaration electronically.
Submit your NZTD here: www.travellerdeclaration.govt.nz
Why This Expansion Matters?
According to Paul Williams, Acting Group Manager Border Operations, roughly 70% of all travelers in and out of New Zealand are now processed through eGates — a number expected to rise with this expansion.
“As we open New Zealand’s eGates to more countries, even more travellers will have the option of a self-service route. The goal is to reduce screening time and make border security smarter and faster,” said Williams.
The eGate expansion also enhances security by freeing up Customs officers to focus on high-risk travelers, illegal goods, and criminal activity like drug trafficking — making travel safer for all.
Full List of 48 eGate-Eligible Countries for eGate Access for June 2025
Here’s a complete alphabetical list for reference:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China (excluding Hong Kong), Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City.
References
- https://www.customs.govt.nz/personal/travel-to-and-from-nz/travelling-to-new-zealand/egate/
- https://www.customs.govt.nz/about-us/news/media-releases/customs-opens-egates-to-11-more-countries/.
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