International Arrival Information
There are several legal requirements you, your crew, and your vessel will need to meet to enter New Zealand. All vessels entering or leaving New Zealand must abide by the New Zealand Customs Service and Immigration New Zealand regulations.
New Zealand Customs Service
The New Zealand Customs Service is a state-sector organisation whose role is to provide border control for our country.
All yachts and other small vessels must provide specific information to the New Zealand Customs Service before entering or leaving New Zealand waters.
It is recommended that all New Zealand Customs documentation is completed before departing the country you are leaving. Advance notice of arrival documentation must be provided to New Zealand Customs when your vessel is three days from arriving in New Zealand waters.
You may want to email all documentation to a trusted friend or family member or a shoreside support team such as Urban Sea and request them to release the documents to New Zealand Customs when you are three days from arrival.
Do you need a Visitor’s Visa?
Only those nationalities who are not on the New Zealand Immigration waiver list need to apply for a Visitor’s Visa before arriving. When arriving by air a NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) is required before arrival.
Urban Sea Shoreside Support
Port Nikau’s shoreside support supplier, Urban Sea, can assist with the customs and immigration process for vessels entering or leaving New Zealand. They are conveniently based on the Main Wharf at Port Nikau to help give clients the best of what the Whangārei marine industry has to offer, for cruising and refit purposes.
Customs arrival process
The documentation you will need to provide to Customs includes:
- Scanned passport copies for everyone on board
- Registration of vessel
- Proof of insurance
- Identifiable and recent photographs of the vessel
- Evidence of value of the vessel, if the vessel is foreign (these can consist of a Bill of Sale and Broker Evaluation)
All documents should be sent to: yachts@customs.govt.nz
When you are 24 hours or 12 nautical miles from arrival at the Port of Entry, you must call Maritime New Zealand on channel 16 to advise of your arrival time, then contact your marina for dock allocation.
The Ports of Entry closest to Port Nikau are Opua in the Bay of Islands or Marsden Cove in Whangārei.
Upon clearance, Customs will issue offshore vessels with a yellow TIE (Temporary Import Entry) form. Keep a copy of this with you while purchasing locally, as a lot of the local businesses and marinas will honour the GST (Goods & Services Tax) exemption for any boat-related purchases.
Biosecurity
New Zealand has strict biosecurity rules. This applies to biofouling and ballast water, as well as to any other hitchhiking weeds or pests that may be onboard your boat that could harm New Zealand’s wildlife.
Before arriving, dispose of all contraband food at least 12 miles offshore. New Zealand is very strict and will confiscate meats, fruit, vegetables and honey, along with other items that can be found on the Ministry of Primary Industries website.
Once in New Zealand, you will go through a Six-Step Biosecurity process, including an inspection. If you are staying 21 days or longer, you must provide evidence of biofouling management before you arrive.
Leaving New Zealand
Just as you need to dock at a Port of Entry, you must also depart from a designated Customs port. We recommend that you complete your departure forms and return them to Customs three days before your departure.
The documentation that will be required for New Zealand Customs includes:
- Passports for everyone on board
- A recent and identifiable photo of the yacht
When New Zealand Customs has approved your clearance, you must depart immediately. If there is an emergency and you can’t depart, you must advise New Zealand Customs immediately.
If your craft is registered in New Zealand, you will need a safety inspection certificate from Yachting New Zealand to satisfy Maritime New Zealand requirements.
Explore Port Nikau Marine
For Superyachts
Port Nikau is a deep-water marina with established facilities to accommodate four superyachts up to 90 meters.
Recreational Vessels
Port Nikau is well established as a base for recreational vessel owners, with newly built piers, modern laundry and showers, a BBQ area and plenty of parking.
Stay in Whangārei
We’ve put together these guides to help boat owners and crews from around the world make the most of their time here in Whangārei.