Getting Through Immigration

Just Out of interest..

I was wondering what getting through immigration will be like when we arrive in Auckland? Is it very thorough, ie will they go through all our stuff etc? Just trying to get an idea of everything so there aren't any major surprises!

it is not customs you have to worry about it is MAF. make sure any outdoor equipment (walking boots, tents etc) is scrupulously clean and declare them. Do not try and take any unprocessed food with you, any left over appled etc from the trip, leave them on the plane. If you catch a cute little dog sniffing and wagging its tail at your bag, then be prepared to have is searched, not for drugs, but for food. We found it was quicker declaring something to go through the red MAF route than it would have been going through the green chanel.

On that note we intended going through the red door, as Ian has golf clubs to declare. Can anyone confirm money you can take in... We only planned to travel with a few NZ dollars but take some in travellers cheques. Do customs count TCheques as cash when declaring any money?

I think you are only allowed $10,000 to take through undeclared.

Any advice appreciated.

Oh and are the kids safe to take their teddies through, or will they rip them apart to search for drugs? :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif

[quote:b9c43c2fe6="saraian"]Do customs count TCheques as cash when declaring any money?

I think you are only allowed $10,000 to take through undeclared.

Any advice appreciated.[/quote:b9c43c2fe6]


Why don't you open an NZ HSBC account before you go, it will work out much cheaper than travellers cheques, credit cards will work out cheaper than travellers cheques. You can open a sterling and dollar account with HSBC in NZ, also credit cards, cheque books etc. If you get yourself an IRD number they will tax any interest at the standard rate rather than the higher rate without btw you should have got your IRD numbers by now anyway.

Yep thought of that one a little too late. Need at least 6 weeks to open one. Phoned 2 weeks ago!

Cheers though.

Ok next suggestion
keep your UK credit cards and some money in UK, spend everything on credit cards, withdraw largish amounts of cash from cash machines (you get charged about ?1.75 per transaction) then when you are NZ open your bank accounts and sort everything out.

btw don't expect your chip and pin cards to accept your pin in NZ, you will have to sign every time

[quote:f61fa2c0d7="muddy"]Just Out of interest..

I was wondering what getting through immigration will be like when we arrive in Auckland? Is it very thorough, ie will they go through all our stuff etc? Just trying to get an idea of everything so there aren't any major surprises![/quote:f61fa2c0d7]

We had the little dog sniff at our bags. If there is, or was, food in the bags they will know. If you take any foodstuffs - I think chocolate, sweets, gravy granules and marmite are the most popular - go into the red queue and declare it. Everything is x-rayed. They noted the suitcase containing the kids welly boots and trainers and checked over them - make sure all shoes, trainers and boots have been scraped of mud and cleaned before packing in the suitcase or container. Watch out for kids packing their own cases - my son had to open his as he had packed various foodstuffs, rocks, driftwood etc. that 13yo boys are prone to collect.

::):