Coronavirus closes NZ borders for many

Any foreign travellers who have been present in, or transited through, mainland China in the previous 14 days are being refused entry to New Zealand, potentially until February 24. This does not apply to New Zealand citizens, permanent residents, residents with valid travel conditions and their immediate family (including family members holding valid temporary visas), who are still able to come to New Zealand.

Immigration New Zealand’s Beijing office remains temporarily closed and there has been some impact on visa processing times as a result.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s education sector is asking the NZ Government to consider exempting students from the blanket ban. The government says the travel restriction aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus has prevented 11,280 or 41 percent of the Chinese students now due in New Zealand from travelling here.

The Government is considering the request but says the universities and students would have to be able to meet strict quarantine rules.

Media reports quote universities saying in the past financial year Chinese students provided about a third of New Zealand's 100,000 foreign students - about half of the foreign students at universities.

The border closure is being reviewed every 48 hours.