Kiwis warned about travel to the US

New Zealanders have been warned to be careful if they intend to visit the United States.

The New Zealand Foreign Affairs Ministry this week updated its travel advice for Kiwis travelling to the US for the first time since Donald Trump became president for the second time.

It warned they could be detained, deported or banned from re-entering the country if they don't meet strict requirements.

MFAT said in a statement that 17 New Zealand passport holders had sought assistance since November 2024 because they have experienced immigration difficulties in the US.

MFAT said the update followed a routine review of the US travel advisory which was last fully reviewed in 2023.

While the travel advice level for Kiwis heading to the US remains at Level 2 “Exercise increased caution” - the advisory now includes more cautionary wording about the potential for detention at the border.

It also warns travellers about laptops, mobile phones and other electronic devices potentially being subject to border security inspection.

Otago and Auckland universities have already alerted academic staff to the potential issues they may face if travelling to the US.

Otago University Professor of international relations Robert Patman says he would not travel to the US at present, and he thinks the MFAT travel advice is cautionary for anyone who may have criticised the Trump administration in any way.

Image: Andrew Zuber, Scop.io

Fiji drops all entry requirements

International travellers to Fiji are no longer be required to provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination and hold travel insurance.

The final set of entry requirements to visiting the Pacific island nation were removed this week, Travel Mole reported.

Fiji welcomed 636,312 visitors in 2022, a strong recovery that surpassed targets.

Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill said: “The industry welcomes the decision to remove all restrictions and invites the world to come and experience Fiji.

“We still strongly encourage travellers to have travel insurance and take the necessary precautions.”

Until now, all adult arrivals were required to produce proof of full vaccination and travel insurance, which is still encouraged.

About 95% per of Fiji’s adult population is vaccinated.

"Fiji now has zero travel restrictions and offers a safe and relaxing holiday for travellers from all over the world," says the Fiji Tourism website www.fiji.travel 

Image: LikuLiku Lagoon Resort, Fiji 

US scraps inbound Covid testing requirements

Heading for the US?

The news is all good with no more mandatory Covid-19 tests required for passengers entering the US from tomorrow morning.

The US Government has officially announced the lifting of its requirement for air travellers to test negative to Covid-19 prior to entering the country.

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said it was going to lift the requirement after officials determined that the widespread adoption of vaccines and treatments for Covid-19 no longer make it necessary, the New York Times reported.

In a press release explaining the decision, Dr Rochelle P Walensky, the CDC director, cited booster shots and the milder Omicron variant, which she said had “generally caused less severe disease among those who are infected”.

The measure has been in place since early 2021, and its removal will be subject to a 90-day review, which could see testing reintroduced if new variants arise.

The mandatory test has been seen as a major obstacle to tourism to the US and has been widely criticised by the travel industry.

Marc Casto, chairman of the board of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), an industry group, said: “It’s huge. It’s monumental.”