Latest News:
International Restrictions:
*Entry rules in response to coronavirus (COVID-19): The borders of the Cook Islands are closed to all persons unless an exemption is provided (in writing) by the Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration. The closure is in response to new cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand. Exemptions detailed on the Cook Islands Travel Advisory comprise Cook Islanders, Permanent Residents of the Cook Islands, Cook Islands work permit holders and Cook Islands resident permit holders. You can find detailed information on how to request an exemption and the conditions for travel on the Cook Islands Travel Advisory.
*Transit via New Zealand: From 20 June, transit visa waiver and visa waiver nationalities, people transiting to or from Australia and people departing a Pacific country or territory to return home, do not need a transit visa as long as they have a confirmed flight out of New Zealand within 24 hours to a port which will accept them. In most cases, transit passengers must hold an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) or transit ETA before travel. These are applied for online. See Information about NZeTA for further detail. If the passport holder is not from a visa-waiver or transit visa-waiver country or territory, or covered by one of the situations listed above, then they will need to apply for a transit visa. Due to COVID-19, Immigration New Zealand is not currently accepting paper applications for transit visas so have put a temporary process in place for submitting applications by email. The process for applying for a transit visa via email is available on the Immigration New Zealand website - transits. The New Zealand Government will require all travellers to New Zealand (except those from Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific islands) to have a COVID-19 test taken and a negative result returned within 72 hours of their first scheduled international flight. This will come into force on flights arriving in New Zealand after 11:59pm (local time) on 25 January. The Pacific islands that are exempt from pre-departure testing for entry into New Zealand are Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna. Air New Zealand now requires all passengers to wear a face-covering on international flights. Face-coverings are already required by New Zealand local legislation on all domestic flights. This requirement comes into effect from 26 January 2020. Internal Restrictions:
*Travel in the Cook Islands: There are no domestic travel restrictions in place in the Cook Islands. The government’s recommendations on physical distancing and good hygiene measures remain in place, see the Cook Islands COVID-19 website for further detail.
