New Zealand expands e-gates access to 11 new countries
New Zealand has widened access to its automated e-gates for travelers from 11 new countries, including six in Europe and four Middle Eastern nations, bringing the total eligible to 48 as part of an ongoing push to speed up border processing.
New Zealand has recently widened access to its automated e-gates to travelers from 11 new countries, primarily European, including Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway and Vatican City, as well as Macao (a special administrative region of China) and several Middle Eastern countries: Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
Gradual and secure rollout
This expansion follows a successful pilot phase during which New Zealand Customs and Immigration New Zealand worked to ensure the electronic passports from these countries met the necessary security and biometric requirements.
Now available to 48 nationalities
In total, the e-gates are now accessible to travelers from 48 countries, with more nationalities expected to be added by the end of this year.
Benefits of e-gates
e-gates use biometric software and e-passport data to complete checks in seconds.
The system allows officers to focus on higher-risk travelers and baggage monitoring while strengthening efforts against illegal activities such as drug trafficking.
Currently, about 70% of passengers arriving in or departing New Zealand are processed via these self-service kiosks.
e-gates at Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand
Enhancing the travel experience
Paul Williams, acting manager of border operations at New Zealand Customs, encourages eligible passport holders to use the service, which offers a self-service option for arrivals and departures. He adds that pairing e-gates with other digital solutions like online travel declarations will further cut wait times at airports.
