New Zealand Customs has expanded automated border processing to eligible ePassport holders from 11 additional countries and territories Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Seychelles and San Marino further digitising arrivals and departures across the network.
Travellers aged 10 and over can now use eGates at participating airports for both inbound and outbound journeys. The move follows joint trials with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to validate security and technical compliance.
With this tranche, 59 countries and territories are now eGate-enabled, with work underway to add more later this year. For agents, the practical upside is faster processing for a larger share of clients, reducing queues at peak times and smoothing MCT (minimum connection time) pressure for international–domestic transfers. Customs notes that eGates combine biometric matching with ePassport data to run required checks in seconds, allowing frontline officers to concentrate on higher-risk travellers and baggage.
Customs Group Manager Border Operations, Dana McDonald, said the changes “help ensure more international travellers enjoy a self-service route through arrivals and departures at New Zealand airports,” adding that pairing eGates with a completed New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) can “reduce screening times.” INZ’s Director Border, Sarah Clifford, called the expansion “a significant step in making travel to New Zealand smoother,” while maintaining border integrity.