Before you board your flight

Advance Passenger Screening, APS

APS is a system designed to protect the security of New Zealand's borders.

Immigration New Zealand works in partnership with all major airlines across the world to ensure that only passengers who are eligible to enter New Zealand on arrival will be allowed to board an aircraft.

Airlines have been made responsible for ensuring that each person travelling to New Zealand has the appropriate travel documentation. They will advise Immigration New Zealand of your intended travel and receive a boarding directive, confirming whether to board you.  

You may be refused permission to board your flight to come to or return to, New Zealand if:

• you do not have an appropriate visa to enter New Zealand, or

• your visa has expired, or

• your visa has not been transferred to your current/new passport or the passport being used to enter New Zealand.

As part of getting you ready for New Zealand, our Licensed Immigration Advisers will ensure that your paperwork is in order and that you will not be rejected when boarding your flight to New Zealand.

We strongly recommend ensuring that your travel documents are up-to-date and that you have the appropriate and current visa that allows you to enter New Zealand.

Are you eligible for a resident visa under Skilled Migrant Category? Find out by using our Quick Self-Check Guide!