If you plan to bring your personal belongings to New Zealand without incurring import duties, certain conditions must be met:
- You should be present in New Zealand when your belongings arrive.
- It is mandatory to declare the contents of your household goods or personal belongings to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
- You must possess a document that permits you to reside in New Zealand. This could be a New Zealand or Australian Passport, a New Zealand permanent resident, returning resident, or resident visa, a permanent resident visa issued by the Commonwealth of Australia Government, a work visa valid for 12 months, a work visa issued under specific policies, or a visitor visa valid for at least 3 years.
You are permitted to bring various items duty-free, including furniture, chinaware, glassware, silverware, cutlery, household appliances, electronics, personal computers, sound systems, personal sporting equipment, household linen, bedding, trailers, musical instruments, and more.
However,
certain items are prohibited from entering New Zealand, such as indecent material (videotapes, films, records, CD-ROMs, and publications), weapons (e.g., flick knives, butterfly knives, swordsticks, knuckle-dusters), weapons disguised as other objects, and equipment for using cannabis or methamphetamine.