WELLINGTON – The New Zealand border will reopen on February 27 at midnight for vaccinated Kiwis and other existing eligible visitors from Australia, and on March 13 for the same groups from the rest of the globe.

According to reports, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday that the government's five-step reconnecting plan will allow all New Zealanders and key visa holders to begin entering the country within the next three months, assisting with economic recovery and immediately addressing worker shortages.

Vaccinated New Zealanders and eligible Australian tourists will be able to enter New Zealand without having to stay in managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities from February 27. New Zealanders and eligible travellers from the rest of the world will be permitted to return home two weeks after March 13, according to Ardern.

"While travellers will no longer be required to stay in MIQ, we will maintain border measures to reduce the spread of the virus," she said, adding that self-isolation requirements for travellers will be 10 days, but will be reduced to seven days as the number of cases rises in phase two of the pandemic plan.

On April 12, a large foreign student cohort of up to 5,000 students will be allowed to enter ahead of semester two, as well as temporary visa holders who still meet the applicable visa conditions.

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