Extension of support programme for foreign nationals in serious hardship and update to air border order
Extension of support program for foreign nationals in serious hardship:
The Foreign Nationals Support Programme | Visitor Care Manaaki Manuhiri programme, delivered by the Department of Internal Affairs in partnership with the New Zealand Red Cross, has been extended to 30 November.
This extension will continue the support available under the programme since 1 July 2020, to deliver in-kind assistance to foreign nationals experiencing serious hardship due to COVID19.
Those eligible for support are foreign nationals in New Zealand who are experiencing serious financial hardship and as a result are unable to meet their own basic, urgent and immediate needs, (and have exhausted other options and have no current access to a flight home).
More information, including translated materials, is available from the Red Cross here. Eligibility information is available via the online application portal here.
Protocol Division will continue to be in contact directly with those missions that have a high number of nationals applying under the programme.
Please continue to direct any questions to protocol-COVID19@mfat.govt.nz.
Update to air border order strengthens crew requirements:
The Government is tightening requirements around international aircrew, including changes to isolation requirements for overseas based aircrew entering New Zealand (and new mandated requirements for New Zealand based crew).
All overseas based aircrew laying over in New Zealand (excluding overseas based aircrew making airside-only stop-overs) will be required to spend the duration of their time in New Zealand in a Managed Isolation Facility.
Airlines have been notified of the requirements under the amended order by the New Zealand Ministry of Health. Airlines operating non-scheduled passenger flights to New Zealand will also be subject to these new requirements.
The amended COVID-19 Public Health Response - Air Border, Isolation and Quarantine, and Required Testing Order (Air border order), comes into effect from 11.59pm on 4 October.
Airlines should liaise with the Board of Airline Representatives in New Zealand (BARNZ) if they have any questions.