05 July 2011
Australian and New Zealand ePassport holders may soon find travelling between New Zealand and Australia even more like travelling domestically.
From July 2011, Australian Customs and Border Protection and New Zealand Customs will trial the integration of both countries’ SmartGate systems between New Zealand’s departures and Australia’s arrivals.
The trial SmartGate trans-Tasman solution will give travellers the opportunity to complete part of the Australian arrivals process at the New Zealand SmartGate departures kiosk.
Eligible travellers can then go straight to the Australian SmartGate arrivals gate on arrival at the Gold Coast.
The trial SmartGate trans-Tasman solution will initially be available to Australian and New Zealand ePassport holders travelling from Auckland International Airport to the Gold Coast Airport.
It will be gradually rolled out to other New Zealand departures-enabled international airports.
For more information visit www.customs.gov.au