New Zealand offers travelers a lot to explore: from breathtaking natural beauty to friendly locals, you’ll find everything you’re looking for. But like any other country, New Zealand has its own local laws, and some of them can be pretty “weird”. They have different regulations regarding everything, from protecting wild nature to online casinos like xon bet. As a traveler, you need to know about these laws and regulations, no matter how weird they are. That’s why we’ve put together this guide. Here’s what every traveler needs to know before embarking on a trip to the country of ‘adventure tourism’ origin.
Before We Start
Before we start, here is a quick reminder: If you are unsure about whether to declare something when you enter the country, declare it (no matter how simple) to avoid taking risks. As we will discuss below, New Zealand has stricter biosecurity laws than many other countries, and honesty is always the best policy. As a summary, here’s what to look out for in the country:
- You have to declare everything you carry with you that is organic.
- Avoid disturbing the whales.
- Respect the national
- Be aware that you will not be able to use some means of transportation.
- Your body mass index may prevent you from entering the country.
- Some natural wonders have a legal identity and are protected like a real person.
So, what do these rules and laws mean? Why might you not be able to enter New Zealand if you are overweight? They’re called weird laws for a reason – let’s take a closer look at them all.
Entering New Zealand
Let’s start from the beginning: there are a lot of weird things that can prevent you from entering. The first one is the “Biosecurity Act 1993”. This is considered to be one of the strictest biosecurity laws in the world and contains a lot of surprising regulations to protect the country’s ecosystem. The first one says that a traveler has to declare all the organic things they carry with them on the Passenger Arrival Card when entering the country. The scope of this is quite broad: in addition to fruits, meat products, plants and vegetables, you even have to declare your hiking boots, as their soles may contain soil or plant residues. If you forget to declare an apple you’re carrying in your pocket, your trip could be over before it even starts, as you will be denied entry.
But even if you declare everything you are carrying, there are still some things that can prevent you from entering. One of them is your body mass index (BMI). This is a serious risk for travelers (or immigrants) from countries that require a pre-visit visa. You have to declare your BMI when applying for an NZ visa, and if you are going to be staying for a long time, an above-normal BMI may result in your visa request being rejected. This rule is much more strictly enforced for immigrants. This is because New Zealand ranks in the top three most problematic countries in the world for obesity. The local obese are a serious burden on the health system, and for the same reason, obese immigrants and long-stay travelers can be denied (to avoid adding to the burden). So, you may need to lose some weight to start your trip.
Leave the Whales Alone
New Zealand has a lot of laws protecting wildlife and wilderness, but most of them are pretty obvious: as long as you don’t go and disturb wild animals, you should be fine. The problem is that some of the laws, like the Marine Mammals Protection Regulations, can be quite broad. There is a special regulation for whales, and it is forbidden to make loud or disturbing noises around them.
You can do what is prohibited here on land. For example, even if you don’t see whales around, listening to loud music near a harbor they frequent or setting off fireworks, even if you have permission, will cause you to violate this law. This can result in a fine of 10,000 NZD, so avoid making noise near the water, even if you don’t see whales.
The Currency Is Protected
The Reserve Bank of NZ Act 1989 prohibits defacing NZ banknotes, and like most other weird laws, it’s quite broad in scope. Thinking of writing something on a banknote and keeping it as a souvenir? Don’t do it, because you’ll be fined 1,000 NZD. Contrary to popular belief, this law is rigorously enforced. In 2000, a New Zealander, Taika Waititi (you may remember him from the movie Jojo Rabbit), painted a banknote and displayed it as a work of art. Because of this law, he had to pay a fine.
Transportation Rules Might Surprise You
When you are getting around, you might want to use a bicycle or an e-scooter, as many others do. The problem is that how these means of transportation should be used is dictated by their “wheel size”, and unless you know the law, you cannot intuitively understand this. In this context, you are not allowed to use bicycles on footpaths, but you can still use e-scooters. Yes, it’s weird, but remember that the law is based on the wheel size, not the type of transportation. Also, don’t be surprised if an e-scooter passes you on the sidewalk: it is allowed.
The River That’s Legally a Person
In New Zealand, there is a river called Whanganui, and in 2017, it was granted legal personhood. This means that in the eyes of the law, it is no different from a real person – every right that humans have applies to this river. The problem is that this also means that it is possible to ‘hurt’ the river. We’re not talking about doing things that pollute the river – that’s already banned. But if you “insult” the river by saying “bad things”, you are insulting a real person, and you will be prosecuted.
Be sure to check this list as you prepare for your trip to New Zealand, and don’t be afraid to ask the authorities if you are unsure about something: locals are friendly and will be happy to help you as long as you treat them with respect.
