Have you seen the Hindi NZ Traveller Declaration? Customs explains what you can & can’t do

No traveller is a stranger to the crisp, green form handed out by airline crew shortly before landing in New Zealand.

For many travellers, language barriers can make even a familiar form confusing. 

To address the language issues, NZTD questions are available in multiple languages, including in Hindi , allowing them to read and understand in a language they are more comfortable with.

A Traveller Factsheet explaining how the NZTD works is available to download in multiple languages. Translated versions of the paper NZTD are also available as reference guides.

There is, however, one important catch.

While the questions can be viewed in different languages, all answers must be provided in English.

This means, NZTD can be read in Hindi, and a Hindi paper version is available as a reference, but the declaration itself must be answered in English.

“The digital NZTD questions can be displayed in Hindi, but all answers must be supplied in English. The NZTD is a statutory declaration and the information provided in it must be able to be checked in real time by border officers,” New Zealand Customs' spokesperson told The Indian Weekender.

Screengrab from the downloadable Hindi NZTD form

The New Zealand Traveller Declaration collects travel, customs, immigration and biosecurity information from people arriving in the country.

The declaration is free, and everyone travelling to New Zealand, including New Zealand passport holders, is required to complete one accurately.

Languages available

The online NZTD form and app can be viewed in the following languages:

Te Reo Māori
简体中文 / Chinese (Simplified)
繁體中文 / Chinese (Traditional)
Vosa Vakaviti / Fijian
Français / French
Deutsch / German
हिंदी / Hindi
日本語 / Japanese
한국어 / Korean
Malay / Malaysian
Português / Portuguese
Gagana Samoa / Samoan
Tagalog / Tagalog
தமிழ் / Tamil
Lea Faka-Tonga / Tongan

According to the Customs spokesperson, an estimated 8% of travellers have used the translation function. However, there is no record on whether travellers have selected the correct options after using the translations.

Paper forms still available

The digital NZTD was launched in 2023. Paper declaration forms remain available for people who are unable to complete their declaration online.

Translated factsheets are also available to help travellers understand and complete the declaration.

The translated paper forms cannot be presented to Customs or MPI staff upon arrival in New Zealand.

An English-language NZTD paper declaration form will be available on arrival.

Travellers who have already completed a digital declaration do not need to complete a paper form.