What to do before travelling overseas this summer: Mfat offers advice to Kiwis

As much as we love travel, there is always a risk involved in jumping on a plane and heading to a foreign destination, whether it’s Sydney or South Africa.

We’re not just talking about the annoying chance of flight delays or lost luggage but more serious issues related to Covid-19, political conflict, terrorism or visas and documentation.

Given the spike in international departures during the summer period, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has released a statement on its Safe Travel website that addressed present risks and steps to take before departure.

“The holiday period in December and January is peak season for international travel, and we wish all New Zealanders safe travels over the summer holidays,” read the statement, shared on December 11.

“We have some advice for Kiwi travellers to consider before departure”.

1. Have a Covid-19 contingency plan

Mandatory masks and closed borders may be behind us but the risk of catching Covid-19 (and the consequences if you do so abroad) remains.

“There’s still risk that your travel plans might be disrupted if you get Covid-19 overseas or if a new variant emerges,” Mfat states.

“We recommend that you make contingency plans in case disruptions mean you need to support yourself overseas for longer than you planned.”

2. Know your destination’s risk level

On Safe Travel, Mfat has assigned various destinations a ‘level’ from one to four. These levels indicate the risk associated with visiting, how much consular assistance you can expect from the New Zealand government while there and the likelihood of getting insured.

Mfat strongly recommends travellers read the travel advisory for their destination to be aware of “potential risks” associated with visiting.

3. Get comprehensive travel insurance

Travellers shouldn’t just get any old travel insurance but one with comprehensive cover.

“Getting travel insurance will help you avoid the high costs of medical treatment and rearrange your travel.”

However, it’s important to know what is and is not covered by your travel insurance policy.

4. Register with Mfat

Few travellers may know they can, and should, register with SafeTravel when they go abroad.

By entering your contact details and travel details, Mfat can share important information and account for your safety and well-being during or after an emergency.

This can be a critical help if something such as a major earthquake or civil conflict breaks out in the city you’re visiting, as the New Zealand consulate can assist.

The registration is free and simple to complete.

5. Check your passport

If you haven’t looked at your passport recently, it’s worth double-checking the expiry date.

This may be when the passport officially expires but is not the date for how long you can use it to travel. Most countries will require your passport to be valid for at least 6 months after returning home, so Mfat recommends you ensure it’s up to date and that you’re also aware of any visas you may need to enter a country.

6. Save enough money

Money can be a major asset when travelling abroad, not just for buying nice experiences but for supporting yourself if trouble hits.

Not only does this require you to have a little extra savings when travelling but have it accessible.

“Ensure your funds will be accessible to you where you’re going,” Mfat says, as it’s little good to have spare cash in an account you cannot access overseas.

7. Prepare for busy airports

“Allow extra time to transit through airports and customs during peak travel season,” Mfat suggests, echoing the sentiment of Auckland Airport, which has revealed the busiest travel days and advice for getting through the airport as quickly as possible.

8. Check you’re fit to fly

If you’ve recently recovered from an illness or injury or have a health concern that could cause trouble abroad, it’s important to consult a doctor beforehand. They can confirm whether you’re “fit to fly” Mfat says.

Travellers are also suggested to take copies of medication prescriptions in case they must stay in a destination longer or lose their medication.

9. Copy documents

No one plans to lose their passport, insurance documents or credit card. However, mistakes happen, so it’s extremely helpful to make copies or photocopies of important documents. You should keep one set with you and give one set to a friend or family member.

10. Research your destination

It’s safe to assume that, in most tourist-friendly countries, many laws are similar if not common sense. You probably don’t want to steal, accost someone, lie to officers or ignore official signs.

However, some destinations have strict local laws or customs that aren’t obvious to outsiders until they are broken, resulting in jail time, fines or deep disrespect. This isn’t just for foreign or conservative places either; popular spots in France, Italy or Bali are introducing new rules specifically to curb typical tourist behaviours.

Therefore, it’s important to familiarise yourself with the specific laws and customs of a place before you go.