Biosecurity Act 1993

Importation of risk goods - Inspections, declarations, etc

34: Disembarkation

You could also call this:

"Getting off a boat or plane in New Zealand: following the rules to keep the country safe"

When you arrive in New Zealand on a craft, you must follow directions from an inspector about getting off the craft. You must do what the inspector says to check for risk goods. The inspector might give you directions themselves or get someone else to give them to you.

When you get to New Zealand, you usually have to go straight to a biosecurity control area. You have to stay there until the inspector says you can leave, so they can check for risk goods. This is so the inspector can make sure you are not bringing anything into the country that might be harmful.

If you do not go to the biosecurity control area when you are told to, the inspector can use force to make you go there. The inspector can also stop you from leaving the area if you try to go before they say you can. They can do this to make sure they have time to check for risk goods.

When you get off a craft in New Zealand, you have to make your bags available for an inspector to check. This is so they can look for any risk goods you might be bringing into the country.

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This page was last updated on 24 May 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM315313.

Topics:

Immigration and citizenship > Border controlEnvironment and resources > Conservation

33: Risk goods on board craft, or

"What to do with risky items on a boat coming into New Zealand"

35: Duties of persons in biosecurity control areas, or

"What to do if you're in a biosecurity control area: answer questions and show ID honestly"

Part 3Importation of risk goods
Inspections, declarations, etc

34Disembarkation

For the purpose of ascertaining the presence of or controlling any risk goods, a person on board a craft that has arrived in New Zealand shall obey every reasonable direction given to the person concerning disembarkation—
by an inspector; or
on the direction of an inspector, by the person in charge of the craft or a crew member of the craft.

Unless otherwise directed by an inspector, every person arriving in New Zealand shall—
go directly to a biosecurity control area; and
remain there for such reasonable time as an inspector may require to ascertain the presence of any risk goods.

This subsection applies to a person and a biosecurity control area if the person is required by subsection (2) to go directly to the biosecurity control area and remain there for such reasonable time as an inspector may require to ascertain the presence of any risk goods.
An inspector, and any person the inspector calls to the inspector's assistance, may use such force as is reasonably necessary to—
compel to go to the biosecurity control area concerned a person to whom subsection (3) applies who has been directed by the inspector to go directly there; but—
1. has failed or refused to do so within a reasonable time of being so directed; or
2. has attempted to go instead to some other place; or
detain in the biosecurity control area concerned a person to whom subsection (3) applies who—
1. has been required by the inspector to remain there for a reasonable time to ascertain the presence of any risk goods; but
2. has attempted to leave the biosecurity control area in contravention of the requirement; or
stop, return to, and detain in the biosecurity control area concerned a person to whom subsection (3) applies who has gone to the biosecurity control area, and—
1. has been required by the inspector to remain there for a reasonable time to ascertain the presence of any risk goods; but
2. has left the biosecurity control area in contravention of the requirement; or
stop, return to, and detain in the biosecurity control area concerned a person to whom subsection (3) applies who has gone to the biosecurity control area, but left before the inspector has—
1. required the person to remain there; or
2. had a reasonable time to ascertain the presence of any risk goods.

Every person who has disembarked from a craft that has arrived in New Zealand, whether or not the person boarded the craft in New Zealand, shall make his or her accompanying baggage available for inspection by an inspector.

Compare

1967 No 50 s 22