RNZ asked the British High Commission in Wellington if it had sent out a media release about any of the changes. It pointed to a January 2025 media release that dealt only with the issue of introducing ETAs (Electronic Travel Authorisations) and not the new requirement for British passport holders, or certificates of entitlement. Many British migrants had asked why the passport requirement was introduced, after the UK government said it was to make borders more secure. “A number of countries insist that where their nationals are entering their ‘home’ country they must use their ‘home’ passport. For travellers embarking on a trip to the UK next week who had British parents but no visible link to the UK, she had some words of comfort.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 19, 2026 15:36 UTC