'Welcome home, my darling daughter': At Auckland airport, parents reunited with loved ones allowed to enter the country without mandatory hotel quarantine for the first time in nearly two years.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called the change welcome, especially for the tens of thousands of New Zealanders abroad eager to return home.
"We look forward to seeing you," Ms Ardern told reporters in Wellington, adding that it was an "important milestone for our tourism sector and our regional economies".
Until now, expatriate New Zealanders entering the country had to undergo 10 days of isolation in expensive hotels.
This requirement was dropped on Monday for New Zealanders arriving from Australia and will be extended to all expats on Friday.
Family reunion at Auckland airport after certain border health restrictions were lifted on February 28, 2022 in New Zealand DAVID ROWLAND AFP
Ms Ardern said arrivals will not have to self-isolate, as originally planned.
She also said the government plans to speed up the gradual reopening of the border to all travellers, although no timetable has yet been set.
Ms Ardern said the rapid spread of the Omicron variant meant the impact of open borders on case numbers was less significant, allowing restrictions to be lifted sooner.
"Whenever we have seen a significant change in the pandemic, we act very quickly to adapt our actions safely," she said.
Tight border controls have been a key part of New Zealand's success in battling the coronavirus, with just 56 deaths recorded for a population of five million.
Family reunion at Auckland airport after certain border health restrictions were lifted on February 28, 2022 in New Zealand DAVID ROWLAND AFP
The Omicron outbreak has intensified in recent weeks, with 14,657 new cases reported on Monday.
Ms Ardern said the country's high vaccination rate of around 95 per cent "provides strong protective coverage".
© 2022 AFP