nz travel document application form

Our online passport service will be unavailable from 8am to 8pm Sunday 7 April (NZST) while we complete a planned system upgrade.

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Allow up to 6 weeks plus delivery for a standard passport. If you need your passport before then, apply for an urgent passport online.

What you need for your application

• Identity referee or witness
• Parental consent for children
• Document translations

Certificate of identity or refugee travel document

If you need to travel and you cannot get a passport from your country of citizenship, you may be able to apply for a New Zealand certificate of identity or refugee travel document.

Certificate of identity

A certificate of identity may be issued to a person who is not a New Zealand citizen and cannot get a passport from their country of citizenship. You must be physically present in New Zealand to qualify for a certificate of identity.

A certificate of identity is valid for a maximum of 2 years.

Refugee travel document

A refugee travel document may be issued to a person who is not a New Zealand citizen and who has refugee status confirmed by Immigration New Zealand. You must be physically present in New Zealand to qualify for a refugee travel document.

A refugee travel document is valid for a maximum of 5 years.

A certificate of identity or refugee travel document application costs NZD$120.00.

Allow a minimum of 20 working days for your application to be processed.

Download an application form

Application for a certificate of identity or refugee travel document (PDF 357KB)

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Page last updated: 25 May 2023

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How to complete a Traveller Declaration form for New Zealand travel

Sarah Pollok

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What to prepare for your NZ Travel Declaration. Photo / Kevin Butz, Unsplash

Passport? Check. Wallet? Check. Traveller Declaration form…?

Pre-departure tests may get all the attention (and anxiety) among travellers but another requirement is just as critical for those flying into New Zealand; the Traveller Declaration form .

Introduced after the pandemic, the form is how people prove to the New Zealand Government they fulfil the Covid-19-specific criteria for entering the country. Like all government forms, it has its quirks. Here are 11 things every traveller should know.

1. Everyone has to do it. Yes, even New Zealand citizens and residents.

2. You can begin the form up to 28 days before your flight to New Zealand departs (and you should). There is only one part you can't complete a few days or weeks early; proof of a negative pre-departure test, which can only be uploaded once it is done 48 hours (for PCR) or 24 hours (for RAT) before departure. However, the rest of the form takes around 30 minutes to complete, then further time to be approved after submission. So, it is recommended you fill out the whole form in advance. Then, all you need to do the day before is upload the pre-departure result when it arrives and submit it right away.

3. Provide an email you have access to. This is where critical information regarding your form and submission will be sent.

4. Use Chrome on a computer . Travellers recommend completing the form on a computer instead of a phone and using the Chrome browser instead of Safari, which has trouble uploading documents.

5. A partly-complete form will be saved. If you start filling out the form and exit the page, it will be automatically saved, as long as you have completed the Your Passport information page. A code will be sent to whatever email address you provided, which allows you to reaccess the declaration. This is helpful for more time-sensitive parts of the declaration, such as pre-departure test results.

6. Have certain documents handy. The Travellers Declaration will require the following information: - Passport number - Travel history for 14 days prior to departure - First international airport of departure - Date and time of your first international flight - Date you will arrive in New Zealand - Flight number of your flight into New Zealand - Proof of Covid-19 vaccination - Contact details while in NZ - Emergency contact details (can be outside of NZ) - Proof of pre-departure test

7. Everything is digital. Since the form is done online, you will need your proof of Covid-19 vaccination and negative pre-departure test in a pdf, png or jpg format. Double-check that these are all correctly attached to the form before submission or else it will be denied.

8. Dissimilar details cause delays. Any information entered manually must perfectly match official documents, otherwise, the submission process may be delayed and it could be a few hours before an email prompts you to re-complete the form.

9. Submit ASAP...Then wait. NZTD does not state how long it takes for a declaration to be processed after submission. However, some travellers claim a successful form took five minutes. If it has been a few hours, double-check all details are correct and forms are attached. If you change any details, simply resubmit the form.

10. If approved, check your emails. This is where your Travellers Pass will be sent. This has a QR code you show at check-in to your NZ flight.

11. Having issues? Call the NZTD helplines. If you have issues uploading your test result, call the 24/7 toll-free helpline ASAP. If check-in is about to close and you can't attach your test result or the form is acting up, NZTD customer support may be able to issue a conditional approval which allows you to present a hard copy result. NZ: 0800 359 269. AUS: 1800 359 269. INT: +64 4 931 5799.

Travel regulations are constantly subject to change so always check official government websites like travellerdeclaration.govt.nz or covid19.govt.nz for up-to-date infromation.

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Our online passport service will be unavailable from 8am to 8pm Sunday 7 April (NZST) while we complete a planned system upgrade.

Mac/iPhone/iPad users: Some people are having problems using Safari to access this website. Please use a different internet browser while we fix the issue.

Allow up to 6 weeks plus delivery for a standard passport. If you need your passport before then, apply for an urgent passport online.

What you need for your application

• Identity referee or witness
• Parental consent for children
• Document translations
• Certificate of identity or refugee travel document

You need a passport photo, an identity referee or witness, your previous passport details (if you have had one before), a way to pay and delivery details.

You must be a New Zealand citizen to apply for a New Zealand passport.

Passport application tips

With passport processing times being longer than usual, here are some tips for you to help us get your passport to you as quickly as possible.

Find out about

Passport photos

Identity referees

Parental consent for children aged 15 and under

Change your name in your passport

Change your gender in your passport

Apply for a certificate of identity or refugee travel document

Register as a citizen if born overseas to a New Zealand parent

Cost and delivery

Passport costs and delivery fees

Start your application

Last Updated

Page last updated: 10 March 2024

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• Arriving in New Zealand

When you arrive in New Zealand, you must apply for entry permission and answer questions about biosecurity and customs.

Your journey to New Zealand

Before you travel to New Zealand

If you are refused entry to New Zealand

• If you are a premium loyalty programme member
• Visiting New Zealand on business

Getting permission to enter New Zealand

When you arrive at the New Zealand border, you must apply for entry permission even if you already have a visa or NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority). This process is usually quick, but immigration officers may ask you some extra questions before giving you permission to enter New Zealand. You must answer these questions truthfully.

Immigration officers can ask you to provide evidence to support your application to enter New Zealand. They may ask to see your ticket to leave New Zealand or evidence of how you will support yourself while you are here.

If you have a visa

If we approved your application for a visa, immigration officers at the border will have a record of your visa and any conditions we have placed on it. When they check your visa details, they may ask you to provide evidence that you will meet the conditions of your visa.

Nearly all visas are issued as eVisas.

About eVisas

Getting a visa when you arrive

Some travellers can apply for a visa and entry permission when they arrive in New Zealand. This applies to you if you have an NZeTA and:

• are visiting from a visa waiver country — that is, a country whose passport holders do not need to get a visa before they arrive in New Zealand, or
• hold a current Australian permanent resident visa that allows you to return to Australia from overseas.

Visa Waiver Visitor Visa

Australian Resident Visa

Arriving on a cruise ship

If you are a cruise ship passenger and have an NZeTA you will be deemed to hold a visitor visa for 28 days when you arrive at your first New Zealand port.

Arriving by cruise ship

An NZeTA is not a visa.

How you apply for entry permission

There are 2 ways to apply — by:

• presenting your documents to an immigration officer, or
• using a eGate or Smartgate — not all passport holders can use this option.

eGate – New Zealand Customs Te Mana Arai o Aotearoa

To apply for entry permission, you need to have your:

• completed New Zealand traveller declaration (NZTD).
• passport or travel document.

You may need to have a travel ticket out of New Zealand to a country you have the right to enter if:

• we asked for that when we approved your visa, or
• you are visiting New Zealand on a passport from a visa waiver country.

New Zealand Traveller Declaration

Before you travel to New Zealand you must complete a New Zealand traveller declaration (NZTD). The NZTD asks questions about your travel, including customs, immigration and biosecurity information. It aims to improve the safety and security of New Zealand. Find out how to complete an NZTD on the NZTD website.

New Zealand Traveller Declaration website

Customs and biosecurity

Other border agencies such as the New Zealand Customs Service and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) check that you meet their entry requirements. They can refuse to let you enter New Zealand entry if you do not.

Travel to and from New Zealand | New Zealand Customs Service

Arriving in New Zealand | Biosecurity New Zealand (MPI)

You need permission to travel to and enter New Zealand. Find out what to do if you have not been allowed to travel here or have been refused entry.

Use your NZ documents overseas

To use a document overseas it may need to be apostilled or authenticated. Apostilles and authentications are certificates that prove the signature, stamp or seal on a document is genuine.

When you need to use a New Zealand document in another country, you may be asked to get the document apostilled or authenticated.

Apostilles and authentications are certificates that prove the signature, stamp or seal on a document is genuine.

Step 1 - Check what you need to apply for

Whether you need an apostille or authentication depends on the country your documents will be used in.

Check the country you are using your document in

This is an apostille country.

You can get:

• a paper apostille, or
• an electronic apostille, called an e-apostille.

Ask the overseas organisation which type of apostille they want.

For a paper apostille, the Department of Internal Affairs Authentication Unit will put a covering page, called an apostille certificate, on top of your documents. They will be tied together with a ribbon and get an official embossed seal.

An e-apostille is a secure PDF that’s emailed to you.

This is a category A authentication country.

Your documents will be authenticated by the Department of Internal Affairs Authentication Unit, and then sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) for verification.

Your authenticated documents will have a covering page on top with a stamp from MFAT. The documents will be tied together with a ribbon and get an official embossed seal. They are then sent to the address you included on your application form.

This is a category B authentication country.

The process is more complicated for category B countries, so authentication costs more and takes longer.

Some organisations that are in a category B country will let you change to get a category A authentication. It is worth asking the organisation if they will accept a category A authentication as they are quicker and cost less.

If you’re sending documents to a category B country, you should contact their embassy to find out what you need to send them, how you can pay and how you can get your documents sent back to you.

List of embassies (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website)

Then contact the Authentication Unit so they can check what you will be sending them. This could include:

• a letter for that country’s embassy, asking them to verify the documents
• their payment, and
• some way for them to return your documents to you, like a self-addressed envelope.

Russia is an apostille country.

Ask the Russian organisation which type of apostille they want.

An e-apostille is an electronic version of the apostille certificate that is emailed to you as a secure PDF.

Authentication Unit requirements

Before you send any documents, check the Department of Internal Affairs Authentication Unit's requirements. You may need to provide either an original or a copy that has been notorised.

Authentication Unit document requirements

The Authentication Unit does not provide an urgent service.

Check document requirements with the overseas organisation

You should also check if the organisation asking for the document has specific requirements. For example, they may:

• only accept documents that were recently issued
• want the documents translated
• accept multiple original documents, and not notarised copies
• accept electronic e-apostilles or paper apostilles.

Difference between an apostille and an authentication

The apostille and authentication process is done by the Department of Internal Affairs' Authentication Unit. 

Some documents also require checking by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).

Authentication

An authentication is an official government certificate that proves the signature, stamp or seal on a document is genuine. Authentication is sometimes called 'legalisation'.

There are 2 categories of authentication, depending on the country the documents are being used in.

These are authenticated by the Authentication Unit, and then sent to the MFAT for verification.

The process is more complicated for category B countries. Documents will need to be sent to an embassy. This type of authentication costs more and takes longer. 

List of embassies - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

An apostille is an official government certificate that proves the signature, stamp or seal on a document is genuine for use in countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty.

When you apply for an apostille you can request either a paper or an electronic apostille (e-apostille).

Apostilles do not need to go to MFAT for checking.

Step 2 - Preparing your documents

The Authentication Unit can only process documents that meet their requirements.

Before you send your documents to the Authentication Unit, check if they need to be:

• originals, or if copies are accepted
• notarised or certified.

Check the Authentication Unit's document requirements:

If you need your document notarised

If you need to get your document notarised, you must use a New Zealand notary public.

Tell them that your document is being notarised for an apostille or authentication.

A notary public, sometimes called a public notary, is a lawyer authorised by the Archbishop of Canterbury in England to officially witness signatures on legal documents, collect sworn statements, administer oaths and certify the authenticity of legal documents for use overseas.

Find a notary public in New Zealand - New Zealand Society of Notaries

What the notary public will do

The notary public must:

• make a statement that describes what they have done, for example ‘witnessed a signature’ or ‘certified a true copy’. This is called a Notarial Act
• include their name and signature
• add their seal or stamp
• write the date and place they signed the documents, and
• make it clear they have seen all the pages in a document (e.g. by marking every page).

If you need your document translated

If you need to get your documents translated, the Department of Internal Affairs can do the translation as part of your application. Alternatively, you can organise your own translation.

If you organise your own translation, you need to get it notarised by a New Zealand notary public.

Step 3 - Complete the application form and pay

Download the application form.

You will need Adobe Acrobat for Windows or Mac to complete the PDF application form.

Request a document authentication or apostille (PDF 401KB)

Request a document authentication or apostille accessible version (TXT 6.2KB)

Adobe Acrobat Reader - Get Adobe

Pay for your apostille or authentication

Ways to pay.

You can pay by:

• credit, debit or prepaid gift card (for example, Prezzy® card)
• EFTPOS (only available when you visit an office in person)
• foreign draft (only available if you apply at the Sydney or London office).

Step 4 - Submit the application

Submit the completed application form and the documents to the Authentication Unit at the Department of Internal Affairs.

Authentication Unit Department of Internal Affairs PO Box 10526 Wellington 6140 New Zealand

Authentication Unit Department of Internal Affairs Level 2 7 Waterloo Quay Wellington New Zealand

If you would like to deliver your application in person, you must make an appointment at one of our offices in New Zealand:

Contact one of our offices in New Zealand

Include related documents or items to be sent overseas

The Authentication Unit can send any additional documents or items to an overseas organisation along with your apostilled or authenticated documents. Include them with your application.

Make sure you:

• check with the overseas organisation for any specific requirements, such as any extra forms, payments or courier bags.
• clearly write which documents need to be apostilled or authenticated.

What happens next and timeframes

If your documents are being apostilled.

• The Authentication Unit will send your documents to the address on your application form.
• We will process your application within 7 working days.

If your documents are being authenticated

Category a authentications.

• Documents are sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to do a check.

Category B authentications

• Documents are sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and to international embassies for authentication (sometimes also called 'legalisation').
• There is no set timeframe for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade checks or authentication by overseas embassies.

Authentication Unit contact details

• Freephone: 0800 872 675 (NZ only)
• Phone: +64 4 460 2221
• Email: [email protected]

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Last updated 01 March 2024

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Date printed 08 April 2024

Travellers flying to New Zealand can now do their arrival declaration online

22 August 2023

Travellers arriving into all New Zealand international airports now have the option to complete a digital declaration instead of a paper arrival card, before travelling to New Zealand.

Travellers flying to New Zealand can now do their arrival declaration online – New Zealand Customs Service

Last updated: 22nd August 2023