passports.govt.nz

New Zealand passports | Uruwhenua Aotearoa

The Department of Internal Affairs | Te Tari Taiwhenua

 

Apply for a new adult passport – personal details

Your personal details, citizenship status and legal name

Read all the instructions in the guide section of the form, the following is only a summary. Fill in and check your form carefully to avoid delays when your application is processed.

On this page:

1

Application section 1 – Your personal details

Your name

This is the name you want to have appearing in your passport. You must use your officially registered name. This means:

Avoid delays

  • You cannot use nicknames or names you are ‘commonly known as’.
  • To legally change your name contact Births, Deaths and Marriages
  • Processing a name change can take up to 15 working days. You need to add this extra time on to the time it will take before we can process your passport application.

Contact Births, Deaths and Marriages for more information and Change of Name application forms.

Your height and eye colour

Make sure you provide this information. We cannot process your application if you don’t fill in this section.

  • Your height must be in centimetres. If you don’t know your height in centimetres?
    Use our measurement chart to convert your height
  • Choose an eye colour that is closest to yours. Try to use a common colour that is closest to your own, such as brown, blue, green, grey, hazel or black.
2

Application section 2 – Your entitlement to a New Zealand passport

Only New Zealand citizens are entitled to a New Zealand passport. This section asks you to confirm how you became a citizen of New Zealand. Depending on your situation you may need to provide original documents as proof when you submit your application. Any original documents you provide will be returned to you when your passport is issued.

Citizenship checklist

Were you born in New Zealand?
  • Provide the details.
  • Original documents are not required.
Were you born in Niue, the Cook Islands or Tokelau?
  • Send original documents.
Did you receive citizenship by grant, or by decent?
  • Provide the details.
  • Original documents are not required.

Avoid delays

If you believe you are entitled to citizenship by grant or decent but have not obtained a citizenship certificate you must establish your citizenship status before you can get a New Zealand passport.

Are you claiming citizenship for any other reason?
  • Send us evidence to support your claim, AND
  • Complete the statutory declaration at section 8 of the form.
3

Application section 3 – Names at birth

This information helps us confirm your identity. You should obtain all of the information needed for this section from your birth certificate. We also need to know your parents’ names that appear on your birth certificate and your mother’s name at her birth.

If you were legally adopted, write the names of your adoptive patents and the names you were given after adoption.

Names checklist

Were you born in New Zealand and do you have a copy of your New Zealand birth certificate so you can check the details we are asking for?
  • You don’t need to send us the certificates if you were born in New Zealand.
  • New Zealand birth certificates can be ordered from Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Were you born in Niue, the Cook Islands or Tokelau and do you have a copy of your birth certificate so you can check the details we are asking for?
  • You must send us your birth certificate if you were born in Niue, the Cook Islands or Tokelau.
  • If you don’t have your birth certificate, contact the relevant government agency in your country of birth to get it.
  • You must provide approved translations approved translations for overseas documents or certificates that are not written in English.

Avoid delays

Does the information on your application form match exactly what’s shown on your birth certificate or citizenship certificate?

We match the information against New Zealand birth and citizenship records so make sure all your information is right.

  • Check your spelling.
  • Write names exactly as they appear on your documents.
6

Application section 6 – Name change by marriage or civil union

If you have changed your name by marriage or civil union and you want this name to appear in your passport you must fill in this section. Fill in the form starting with your most recent marriage or civil union

Name change checklist

Was the marriage or civil union held in New Zealand?
  • Original documents are not required.
Did any of your marriages or civil unions take place overseas?
  • Send us original certificates.
  • If you don’t have your marriage or civil union certificate, contact the relevant government agency in your country where the marriage or civil union took place to get it.
  • You must provide approved translations for overseas documents or certificates that are not written in English.
More than 2 marriages or civil unions?
  • Provide the full details using the same format on a separate sheet of paper and attach it to your application.
7

Application section 7 – Name change by statutory declaration or deed poll

If you have ever changed your name by statutory declaration or deed poll you must fill in this section. Fill in the form starting with your most recent name change.

Name change checklist

Were you born in New Zealand and then changed your name legally in New Zealand?
  • Original documents are not required if you were born in New Zealand.
Were you born overseas and then changed your name legally in New Zealand?
  • For name changes after 25 January 2009, original documents are notrequired .
  • For name changes on or before 25 January 2009, original documents are required.
Did any of your name changes take place overseas?
  • Send us original name change documents.
  • If you don’t have your name change documents, contact the relevant government agency in your country where the name change took place to get it.
  • You must provide approved translations for overseas documents or certificates that are not written in English.
More than 2 name changes?
  • Provide the full details using the same format on a separate sheet of paper and attach it to your application.