New Zealand Passport Renewal. The requirements, cost and time needed.

With the world slowly reopening, many New Zealanders are looking forward to heading overseas to see family, go on holidays and have new experiences. Before you can jet off you’ll need to make sure your passport is still valid, keeping in mind that many destinations require at least 6 months validity.

In this article we’ll take a look at how you go about renewing your New Zealand passport, including the steps, fees and documents needed. We’ll also take a look at how Wise can help make spending money abroad a little cheaper and easier.

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How to renew your New Zealand passport

To renew your NZ passport you can submit the application Online, by Post or at a participating New Zealand consulate or diplomatic mission.

Renew your New Zealand passport online

Here’s a quick overview of what you need to do to renew your New Zealand passport online.¹

1. Get your passport photo taken and saved as a digital file
2. Choose an identity referee with a valid NZ passport who’s over 16, not a relative and has known you for more than one year
3. Go online and answer the New Zealand government questionnaire to start your renewal
4. Upload your passport photo
5. Pay the fee then submit your renewal application

It’s important to note that you’ll need a RealMe login to be able to do an online passport renewal.¹

Renew your passport by post

If you’d rather apply for your passport renewal using the paper form you can do it by post.²

1. Have your passport photos taken and printed
2. Choose a valid identity referee
3. Complete the paper application form
4. Mail the application to a New Zealand Passport Office

Keep in mind that to apply by post you have to pay by credit card, debit card or money order, with your payment details being a required part of the application form.

Renew your passport in person

It’s possible to renew your New Zealand passport in person by following these steps.²

1. Have your passport photos taken and printed
2. Choose a valid identity referee
3. Complete the paper application form
4. Organise to visit your local participating New Zealand Passport Office
5. Visit the Passport Office to submit the application and pay the associated fees by debit card, credit card, EFTPOS or money order

It’s a good idea to contact your nearest New Zealand Passport Office in advance to see if they process in person applications and whether you’d need to make an appointment.²

Renew your passport overseas at an New Zealand diplomatic or consular mission

It’s possible to renew your New Zealand passport at a participating diplomatic or consular missions by completing the paper form and taking it in to submit the application.²

If you’re overseas you can also mail the application to a New Zealand Passport office² or apply online.³

How to renew your New Zealand child passport

You can renew a child’s passport online using the same process as an adult.⁵ Here’s what you’ll need to be able to do it.

• Child previously held an NZ passport
• RealMe login. You can create an account during application if you don’t have one
• Valid identity referee who has known the child for more than a year or since birth
• Passport photo

Here’s how much it will cost to renew your New Zealand passport

The fees for your NZ passport renewal vary depending on the type of passport and application method.³

Type of renewal	Fee to renew it in NZD³
Standard online passport renewal	Adult - $191 Child - $111
Urgent online passport renewal	Adult - $382 Child - $302
Standard paper passport renewal processed in NZ	Adult - $191 Child - $111
Standard paper passport renewal processed in NZ	Adult - $382 Child - $302
Passport renewal using after-hours call out service in NZ	Adult - $775 Child - $695

If you’re overseas you might need to pay an additional delivery fee to receive your new passport and application fees for paper forms processed outside of New Zealand may also be higher.³

What documents and info do you need to renew your New Zealand passport?

Here’s what you’ll need to apply for a New Zealand passport renewal.

• Completed application form (paper application)
• RealMe login (online application)
• The full name, date of birth, passport number and phone number of a valid identity referee
• Digital (online application) or printed (paper application) passport photos

How long does it take to renew your New Zealand passport?

A standard New Zealand passport renewal takes up to 10 business days to process once the Passport Office has your documents, plus delivery time for the new passport. It’s possible to have the processing time expedited, but more on that later.³

Passport offices and contact details

If you want to get in contact with the New Zealand passport office you can give them a call.⁴

• 0800 22 50 50 within NZ
• +64 (4) 463 9360 from overseas

In New Zealand there are four office locations.

• Auckland
• Manukau
• Wellington
• Christchurch

FAQ about renewing your New Zealand Passport

Can I get urgent travel, expedited passports?

You can have your New Zealand passport renewal expedited if needed.

For an additional fee you can order an urgent passport, which is processed in up to 3 working days.³ If you need your passport faster than that you can contact the Passport Office to see what’s possible.

What are the passport photo requirements?

Here’s a general overview of the New Zealand passport photo requirements.²

• Photo is less than 6 months old
• Size is 35mm x 45mm
• Head takes up about 80% of the photo
• High quality image
• No red-eye or reflected light

What do I need to do before I travel?

Once you’ve renewed your passport it’s a good idea to check if there’s any additional requirements, restrictions or vaccines needed to enter your destination country, or return home at the end of your trip.

You may also want to look into travel insurance, the costs of mobile phone roaming and the fees your bank charges for overseas transactions.

Wrapping up.

While planning your trip, you might be looking for a way to spend money overseas that has no hidden fees and offers a fair exchange rate. Wise could be the answer.

The Wise Multi-currency account has no monthly account fees and with it you can order a Wise debit card, which works in 200 countries worldwide. Any time you pay in local currency your money is exchanged using the real exchange rate with a nominal conversion fee.

To see how much you could save on fees during your travels try out the Wise card pricing calculator for yourself.

Open your Wise account in minutes 🚀

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Sources:

1. New Zealand Government - 5 Step Guide to Getting Your Passport Online
2. New Zealand Government - Application for a New Zealand Passport: Adult Renewal
3. New Zealand Government - Passport costs
4. New Zealand Government - In New Zealand
5. New Zealand Government - Renew or replace a child passport

Sources checked on date: 24 April 2022