Travel information

Check the expiry date on your passport

The expiry date is on the photo page of your passport. If your passport is due to expire in less than a year, you may need to renew your passport before you travel.

Some countries require your passport to be valid for at least 6 months after you intend to depart from that country. For more information, contact the embassy of the country you are travelling to.

Find a New Zealand embassy or foreign representative in New Zealand

Check you have signed your passport

All adults, and children aged 10 and over, must sign their passport unless they are unable to do so.

A signature isn't required in a child's passport if they're aged under 10.

If you are an adult aged 16 or over and are unable to sign, you need to get an endorsement on the observation page (page 4) of your passport.

Check you have enough empty visa pages

If you travel often, your passport may have been stamped many times.

If your passport does not have at least 1 empty visa page, or pages with enough room to place a stamp, you may be refused entry and your travel could be delayed.

Check your passport is not damaged

Damage to your passport may affect your photo and the performance of the security chip that contains your personal information.

If your passport is water damaged, ripped, or in bad condition, you may be refused entry to a country.

You need to apply for a new passport if your current passport is damaged.

Apply for your passport

Unpaid fines, student loans or child support could stop you travelling.

Even if you are not stopped at the airport, your contact details and travel plans may be collected when you leave or re-enter New Zealand.

Find out if you have a fine

Student loans – Moving overseas or returning to New Zealand

Sorting out child support debt

Before you travel, check SafeTravel to find out if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has issued any travel advisories for the countries you are travelling to.

You may need a visa to enter certain countries.

For visa information and entry requirements, contact the embassy or high commission of the country you are travelling to.

Find a New Zealand embassy or foreign representative in New Zealand

Travelling to the United States

If you want to travel to, or transit through, the United States under their Visa Waiver Programme, you must apply for an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before you travel.

Visa Waiver Program

Official ESTA Application Website

Travelling to Australia

New Zealanders automatically get a non-protected Special Category Visa (SCV) when they arrive in Australia, provided they meet security, character and health requirements.

New Zealanders travelling to Australia can use their passport until the date it is due to expire.

Find out more about visiting or moving to Australia

Your New Zealand passport is an ePassport, which allows you to use eGates where they are available. You can use an eGate to self-process through passport control.

What is an ePassport?

An ePassport has an embedded microchip and an international ePassport symbol on the front cover. The microchip contains the same personal information that is on the photo page of your passport, including an electronic copy of your photo.

What are eGates?

eGates use the data in an ePassport and facial recognition technology to do customs and immigration checks, allowing faster processing at the border.

Find out more about eGates

New Zealand passports continue to be valid despite the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, who appears on our passports as Head of State.

New Zealand passports refer to Her Majesty the Queen on the inside cover in both English and Te Reo.

In the future, passports will be issued in the name of the new sovereign. All passports issued until then will bear the name of Her Majesty the Queen.

Your passport is still valid until it expires. The expiry date is on the inside cover of your passport.