To register for the Pacific Access Category (PAC) the principal registrant (the person who signs the registration form and who would be the principal applicant if invited to apply for residence) must:

• be a citizen of one of the PAC countries - Kiribati, Tuvalu or Tonga; and
• have been born in their PAC country, or born overseas to a PAC country citizen who was born in that PAC country; and
• register for the ballot for their PAC country’s quota within the official registration period; and
• be aged 18 to 45 years at the registration closing date.

Note: If you are in New Zealand you must be in New Zealand lawfully to register.

How do I register?

Along with your completed and signed Pacific Access Category Registration Form (INZ 1092) PDF also include a photocopy of your birth certificate, and a photocopy of your partner’s and dependent children’s birth certificates who are included in your registration form. You should also include the date of birth of each immediate family member included in your registration form.

For a first registration for the PAC ballot the registration fee is NZ$60.00. If you have registered before in any previous year, you only need to pay a re-registration fee of NZ$25.00. These fees are not refundable if your registration is unsuccessful in the ballot.

Your registration form must be received by Immigration New Zealand no later than 30 April or it cannot be accepted.

Note: Only one registration form from each family is allowed.  If you, or any of the family members listed in your registration, are found to be included in another registration that is already accepted, the other registration(s) will not be accepted.

For the Kiribati and Tuvalu ballots, send it to:

Immigration New Zealand
Suva Branch
Reserve Bank of Fiji Building
Pratt St (PO Box 15183)
Suva
Fiji

For the Tonga ballot, send it to:

Immigration New Zealand
Nuku’alofa Branch
Ground Floor
Royco Building
Fatafehi Road (PO Box 830)
Nuku'alofa
Tonga

For all PAC ballots (if you are in New Zealand or elsewhere), send your registration:

By post to:
Department of Labour
Palmerston North Branch
Immigration New Zealand
PO Box 948
Palmerston North

Or, by courier to:
Department of Labour
Palmerston North Branch
Immigration New Zealand
Level 6, 65 Rangitikei Street
Palmerston North

You must send your registration form by post or courier. 

Ballot draw

One month after the closure of the registration period, we conduct an electronic draw in which registrations are drawn randomly until the appropriate number of people to meet the quota of available places for each country is met.

If you were successful in the ballot draw and you are eligible to apply for residence under the PAC you’ll be notified within the month following the draw and invited to make an application for residence.

If invited to apply for residence, you must apply for residence within six months of written advice from Immigration New Zealand.

Have a look at the Registering for the Pacific Access Category questions and answers.