Providing your passport for an online application
How to provide a digital copy of your passport or send us your original passport so we can verify your identity.
If you are applying for a visitor, student or work visa
You do not need to send us a physical copy. You must send us a high-quality scan of your passport.
Provide a scanned copy of your current and recent passports, including:
- the photo page, and
- all pages with visa records, and entry and exit stamps.
File formats for uploading documents and photos
If you are including your partner or dependent children in your application, you must send us high-quality scans of their passports too.
Resident and transit visas
If you are applying for a:
- Permanent Resident Visa
- Second or Subsequent Resident Visa
- Variation of Travel Conditions of a Resident Visa, or
- Transit Visa.
You must upload a high-quality scan of your passport or travel document when you apply online. You do not need to send us a physical copy.
Upload the passport or travel document information page
You must upload a high-quality scan of your current passport or travel document information page when you start your application. This is the page with your photo, name, date of birth and document details like passport number, expiry and issuing authority. Make sure your scan also includes the MRZ code — the string of characters on the bottom of the information page of your passport.
If you are including a partner or dependent children in your application, you will also need to upload a high-quality scan of their passport information page.
Immigration Online will read the identity and document details in your scanned copy and fill in these fields for you on the form. Check the details in the form are correct and fix any mistakes. If all the information is correct you do not need to do anything and can continue with your application.
If Immigration Online could not upload your document, rescan your document and try again. Make sure the document:
- is high-quality
- does not have any screen glare
- can be easily read, and
- includes the MRZ code.
File formats for uploading documents and photos
Upload other passport or travel document pages
You can upload any other pages with visa records, entry and exit stamps in the 'Identity evidence' fields in the 'Supporting documents' section of your application form.
Other online applications
If you are applying for another type of visa online, we will email you if we need your physical passport to confirm your identity.
You may not need to send us your passport if you are:
- already in New Zealand, or
- outside New Zealand and are from a visa waiver country or China.
Transfer a visa to a new passport
If you renew your passport before you travel, you must transfer your eVisa or the visa label to your new passport.
Transferring a visa to a new passport
You may not be able to come to New Zealand if your visa and passport do not match in our system.
Providing your physical passport
If we need to see your physical passport to confirm your identity, we will:
- email you after you submit your application
- tell you on the acknowledgement page when you complete your online application.
Most people do not need to provide their physical passport.
If you are not sure if you need to send your passport, check the final page of your completed visa application in your Immigration Online account.
Warning
If you do not send your passport within the time we specify, we may delay processing your application or decline it.
Sending your passport from outside New Zealand
If you are applying from outside New Zealand, send your passport to your nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC) or Immigration New Zealand (INZ) office. We must receive it within 20 working days from when we ask for it. Most people use a courier or postal tracking service to send us their passports.
Offices outside of New Zealand (Visa Application Centres)
Postal addresses for sending paper documents
Countries that cannot use a VAC
We will contact you with instructions about where and how to send your passport if you:
- do not have access to a VAC, or
- are from Algeria, Morocco or Tunisia and applying from one of those countries.
Sending your passport in New Zealand
Check our postal addresses page for where to send your passport in New Zealand. Use a signature-required courier service so it arrives quickly.
Postal addresses for sending paper documents
Sending your passport to a VAC
You may have to pay a fee to send your passport to a VAC. You can find the handling fee on the website of your nearest VAC. Fill in the filters and select the tab called ‘Passport handling for online application’.
VFS Global for individuals — VFS Global
Getting your passport returned from a VAC or INZ office
If you sent your passport to a VAC, they contact you with the tracking details after they send your passport back to you. If you have any questions or concerns about the return of your passport, contact the VAC directly.
Note
The VAC may not send your passport back to you until after we have made a decision about your visa application.
If you sent your passport to an INZ office, you receive a tracking number after we send it back to you. Contact the courier company if you have any questions about delivery. For any other questions or concerns, contact us.
Urgent return of passports
If you need your passport urgently, contact the INZ officer processing your application.
When you contact them, include:
- your client number or application number
- why you need your passport urgently, and
- your contact information.