What to provide when you apply for New Zealand Superannuation
When you apply for NZ Super, you need to prove who you are and what you've told us is true. You can upload these documents when you make your online application.
You must provide original government-issued identity documents. We cannot accept copies, including certified copies.
If you apply online, a list of the documents you need to provide can be found on the 'Next Steps' page after you submit your online application. You can provide these when you apply online through MyMSD.
Any delay in providing these documents could result in a delay in paying you, or your application being cancelled.
What you need to provide
Online application reference number
If you apply online, we'll issue you an application number when you submit your online form. Make a note of this.
Evidence of who you are
We need your identity documents if we haven't seen them before or we haven't got a copy of these on your file.
If you applied for a benefit or payment in MyMSD, you may have verified your identity online using Identity Check. If so, you do not need to provide any identity documents.
If you haven't verified your identity online using Identity Check, you need to:
- provide 2 identity documents (at least 1 of these needs to be government-issued), and
- bring the government-issued ID you're providing into a service centre.
You can choose to either:
- upload your 2 identity documents to MyMSD and bring your government-issued ID into a service centre, or
- bring your 2 identity documents into a service centre.
If you can't provide identity documents, talk to us about ways we can help.
Verify your identity at a service centre
Your partner needs to provide their identity documents as well. They can only do this by bringing their ID into a service centre. They can't use Identity Check.
Types of government-issued ID
Documents must be current, or up to 2 years expired.
You must provide original government-issued identity documents. We cannot accept copies, including certified copies.
If you were born in New Zealand
Examples of government-issued ID include:
- NZ birth certificate (apply online for a birth certificate)
- NZ passport
- NZ driver licence which is either a:
- photo licence
- temporary paper driver licence
- Firearms licence
- Steps to Freedom release form
- Oranga Tamariki issued Custody Order.
Apply online for a birth certificateexternal
If you're born overseas
As well as ID that proves who you are, we also need proof that you have the right to live in New Zealand. Examples include:
- New Zealand passport
- Passport from another country (current or up to 6 months expired) showing your residence class visa or permit
- Citizenship certificate
- NZ Refugee Travel document
- If you're from Australia, either your Australian:
- passport
- birth certificate
- proof of residence
- If you're from Cook Islands, Tokelau or Niue, either:
- birth certificate
- letter of confirmation
- certificate of registration
- certificate of naturalisation
- Letter of confirmation of your residence class visa or permit from Immigration New Zealand.
Other documents that prove your identity
Examples:
- education organisation documents
- letter from Inland Revenue
- marriage certificate
- Kiwi Access card (18+).
Other documents that prove your identity, but should be less than 6 months old:
- bank document
- document from a health practitioner
- employment letter or payslip
- power account document
- rates notice
- telecommunications account
- tenancy agreement
- insurance document
- letter from a prominent community member.
Supporting documents
To process your application, you need to provide the following:
- evidence of your bank account, for example a bank statement or screenshot of your online banking showing your name, account number and the bank's logo
- your IRD number - we’ll check this with Inland Revenue, if it doesn’t match we may ask you for proof of your IRD number (e.g. a letter, or screenshot/photo from your myIR account), if we don’t already have it
- details of any overseas pension that you get or qualify for, including documents from the pension provider that show:
- the regular current rate in overseas currency
- any rate changes that may impact your overseas pension amount.
If you can't provide the details of your overseas pension when you apply, you can give us an estimate and provide the documents later.
If you have a partner and they're not getting any payments from us, you'll also need to provide details of any overseas pensions they get.
You can upload these documents in MyMSD as part of your application. MyMSD will tell you how to do this and what types of documents you can upload.
Applying for other payments as well
If you're also applying for any other payments, e.g. Accommodation Supplement or Disability Allowance, there will be other documents we'll ask you to provide. It depends what other payments you're applying for. Your partner will have to provide these documents as well.
| To confirm your: | You need to provide: |
|---|---|
Income and assets |
Evidence of any income (before tax) for the last 52 weeks from:
|
| Outgoings (including housing costs) |
Details of:
|
If you have disability-related expenses, your health practitioner will need to complete a Disability Certificate.