Apply for NZ Super from Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau
How to apply for NZ Super if you live in the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau.
- If you live in New Zealand, there's a different application process to follow - go to Apply for NZ Super
- If you live in another country (not Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau), call us or email our International Services team. We'll check if you qualify for NZ Super and let you know how to apply
- If you already get NZ Super and want to move to Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau, go to Living overseas if you get NZ Super
Make sure you meet the criteria for NZ Super before you apply for this. You can also find out how much you can get for NZ Super while you're living overseas.
Living overseas if you get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension
When to apply for NZ Super
You can apply now for NZ Super if either:
- your 65th birthday is in the next 12 weeks, or
- you're already 65.
If you're 64 and you're not turning 65 in the next 12 weeks, you need to come back and apply when your birthday is in the next 12 weeks.
How to apply
You have 20 working days from the date you first contact us to complete the application process.
Follow the steps below to apply for NZ Super if you're living in the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau.
Step 1: Contact the NZ High Commission
The NZ High Commission will record your contact as your date of application.
How you contact them depends on which country you're in.
If you can't contact the NZ High Commission, you can email our International Services team in New Zealand: international_services@msd.govt.nz
Cook Islands
Contact New Zealand High Commission in Rarotonga or your outer-island administration office.
New Zealand High Commission to the Cook Islands (Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade)external
Niue
Contact New Zealand High Commission in Niue.
New Zealand High Commission in Niue (Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade)external
Tokelau
Contact either the:
- New Zealand High Commission in Apia
- Deputy Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages of each atoll, or
- Faipule (Village Head) of each atoll.
New Zealand High Commission in Samoa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade)external
Step 2: Complete application form
You need to complete and sign an application form.
If you can't download and print this application form, ask the NZ High Commission in your country to send one to you. Their contact details are in Step 1.
Step 3: Gather documents we need
The documents we need are listed below and on the application form.
Identification
You must provide:
- 1 type of government issued ID, and
- 2 types of secondary ID.
One of your identification documents must be at least 2 years old.
If you have a partner who's not getting NZ Superannuation or Veteran's Pension, you also need to provide identification documents for them.
Government issued ID
You need to provide one type of government issued identification that has your full legal name and your date of birth. For example:
- birth certificate
- passport
- drivers licence
- firearms licence
- deed poll.
If your name has changed, you need to provide your:
- marriage certificate
- deed poll, or
- other proof of the name change.
Secondary ID
You need to provide 2 documents that support your identity. For example:
- marriage certificate
- bank statement
- driver licence
- bill with your name on it.
Bank account number
You need to provide a bank statement or deposit slip showing the:
- account name
- account number
- bank logo.
If you write any of these details yourself, you need to get the bank to stamp and sign the statement or slip.
Living in the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau
One of the criteria you need to meet to get NZ Super is that you must have lived in NZ for a certain amount of time. This is between 10 and 20 years, depending on your date of birth.
Of those 10-20 years, you need to have lived in NZ for at least 10 years since you turned 20. For the rest of the years, you can include time you've spent living in a NZ realm country. That is the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau
You may be using the time you lived in the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau to qualify for this payment. If this is the case, you need to provide proof that you were resident and physically present in that country. You can get this from the Customs or Immigration offices in those countries.
Ask us if you need help with this.
Step 4: Return application and documents
Where you return the form and all the documents we need depends on which country you're in.
Cook Islands
Take your form and documents to either:
- the New Zealand High Commission in Rarotonga, or
- your outer island administration office.
New Zealand High Commission to the Cook Islands (Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade)external
Niue
Take your form and documents to the New Zealand High Commission in Niue.
New Zealand High Commission in Niue (Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade)external
Tokelau
Take your form and documents to either the:
- relevant Tokelau official, or
- New Zealand High Commission in Apia.
New Zealand High Commission in Samoa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade)external
What happens next
After you return your application form and documents:
- your form will be checked to make sure it's complete
- copies of your documents will be made and originals will be sent back to you, and
- your application will be sent securely to New Zealand to be processed.
We'll send you a letter to let you know the outcome of your application.
Get this information in other languages
You can download a factsheet of the information on this page in these languages:
- Cook Island Māori
- Niuean, or
- Tokelauan.
The factsheet also has information about:
- who can get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension, and
- how much you can get for NZ Super or Veteran's Pension.