An official website of the United States government
An official website of the United States government
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Covid19 – Please see the latest information that may affect Consular Services
One can become a U.S. Citizen through a variety of means—birth in the United States, birth abroad to a U.S. citizen parent, or through the naturalization process. For all of these, a specific series of legal requirements must be met. At the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in New Zealand, we can provide certification of U.S. citizenship for eligible individuals born abroad to U.S. citizen parents. We also processes Certificates of Loss of Nationality for those U.S. citizens who would like to give up their U.S. citizenship or believe that they have expatriated themselves.
International Parental Child Abduction
International parental child abduction is the removal or retention of a child outside their country of habitual residence in breach of another parent or guardian’s custody rights.
One of the highest priorities of the Department of State and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad is to provide assistance to U.S. citizens incarcerated abroad. The Department of State is committed to ensuring fair and humane treatment for U.S. citizens imprisoned overseas. We stand ready to assist incarcerated citizens and their families within the limits of our authority in accordance with international, domestic, and foreign law.
When an U.S. citizen dies abroad, the Bureau of Consular Affairs assists the family and friends. The Bureau of Consular Affairs attempts to locate and inform the next-of-kin of the U.S. citizen’s death. The Bureau of Consular Affairs provides information on how to make arrangements for local burial or return of the remains to the United States. The disposition of remains is subject to U.S. and local (foreign) law, U.S. and foreign customs requirements, and the foreign country facilities, which are often vastly different from those in the United States.
When a U.S. citizen is the victim of a crime overseas, he or she may suffer from physical, emotional or financial injuries. It can be more difficult because the victim may be in unfamiliar surroundings, and may not know the local language or customs.
Emergency Financial Assistance
U.S. consuls can assist Americans abroad who are temporarily destitute due to unforeseen circumstances. Americans who find themselves in these circumstances should contact the Consulate General or the State Department’s Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 1-888-407-4747 (during business hours) or 202-647-5225 (after hours). Consular officers can help destitute Americans contact family, bank, or employer to arrange for transfer of funds. In some cases, these funds can be wired through the Department of State.
Consular Affairs (CA) is the public face of the Department of State for millions of people around the world. We provide many services, and the most common are listed below.
U.S. Citizens overseas can renew passports, replace passports, or apply for new passports.
Claim U.S. Citizenship for children born abroad, renounce citizenship, etc.
If you reside in New Zealand and have questions regarding services provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA), you must contact the SSA Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) located in the Philippines. For more information on their services and how to contact them, please visit their webpage at: ph.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/social-security/.
Service members, Veterans, and their beneficiaries can apply for benefits services on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website at va.gov. The Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) can also be of assistance if Veterans and beneficiaries have questions about benefits and services.
The IRS does not maintain a permanent presence in New Zealand, and Consular staff are unable to answer inquiries regarding preparation and filing U.S. taxes. Therefore, we must direct all inquiries related to taxation to the IRS.
U.S. embassies and consulates overseas assist the Selective Service System with its registration program abroad.
To vote from abroad, you have to register to vote with local election officials in your state of legal (voting) residence, AND every year you have to request to receive absentee ballots. You can begin the registration process at the FVAP website.
The U.S. Consulate General in Auckland services a district that includes New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Samoa and some other small Pacific Islands. There are marked differences between the legal systems of New Zealand and the United States, for example, in New Zealand a law practice functions similarly to a medical practice: one must first consult a barrister/solicitor (a lawyer who practices with a firm) before seeking the advice of a specialist or sole barrister, who practices on his/her own. If you cannot afford an attorney, Legal Aid may be able to assist you. The New Zealand Law Society, to which all New Zealand lawyers belong, is similar to bar associations in the United States.
When traveling or residing abroad, it is not uncommon for U.S. citizens to require medical assistance and treatment in New Zealand facilities. The Department of State provides general Medical Information for Americans traveling abroad.
Consular Officers abroad provide notarial services similar to the functions of a notary public in the United States. This service is available to both U.S. and foreign citizens who need to have documents notarized for use in the United States.
Outside Business Hours: The Embassy and Auckland Consulate General are closed weekends and U.S. and New Zealand public holidays.
In emergency situations, U.S citizens should contact American Citizen Services at AucklandACS@state.gov. This email address is monitored regularly throughout the day and we respond within 48 business hours. If you have not heard from us within 48 hours, or your situation requires attention immediately, please call us at +64 9 303 2724 and follow the prompts.
For after-hours emergencies call: +64 4 462 6000* and follow the prompts to speak with the after-hours Duty Officer. Please note the duty officer is not a consular officer and may refer you back to the consular section the next morning if the issue is not a life or death emergency.
* Please Note: These contact details are for U.S. Citizen emergency queries only.
For all other non-emergency U.S. citizen questions, please email AucklandACS@state.gov. Your email will be returned during business hours.
For Emergency Non-Immigrant Visa Requests, click here.
For all other non-emergency visa requests, please contact the Visa Information Service: 09 887 5999.
Please call: (64) (9) 303 2724
Outside of Office Hours, contact: (64) (4) 462 6000
Outside of New Zealand: (011) (64) (4) 462 6000
Emergency Contact – All Locations Enroll in STEP International Parental Child Abduction Arrest of a U.S. Citizen Death of a U.S. Citizen Victims of Crime Emergency Financial Assistance