If you’re not sure who to contact
If you have a question about a government service, use the topic list to work out which government organisation to contact.
Contact details by topic
People often have questions about these topics. You need to contact the government organisation that matches your topic and question.
Travelling or moving to NZ
Visas
Contact Immigration NZ (INZ) for New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) applications or if you have questions about immigration. There are different types of visas and each has its own requirements and allows you to do different activities in New Zealand.
Find out the status of your visa application
You can find out your application status by logging in to INZ with your client number. If you feel you are waiting too long to hear back about a visa application, first check that you know how long it takes to process your type of visa.
Importing goods, animals or personal belongings
For customs clearance for bringing items into New Zealand, you may need to contact both the NZ Customs Service and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
Contact us — NZ Customs Service
COVID-19: Travelling to NZ
Before you book your flights, find out about the requirements for registering for your voucher for managed isolation.
COVID-19, travel to NZ and visas
COVID-19: New Zealanders overseas
Make sure you are up to date with the official advice for New Zealanders living and travelling overseas.
Advice for New Zealanders overseas — Safe Travel
You may also need to know where NZ embassies are in certain countries and territories.
Staying on in NZ
Applying for the same or a different type of visa
If you are in New Zealand on a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), or another type of visa, you may want to stay in NZ. Check with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) about whether you are eligible to stay and which type of visa you can apply for that fits your situation.
Citizenship
Contact the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) for information about how to apply for citizenship in New Zealand.
General contact information — Citizenship
Staying on in NZ because of COVID-19
If you are in New Zealand on a visa, check with Immigration NZ (INZ) if you need to apply for the same or a different type of visa.
If you have a temporary visa and cannot return home because of COVID-19, you may be eligible for support through Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ).
Leaving NZ
Passports
Contact the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) for passport applications and renewals.
Contact us — Identity and passports
Visas
Immigration NZ (INZ) is the main government organisation for finding out about visa requirements — for example, if or when your visa expires — for visitors, students, refugees and migrants in New Zealand. For visas in another country or territory, you will need to contact their immigration authority.
Exporting goods, animals or personal belongings
For customs clearance on taking items out of NZ, you may need to contact both the NZ Customs Service and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
Contact us — NZ Customs Service
COVID-19: Leaving NZ
Get the latest offical advice on whether it is safe to travel right now.
Before leaving New Zealand, check that your NZ passport is valid and, with your airline, that you meet travel and transit requirements.
Health advice, workplace safety, ACC
Health and services
Contact the Ministry of Health (MoH) for health advice and information on eligibility for disability and care support, and other assistance.
My DHB list of district health boards — MoH
For general health advice and information, call 0800 611 116.
Mental health and addictions
You can speak with a professional counsellor by free call or text on 1737. It is free and open anytime, 24/7.
Need to talk? Free phone or text 1737 — MoH
Workplace safety and injuries
Contact WorkSafe for queries about workplace safety and regulations.
Report a serious work health and safety issues, injury or death to WorkSafe.
Contact Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) for questions about injuries, claims and payments contact.
COVID-19: Health
COVID-19 diagnosis, testing and treatment is free. This is irrespective of citizenship, visa status, nationality or medical insurance coverage.
COVID-19 questions and answers — MoH
If you have coronavirus symptoms contact:
- the COVID-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIM cards)
- your doctor.
ACC contact details for clients, businesses, employees, and providers.
Births, deaths, marriages
Contact the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) about birth and marriage certificates, or other matters about births, deaths and marriages.
Financial support — benefits, payments, out of work
Work and Income New Zealand
Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) is the main government organisation that can help if you have questions about benefits, allowances, NZ Super, Veteran’s pension, living expenses, or if you are out of work.
WINZ may be able to help, even if you’re not on a benefit:
Working for Families and Best Start
Contact Inland Revenue (IR) for information about applying for and receiving Working for Families or Best Start, or both.
Working for Families and Best Start: contact us — IR.
Child support
Contact Inland Revenue (IR) for information about setting up and maintaining your child support.
Housing, rates, renting
Housing
Contact Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) for information about help with living expenses or finding emergency housing.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) works on housing and urban development policy and support.
The Crown agency, Kāinga Ora–Homes and Communities, is the public housing landlord and partner in urban developments.
Rates
For help with a rates postponement or rebates, contact your local council.
Find your local council by region
Renting
Tenancy Services provides information and guides on tenancy rights and responsibilities for tenants and landlords.
Work, employment rights, paid parental leave
Advertising and looking for work
People seeking work and employers looking for staff can connect on Work and Income’s Keep New Zealand Working website.
Keep New Zealand Working — WINZ
Find a job in our Public Service — jobs.govt.nz
Visas allowing you to work
If you are not a New Zealand citizen, Immigration NZ (INZ) is the main government organisation for finding out about visa requirements — for example, if or how much you can work in New Zealand. Some visas allow you to work in NZ and other types of visas do not.
Employment rights
If you are a business or employee, contact Employment New Zealand for information about employment rights and responsibilities.
Paid parental leave
Contact Inland Revenue (IR) for information about applying for and receiving paid parental leave if you are eligible.
Paid parental leave: contact us — IR
Covid-19: impacts on work
Employment NZ has information about COVID-19 and the workplace for employees, employers and businesses.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the workplace — Employment NZ
For financial assistance if you are made redundant, contact Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ).
If you are an employer with full-time, casual or part-time staff, a sole trader or self-employed, WINZ also has information about the:
- short-term absence payment — to help with paying employees who cannot work from home while they wait for a COVID-19 test result
- leave support scheme — for helping to pay staff who need to self-isolate and cannot work from home.
The employer helpline for redundancy support is 0800 778 008.
Tax — including tax numbers, KiwiSaver and student loans
Contact Inland Revenue (IR) if you have questions about tax, such as income tax, goods and services tax, or employing staff.
Tax numbers
Most types of income mean you will need to get a tax number — called an IRD number — in New Zealand. If you are not sure, contact IR.
KiwiSaver
IR has information to help you start and maintain your KiwiSaver.
Student loans
Contact Inland Revenue (IR) for information about your student loan.
NZ Parliament and the Beehive
NZ Parliament
Contact details for queries about Parliament including the visitor centre, education services, Parliamentary Information Service, Office of the Speaker, and media enquiries.
Check options for how to contact an MP while electorate and community offices are closed.
The Beehive
On the Beehive website you can select the name of the Prime Minister, Member of Parliament (MP), spokesperson, or portfolio and complete the online feedback form.
Making a complaint
Full list of government organisations
If you need to make a complaint, first contact the service provider or the department responsible. Most organisations have a complaints phone number or email address. If you’re not sure, call the department’s head office phone number.
Consumers and businesses
The Commerce Commission has information for consumers and business on fair trading, regulated industries, competition, mergers and authorisations.
Contact us — Commerce Commission
Banks
For complaints about your bank, contact the Banking Ombudsman.
Contact us — Banking Ombudsman
Employment complaints
If you have concerns about an employer not meeting the wage subsidy or leave support conditions, Employment New Zealand has guidance on how to resolve your concerns or make a complaint.
Wage Subsidy Scheme: Complaints about employers — Employment NZ
Consumer rights and complaints
For price concerns on essential products and services, contact the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) using their form about prices.
You can file a Disputes Tribunal online application form on the Tribunal’s website.
Contact us — Disputes Tribunal
Privacy complaints
Contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
A–Z list of government organisations
Using our Government A–Z directory, see a full list of government organisations and their contact details.