Family and whānau

  • Having a baby

    • While you’re pregnant

      Choose a midwife and find out about who can get maternity care, paid parental leave, antenatal classes, health tests and parenting support.

    • Registering a new baby and getting a birth certificate

      Every baby born in New Zealand must be registered, usually within 2 months of being born. It’s free, and you can apply for the baby's birth certificate and IRD number at the same time.

  • Childcare and supervision

    • Help paying for childcare

      Depending on how much you earn and how old your children are, your family may be able to get help with the cost of childcare.

    • Leaving children home alone

      It’s illegal to leave your child at home alone if they’re under 14. If you leave them at home, you need to make sure they are safely supervised.

  • Getting married

    • How to get married in NZ

      Choose the kind of ceremony you want then follow the step-by-step guide.

    • Getting married overseas

      If you’re getting married or having a civil union overseas, you usually don’t need to do anything in NZ beforehand — check with the country’s officials if you need to do anything there.

    • Celebrants

      Only registered celebrants can perform weddings or civil unions in New Zealand.

    • Get a marriage licence

      Before you get married, you need to apply for a licence. A licence confirms it’s legal for you to marry. It costs $150 if you use a celebrant, and a registry ceremony costs $240 in total.

    • Changing your name when you get married

      In New Zealand, you don’t usually have to do anything special if you want to change your name after you get married or have a civil union.

    • Order a marriage certificate

      Your New Zealand marriage certificate is an official record of your marriage. It costs $33 to get one sent to you.

    • Submit a notice of objection to someone’s wedding

      If you think there are legal reasons why someone shouldn’t get married or have a civil union, you can lodge a caveat or notice of objection.

    • Information for marriage celebrants

      Celebrants can legally perform marriages and/or civil unions in New Zealand. If you want to become a celebrant, you can choose to be independent or connected with an approved church or organisation. Once you're registered you need to renew your registration each year and keep your contact details up-to-date.

    • Civil unions

  • Separating or getting divorced

    • How to get divorced in NZ

      A step by step guide to separating and getting divorced in NZ.

    • Separating from your spouse or partner

      You don't have to do anything official when you separate from your partner, but a separation agreement or separation order can help to keep things clear.

    • Getting a divorce

      After you’ve been separated for at least 2 years, you can apply for a divorce. There is a fee for the dissolution order.

    • Child custody

      If your relationship ends, you need to try to resolve child custody arrangements yourselves before you can go to court.

    • Relationship counselling

      Find a counsellor in your local area.

    • Child support

      Child support is paid by parents who don’t live with their children, or who share care of their children with someone else.

  • Death and bereavement

    • Get a death certificate

      You might need a death certificate if you're administering someone's estate or applying for a funeral grant from Work and Income or ACC.

    • Probate and wills

      After someone dies, you need to sort out any tax or financial issues before the will is executed.

    • What you need to do when someone dies

      An overview of what you might need to do after the death of a loved one.

    • Registering a death

      If you're using a funeral director, they'll register the death with Births, Deaths and Marriages. If you're organising the funeral yourself, or not holding one, you'll need to register the death.

    • Financial help if someone dies

      If a loved one has died, you might be able to get help with the cost of the funeral, burial or cremation. In some circumstances, you might be entitled to help with living expenses or childcare.

    • When someone dies overseas

      If you're travelling overseas and someone who's travelling with you dies, contact the nearest NZ Embassy or Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade office.

    • What to organise before you die

      Before you die you can make decisions about your funeral, who looks after your children and what happens to the things you own after you die. You can also organise your finances, including insurance and unpaid debt.

  • Fertility issues and assisted reproduction

  • Adoption and fostering

    • Adopting a child

      You can apply to adopt a child in New Zealand as a couple or as an individual.

    • Placing a child for adoption

      Your child can be adopted by another family if you’re not able to look after them.

    • Whāngai

      Whāngai is the Māori tradition of children being raised by someone other than their birth parents — usually a relative.

    • Finding your birth parents

      If you were born in NZ and you're adopted, once you turn 20 you can request your original birth certificate, and any information about your adoption records held by Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children.

    • Finding your birth child

      If you've placed a child for adoption and they are now over 20 years old, you can ask Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children for help finding them.

    • Fostering a child (caregiving)

      Foster parents (caregivers) look after children in many ways, from short-term or emergency care, to long-term or permanent arrangements.

  • Financial help for your family

    • Help when you’re raising children

      You may be able to get financial help for your family, even if you’re working or looking after a child that’s not your own.

    • Working for Families payments

      Get help with the costs of raising children with Working for Families tax credit payments. Your payments are worked out based on the information you give Inland Revenue about your income for the year.

    • Apply for Best Start payments

      Everyone can get a weekly payment in their child’s first year — if the child was due or born on or after 1 July 2018. Some people can get a payment until their child is 3 — it depends on family income.

    • Youth benefits

      Payments for young people aged 16 or 17 who can't live with their parents, and for young parents aged 16 to 19.

    • Financial help and benefits if you're over 65

      If you've retired on a limited income, you may be able to get government help to pay for regular costs or unexpected expenses. You can use your SuperGold Card for transport and other discounts.

    • Getting help with your budget

      There are community services that can help you manage your finances.

  • Proving and protecting your identity

  • Changing your name

  • Enduring Power of Attorney

  • Congratulatory messages

    You can get a congratulatory message for significant birthdays and wedding anniversaries from the Queen and New Zealand dignitaries. This is a free service for all New Zealand citizens and permanent residents.