An Emergency Travel Document is a temporary document you can use to return to New Zealand or your usual country of residence.
You can apply for an Emergency Travel Document if you are outside New Zealand, and:
- your passport is expired, lost, stolen or damaged
- you need to travel urgently
- you will not get your new passport before you travel.
Depending on where you are in the world, it may be better to apply online for an urgent passport. It can be quicker to get a new passport, it costs less and is valid for longer.
Apply for your passport
Not all countries accept Emergency Travel Documents
Some countries, like the USA, do not accept Emergency Travel Documents, even if you are just transiting through them.
Before you travel, you should check with the embassy or high commission of the countries you intend to travel to, or transit through, to find out if they will accept an Emergency Travel Document.
Foreign representatives to New Zealand
Before you apply
Before you apply, you should contact your nearest New Zealand embassy or high commission to find out if they issue Emergency Travel Documents. Not all New Zealand embassies and high commissions issue Emergency Travel Documents.
You cannot get an Emergency Travel Document if you are in New Zealand. If you are in New Zealand you should apply for an urgent passport.
Apply for your passport
Cost
An Emergency Travel Document costs NZD$530.
Validity
An Emergency Travel Document is usually valid for 7 months.
Before it expires, you need to send it to the Passport Office, so they can issue you a standard passport.
How to apply
You need to download and fill out an application form and return it to a New Zealand embassy or high commission.
Find the contact details of your nearest New Zealand embassy or high commission:
Safe travel embassy locator
Download an application form
Emergency travel document application form (PDF 1.6MB)