- 5 steps to getting a passport
- Name change
- Witness and Identity Referee
- Consent for a child
- Before you travel
- Information about Changing Sex / Gender Identity
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- Preventing children being taken from New Zealand
- Documents not in English must be translated
- Certificate of Identity or Refugee Travel Document
Information about Changing Sex / Gender Identity
A passport may now be issued in an applicant’s preferred sex / gender of M (male), F (female) or X (indeterminate/unspecified), without the need to amend these details on your birth or citizenship record.
What do I need to apply for a passport in my preferred sex / gender identity?
- You will need to complete the New adult passport application (PDF 1.8MB)
- Complete a Statutory Declaration indicating
- The sex / gender identity you wish to be displayed in your passport (M,F or X)
- How long you have maintained your current sex / gender identity
Applicants must meet all other usual passport requirements.
Applicants under 16 years of age
Applicants under 16 years of age will be required to provide the following additional information.
- A Statutory Declaration from a parent or legal guardian which supports the change in sex / gender identity in their passport.
- A letter from a registered counsellor / medical professional which supports this change (on letterhead of the practice).
Multiple Changes in Sex / Gender Identity
While this new policy was developed to remove unnecessary obstacles for applicants wanting to record a change in their gender identity, we would like applicants to note that multiple changes in gender identity are likely to have implications for a person at overseas border controls or may affect a person’s ability to confirm their identity in the wider community.
The Department recommends that prior to applying for a change in sex / gender details in your passport, that applicants carefully consider these implications.
Where there has been more than one change in gender identity, applicants are required to submit their previous passport with their passport application. This passport will be cancelled, defaced and returned to you.
The Department of Internal Affairs reserves the right to request the return of the passport or travel document at any time.
The gender details recorded on your New Zealand birth record
This new passport policy has no effect on the Births, Deaths and Marriages and Relationships Registration Act 1995 which allows for an adult or guardian of an eligible child to apply to the New Zealand Family Court for a declaration to have their birth record reflect their nominated gender.
See Births, Deaths and Marriages for further information about gender details recorded on your New Zealand birth record.
Changing the gender details recorded on your Citizenship Certificate
See New Zealand Citizenship policy (PDF 235KB) for further information about gender details recorded on your New Zealand citizenship certificate.
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