How to choose a bank and open an account in New Zealand

Chapter 4 of 4

Opening a bank account in New Zealand is fairly easy, but requires a little organisation. To open an account, you need to present the following documents:

• Passport
• IRD number
• Copy of visa
• Proof of address

The proof of address is the tricky part for working holiday makers.

Can I apply for a bank account before going to New Zealand?

You can (but you don’t have to!) apply for a bank account before going to New Zealand. If you do so, you may be able to transfer money to your brand-new account before you leave—you can use a money transfer service like our partner Wise or make an international bank transfer. Check with your New Zealand bank for details.

Once in New Zealand, you will have to book a meeting at the bank to finalise the process and activate your account. This includes completing identification checks and meeting the proof of address requirement—ask your bank what proof of address is accepted.

• You can apply for a Kiwibank Free Up account before coming to New Zealand.
• You can also apply for an ANZ account from abroad—this bank is quite popular among working holiday makers.

Westpac and ASB offer the same convenience but we don’t have enough feedback about it. With BNZ, you’ll need a job offer in New Zealand to open an account before you arrive.

Note that proof of address may be different depending on whether you’re applying for an account from overseas or opening your account directly in New Zealand.

Proof of address

Each bank has its own definition of an acceptable proof of address. While they will all accept a telephone, power or Internet bill with a New Zealand address, some banks are more picky than others. This is a factor to consider when choosing your bank in New Zealand.

Kiwibank, ANZ, Westpac, BNZ and ASB all list the proof of address they accept. BNZ also includes acceptable documents for newcomers.

Each bank seems to accept additional proof if you apply for an account or if you contact customer service and explain that you aren’t sure whether you have the proof of residence required.

Officially accepted forms of proof of address:

• Utility bill (Internet, phone, power, gas)
• Bank statement or letter issued from another bank
• Document from a New Zealand government agency (i.e. IRD, ACC)
• Letter from another New Zealand financial institution
• Letter from the central government or a local council
• Tenancy agreement
• Letter from a school
• Home insurance policy
• Employment contract or letter from employer
• Short-term accommodation letter issued by the accommodation provider (e.g. AirBnB, Hostel, Motel, and Hotel) and including your name
• Car registration notification/demand
• New Zealand driver’s licence
• Store account statement, e.g. a Farmers Finance Card or The Warehouse Finance Card statement
• Letter from a GP or hospital (invoices and prescriptions aren’t acceptable)
• Letter from an accountant

A short-term accommodation letter isn’t always accepted as proof of address. Since 2019, this type of proof is constantly being removed and added to the list of documents accepted by banks. For this reason, we recommend that you use another proof of address.

Alternative proof of address accepted at Kiwibank, ANZ and Westpac

Kiwibank

Kiwibank accepts a foreign bank statement or letter, an employment agreement, a government document or a utility bill as proof of address. If any document is in a language other than English, a translation to English should be provided.

This document must be certified. The certifier must not be a relative or live at the same address as you, or be involved in the transaction or business requiring the certification. The certifier must be authorised by law to take statutory declarations (or equivalent) in the country you’re in. For example, a lawyer, notary public or accountant.

Read the Migrant Banking Application form for more details.

ANZ

The good news is that ANZ also accepts foreign documents. Here is a list of acceptable proof of address:

• Letter from an employer in New Zealand who would provide accommodation.
• State-issued document (outside New Zealand) showing your address.
• New Zealand or foreign insurance policy with your address on it. ANZ has told us that they accept proof of insurance (e.g. your Working Holiday travel insurance) if it clearly shows your address and the document is in English. Note that our partner Globe WHV Insurance offers a contract in English. Simply print it out and bring it to ANZ.
• Water, electricity, Internet bill in New Zealand or abroad showing your address.
• Letter from Immigration New Zealand showing your address.
• Foreign bank statement

The proof you provide must meet the following requirements:

• The document must be less than three or six months old, depending on the bank.
• You only need one of the documents above as proof of address.
• PDF documents are accepted but must be printed.
• The document must bear the letterhead of the company or organisation sending you the mail.
• Finally, and perhaps one of the most important points: the document must BE IN ENGLISH.

Furthermore, if the document is a copy, it may be useful to have it certified as a true copy.

Westpac

Contact Westpac directly to discuss whether proof other than those shown on this document would be acceptable.

Tax Identification Number

Any New Zealand bank can ask you for your Tax Identification Number (TIN) in your country of residence.

For instance, Canadians must provide their Social Insurance Number, Brits must provide their UK National Insurance number, etc.

You can find your country’s acceptable TIN here.

And don’t forget you can ask a local for help if you run into problems. Some places aren’t used to opening accounts for working holiday makers, and having the support of a local could make the process easier.