New Zealand Child Passport Application
Applying for children’s passports entails several details that adult passport applications usually don’t have, as they are minors and need legal protection. Here we will cover the basics!
Table of contents
- Kiwi child passport application process: general steps
- How to apply for a New Zealand child passport in Australia?
- How to apply for a New Zealand child passport by descent?
- New Zealand child passport renewal
- New Zealand baby passport photo requirements
- Get your child's New Zealand passport photo online with Visafoto
Kiwi child passport application process: general steps
Now, you can start your application online. For this, you will need to:
- Use your RealMe login;
- Input your child's details;
- Have an identity referee to confirm your child’s identity;
- Submit a suitable passport photo of your child;
- Use a device with internet access and a camera;
- Input an emergency contact;
- Confirm consent from a parent or guardian of the child;
- Have a payment method ready;
- Input delivery details for the completed passport.
For an online application, your child's identity referee must:
- Be aged 16 or over;
- Have a current or expired New Zealand passport;
- Have known your child for more than one year, or since birth if your child is under one;
- Not be a member of the child's immediate or extended family and not live at the same address;
- Agree to act as the referee and be available if the Passport Office contacts them.
Provide the referee's passport details, full name, date of birth, home address, phone number and email address. For an online application, they do not sign a form or the photo.
For a first passport application on paper, a witness completes and signs the witness declaration. They also write the child's full name, their own signature and the date on the back of one photo. Follow the witness requirements on the form you are using.
How to apply for a New Zealand child passport in Australia?
If you’re in Australia, you can also apply online. You will need the same details as in the previous section.
If you need an appointment to apply, here is the address of the NZ Passport Office in Sydney:
Level 22
20 Bond Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Australia
If you are applying by mail, send it to
New Zealand Passport Office
GPO Box 365
Sydney, NSW 2001
Australia
How to apply for a New Zealand child passport by descent?
Suppose you are a citizen of New Zealand by birth (you were born in NZ) or have been granted NZ citizenship. In that case, it is possible to register your child (adopted or biological) as an NZ citizen by descent, which will make them eligible for a New Zealand passport. A citizen by descent has mostly the same rights as any NZ citizen.
To apply for such a passport (for children citizens by descent), use this form. It costs NZ$319.40, AU$306 or GB£166.
Once a citizen by descent turns 16, they may apply to be granted citizenship as an adult.
New Zealand child passport renewal
You can also apply to renew your child’s passport online. Have these details and documents ready to do so:
- The child’s current passport;
- RealMe login;
- Identity referee;
- Suitable passport photo;
- Credit, debit, or Prezzy card for payment.
New Zealand baby passport photo requirements
For an online application, the finished photo must meet these New Zealand passport photo requirements:
- A portrait image with a 3:4 aspect ratio (width to height);
- A colour digital photo, not a scan of a printed photo;
- .jpg or .jpeg format;
- A file size between 250 KB and 5 MB;
- Dimensions between 900 and 4500 pixels wide and 1200 and 6000 pixels high;
- Taken less than six months ago;
- A plain, light-coloured background with no shadows or objects behind the child's head;
- The child's head centred, with space above and to the sides, and part of the shoulders and upper chest visible;
- A clear, undistorted view of the entire face, looking straight at the camera;
- The child's natural appearance, without beauty filters or changes to facial features;
- A neutral expression, eyes open and mouth closed;
- No tinted or thick-framed glasses, and no reflections obscuring the eyes;
- No head accessories or coverings, except for religious or medical reasons. The entire face must remain visible.
For an older child, take the photo at eye level from about 1.5 m away to avoid distorting the face. Leave enough space around the head and shoulders for cropping.
For a baby's passport photo:
- Lay your baby safely on their back and take the photo from above, with their face turned towards the camera;
- Make sure their eyes are open and their entire face is visible;
- Keep other people, supporting hands, toys and other objects out of the finished frame.
The plain, light-coloured background is a requirement for the finished photo. If you use Visafoto, you can take the original photo against any background: you do not need a light-coloured curtain or a special photography backdrop.
Here is an example:
Get your child's New Zealand passport photo online with Visafoto
Prepare your child's passport photo at home, without fitting a studio visit around feeds, naps or school. With Visafoto, you can take several photos on your phone and choose the clearest frame rather than expecting the first shot to be perfect.
For a newborn, try a short photo session when they are awake and settled. For an older child, ask them to look towards the camera and keep their mouth closed. Choose a sharp image with open eyes and a clear view of the face, leaving space around the head and shoulders. If your child turns away or blinks, use another frame or try again after a break.
Upload the child's photo to Visafoto and select New Zealand and the passport format for your application. The source background can be any colour or pattern. Visafoto replaces it with a plain, light background, adjusts the size and crop, and improves lighting and image quality. You do not need professional equipment or a perfectly prepared backdrop.
The service handles photo formatting, while your child's facial features and expression should remain natural. It cannot turn closed eyes or a turned-away face into a suitable passport portrait, so choosing a clear source image matters.
Here is an example of a baby photo taken at home:
Choose the output that matches the way you are applying:
- Online application: select New Zealand Passport Online and download the digital JPEG. Check that the file is between 250 KB and 5 MB before uploading it to the passport application;
- Paper application: select New Zealand Passport Offline for a printable template with 35 × 45 mm photos. The child application requires two identical recent colour prints. Print at the template's intended size, without resizing, and check the measurements before submitting them.
For a paper application, prepare and print the photos before completing the witness endorsement.
The examples below show the digital photo and a printable layout:
If you need help with the source photo or result, Visafoto's support is available 24/7. If the passport authority rejects a photo purchased from Visafoto, you can request a 100% refund.
Last updated: 2 October 2026.