Before you join
What you need to open an account
You can join Kiwibank as soon as you arrive in New Zealand. If you have all the required details and documents, you should be able to open an account and get your banking set up within a day.
In some cases, we may need to check your information or request additional documents before you're able to use your account.
When you arrive
You’ll need to be in New Zealand before you can join Kiwibank and open an account.
Once you’ve arrived, you can join online. To do this, you’ll need to:
- be aged 16 years or over
- live at a New Zealand residential address
- have a New Zealand mobile phone number to verify your identity online.
The details & documents you'll need
Have these ready when you join:
- Your passport.
- Your visa — Work, Student or Resident visa*.
- Your email address.
- A New Zealand residential address.
- A New Zealand mobile phone number.
* Citizens or permanent residents of Australia, Niue, Tokelau, the Cook Islands and Tuvalu don’t need a visa to live or work in New Zealand.
New Zealand address
Your address can be:
- A rental property.
- Temporary accommodation, like a hostel or short‑term stay (as long as it meets our requirements).
- A permanent address.
In some cases we'll also need to verify your address and source of wealth and/or funds.
New Zealand mobile number
Having a local mobile number helps you join Kiwibank online.
If you have a smartphone, you'll be able to:
- Complete your application using ID Checker.
- Download and use the Kiwibank mobile app to manage your banking.
Your tax information
To meet our tax obligations, we’ll need your New Zealand resident withholding tax (RWT) rate. If you already have one, we may also ask for your Inland Revenue (IRD) number. You fan find out more about IRD numbers at ird.govt.nz.
Overseas tax obligations
When you join Kiwibank, you'll need to provide us with information about your overseas tax status, even if you’re not a tax resident anywhere else.
Tax resident in another country
If you’re a tax resident in any country outside of New Zealand, we’ll require your tax identification (TIN) number.
US citizen or a US tax resident
If you’re a US citizen or US tax resident we'll ask you a few questions to comply with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).
Join online
You'll need to gather the required details and documents before you join and open an account online.
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Complete the form
To join Kiwibank, get your details together and fill in our online join form. It takes around 10 minutes to complete.
When you're done, you'll automatically be set up with a Free Up account. To start using it, you'll need to verify your identity (ID).
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Verify who you are
Once you've joined online we'll need to verify your identity. If you're aged 16 years or older you can do this by:
- Using ID checker on your smartphone.
- Visiting your nearest Kiwibank or Local for Kiwibank. Bring your accepted form of identification with you.
If you're 13 - 15 years old we'll need to verify your identity at your nearest Kiwibank or Local for Kiwibank. Find out more about kids accounts.
In some cases we'll also need to verify your address and source of wealth and/or funds.
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Start using your accounts
Once you've been verified, you can start using your account straight away. You can:
- Give your employer your bank account number.
- Access your money.
- Order a Visa Debit or EFTPOS card.
- Set up internet banking.
- If you have a smartphone, download and use the mobile app.
Open a joint account
Once both people have joined and been verified, you can open a joint account by:
- Individually sending us a secure message from each person’s own login in the mobile app or internet banking.
- Bringing your identification and visiting a Kiwibank branch or Local for Kiwibank together. Each person will need their own access number.
Open an account for children
If you’re moving to New Zealand with tamariki (children), both you and your child need to be in New Zealand to open a Kiwibank account.
For children aged 12 and under, you can open an account for them, for children aged 13 – 15 they can start opening an account online.
Find out more about kids accounts.
Banking support for life in New Zealand
We've pulled together some guides which may help as you settle into life in New Zealand.
Account opening criteria, terms and fees apply. Details of our fees can be found in our Fees & Limits brochure.