Family and whānau

  • Having a baby

    • While you’re pregnant

      Choose a midwife and find out about who can get maternity care, paid parental leave, antenatal classes, health tests and parenting support.

    • Registering a new baby and getting a birth certificate

      Every baby born in New Zealand must be registered, usually within 2 months of being born. You can order your baby's birth certificate and apply for their IRD number at the same time.

  • Childcare and supervision

    • Help paying for childcare

      Depending on how much you earn and how old your children are, your family may be able to get help with the cost of childcare.

    • Leaving children by themselves

      You can leave a child under 14 at home or in another place if you’ve made reasonable provisions to have them supervised and cared for safely, and they’re not left for a long time.

  • Getting married

    • How to get married in NZ

      Choose the kind of ceremony you want then follow the step-by-step guide. You must get married by a celebrant.

    • Getting married overseas

      If you’re getting married or having a civil union overseas, you usually do not need to do anything in NZ beforehand — check with the country’s officials if you need to do anything there.

    • Celebrants

      Only registered celebrants can perform weddings or civil unions in New Zealand.

    • Get a marriage licence

      Before you get married, you need to apply for a marriage licence. This confirms it’s legal for you to marry. A marriage licence costs $150.

    • Changing your name when you get married

      In New Zealand, you don’t usually have to do anything special if you want to change your name after you get married or have a civil union.

    • Order a marriage certificate

      Your New Zealand marriage certificate is an official record of your marriage. It costs $33 to have it posted to you. You can order your certificate online.

    • Submit a notice of objection to someone’s wedding

      If you think there are legal reasons why someone shouldn’t get married or have a civil union, you can lodge a caveat or notice of objection.

    • Information for marriage celebrants

      Celebrants can legally perform marriages and/or civil unions in New Zealand. If you want to become a celebrant, you can choose to be independent or connected with an approved church or organisation. Once you're registered you need to renew your registration each year and keep your contact details up-to-date.

    • Civil unions

      A civil union is the formalisation of a relationship between two people, regardless of gender, in accordance with the Civil Union Act 2004. Some overseas countries may not recognise New Zealand civil unions so you may want to seek independent legal advice before deciding to enter into a civil union. A celebrant must conduct your civil union.

    • Complain about a marriage or civil union celebrant

      If you have a serious problem with a marriage or civil union celebrant not performing their legal duties before, during or after your ceremony, you can make a formal complaint about them.

    • Deposit an overseas divorce or dissolution certificate

      If you got married or had a civil union in New Zealand and legally ended the relationship overseas through a divorce or dissolution, you can get this information added to your marriage or civil union certificate.

  • Separating or getting divorced

    • How to get divorced in NZ

      A step by step guide to separating and getting divorced in NZ.

    • Separating from your spouse or partner

      You do not have to do anything official when you separate from your partner, but a separation agreement or separation order can help to keep things clear.

    • Applying for a divorce

      After you’ve been separated for at least 2 years, you can apply for a divorce through the Family Court. There are eligibility criteria to meet and an application fee when you apply.

    • Child custody

      If your relationship ends, you need to try to resolve child custody arrangements yourselves before you can go to court.

    • Relationship counselling

      Find a counsellor in your local area.

    • Child support

      Child support is paid by parents who do not live with their children, or who share care of their children with someone else.

  • Death and bereavement

    • Get a death certificate

      You might need a death certificate if you're administering someone's estate or applying for a funeral grant from Work and Income or ACC.

    • Probate and wills

      After someone dies, an executor or administrator needs to be appointed through the High Court to deal with the estate.

    • What you need to do when someone dies

      An overview of what you might need to do after the death of a loved one.

    • Registering a death

      If you're using a funeral director, they'll register the death with Births, Deaths and Marriages. If you're organising the funeral yourself, or not holding one, you'll need to register the death.

    • Financial help if someone dies

      If a loved one has died, you might be able to get help with the cost of the funeral, burial or cremation. In some circumstances, you might be entitled to help with living expenses or childcare.

    • When someone dies overseas

      If you're travelling outside New Zealand and someone who is travelling with you dies, contact the nearest NZ embassy or Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade office.

    • What to organise before you die

      Find information about the sorts of things that you need to think about before you die. You can also create your own plan on the Te Hokinga ā Wairua website.

  • Fertility issues and assisted reproduction

  • Adoption and fostering

    • Adopting a child

      You can apply to adopt a child in New Zealand as a couple or as an individual.

    • Placing a child for adoption

      Your child can be adopted by another family if you’re not able to look after them.

    • Whāngai

      Whāngai is the Māori tradition of children being raised by someone other than their birth parents — usually a relative.

    • Finding information about your adoption

      If you were born in New Zealand and you're adopted, once you turn 20 you can request your pre-adoptive birth certificate and information about your adoption records held by Oranga Tamariki.

    • Finding your birth child

      If you've placed a child for adoption and they are now over 20 years old, you can ask Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children for help finding them.

    • Fostering a child (caregiving)

      Foster parents (caregivers) look after children in many ways, from short-term or emergency care, to long-term or permanent arrangements.

  • Financial help for your family

    • Help when you’re raising children

      You may be able to get financial help for your family, even if you’re working or looking after a child that’s not your own.

    • Working for Families payments

      Get help with the costs of raising children with Working for Families tax credit payments. Your payments are worked out based on the information you give Inland Revenue about your income for the year.

    • Apply for Best Start payments

      Most New Zealanders can get a weekly payment to help support their newborn baby. Some people can get Best Start payments until their child turns 3 years of age — it depends on family income.

    • Youth benefits

      Payments for young people aged 16 or 17 who cannot live with their parents, and for young parents aged 16 to 19.

    • Financial help and benefits if you're over 65

      If you've retired on a limited income, you may be able to get government help to pay for regular costs or unexpected expenses. You can use your SuperGold Card for transport and other discounts.

    • Getting help with your budget

      There are community services that can help you manage your finances.

  • Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) for personal care and welfare
  • Proving and protecting your identity
  • Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) for property
  • Changing your name
  • Congratulatory messages