One agency stamps everything: the DIA Authentication Unit in Wellington issues both apostilles and non-Hague authentications — and a Justice of the Peace signature will get your documents bounced.
Overview
New Zealand is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (in force for New Zealand since 2001), and the designated competent authority is the Department of Internal Affairs (Te Tari Taiwhenua) Authentication Unit in Wellington — not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Unit issues paper apostilles and e-apostilles (a secure PDF emailed to you) at NZD 37 per document, and full authentications at NZD 74 per document for countries outside the Hague Convention, which then also need certification by the destination country's embassy. An urgent service (NZD 120, covering up to 5 documents) processes eligible applications within 5 working days. The critical preparation step is notarisation: many document types must first be notarised by a New Zealand notary public — DIA explicitly does not accept documents witnessed by a Justice of the Peace or a solicitor. Government-issued originals (birth, death and marriage certificates with the Registrar-General's seal, Ministry of Justice criminal records on blue letterhead, NZQA results) can usually skip the notary. Verified against dia.govt.nz and govt.nz as of June 2026.
Apostilles from the DIA Authentication Unit
- Who issues them: The DIA Authentication Unit (Level 2, 7 Waterloo Quay, Wellington; postal PO Box 10526) is New Zealand's competent authority under the Apostille Convention. You can also book document drop-offs at DIA public offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch — and in Sydney and London.
- Paper apostille or e-apostille: Both cost NZD 37 per document. The e-apostille is a secure PDF emailed to you — useful when the receiving authority accepts electronic documents; confirm acceptance with them first. Apostilles can be verified through DIA's online verification register.
- Sets vs individual documents: Multiple documents can be bound as a set under one apostille certificate, but only if the signature or seal on all documents is the same; otherwise each document is certified (and charged) individually.
- Urgent service: NZD 120 on top of standard fees, covering up to 5 documents, processed within 5 working days. Only available for complete, correct applications that need no translation.
- What the apostille confirms: the authenticity of the official signature, seal or notarial act — not the truth of the document's contents.
- Which countries accept apostilles: the HCCH status table lists all parties to the Convention; govt.nz/authentications lists apostille vs authentication countries from the NZ side.
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See Paid Plans →Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues apostilles in New Zealand — and is it the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
No — it is the Department of Internal Affairs (Te Tari Taiwhenua) Authentication Unit in Wellington, New Zealand's designated competent authority under the Hague Apostille Convention. MFAT's role in document authentication is limited (its diplomatic post is even used by DIA for delivery to a few countries, such as Russia and Iran). Apply by post or courier to the Authentication Unit, or book an in-person drop-off at DIA offices in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Sydney or London. Each apostille costs NZD 37, and you can verify any issued apostille through DIA's online register.
What is an e-apostille and should I get one instead of paper?
An e-apostille is a secure PDF version of the apostille certificate, emailed to you instead of couriered — same NZD 37 fee, no courier cost, and faster to deliver overseas. The catch: not every foreign authority accepts electronic documents, and DIA puts the onus on you to check the receiving authority's requirements before ordering. If the destination insists on wet-ink paper, order the paper apostille and pay delivery (NZD 5.30 within New Zealand, NZD 22–64 internationally depending on the country). Both versions are verifiable through DIA's online apostille verification register.
Can a Justice of the Peace or my lawyer certify documents for the apostille?
No. DIA is explicit: documents requiring notarisation must be notarised by a New Zealand notary public — it does not accept documents witnessed by a Justice of the Peace or a solicitor. The notary must produce a proper notarial act describing exactly what was done (e.g. 'certified a true copy of the original document'), with their name, signature, seal, and the date and place. For multi-page documents the notary should bind pages with sealed ribbon or initial each page. If any of this is missing, the Authentication Unit returns your documents unprocessed. Notary fees vary, so phone more than one — they are private practitioners, mostly senior lawyers.
How long does a New Zealand apostille take?
DIA publishes current standard processing timeframes at govt.nz/bdmtimeframes — they move with demand, so check before you plan around them. If you are in a hurry, the urgent service guarantees processing within 5 working days for NZD 120 on top of the standard fees, covering up to 5 documents — but only for complete, correct applications that do not need translation; DIA confirms eligibility before charging the urgent fee. Add courier time both ways, plus notary lead time if your documents need notarising first. If DIA cannot meet the 5-day urgent window it will contact you.
How do I get my New Zealand police record apostilled for a foreign visa application?
Request your criminal conviction history from the Ministry of Justice (free, see the Police Clearance topic) and ask for it for overseas use — you need the original paper document on Ministry of Justice blue letterhead. DIA will not apostille print-at-home or emailed versions. Post the original to the Authentication Unit with the BDM460 application form, select apostille (NZD 37) or authentication (NZD 74) depending on the destination country, and add the urgent service if the receiving country's deadline is tight. New Zealand fingerprint documents issued by NZ Police follow the same original-document rule.
Do my foreign documents need an apostille for my New Zealand visa application?
Usually not — INZ's standard requirement is certified English translations of non-English documents rather than apostilles, and translations cannot be done by you or your family. Check the document checklist for your specific visa before spending money. Where you WILL need authentication at origin is for non-immigration uses: getting married in New Zealand with foreign divorce papers, professional registration bodies verifying foreign credentials, and court matters. In those cases the document must be apostilled (Hague countries) or legalised (non-Hague) in the issuing country — New Zealand authorities cannot authenticate another country's documents after the fact.