- Hon Brooke van Velden
Minister of Internal Affairs, Brooke van Velden is urging New Zealanders to check their passport expiry dates this summer, with a massive surge in applications expected next year.
In November 2015 the validity of passports changed from 5 to 10 years, meaning those who renewed their passport in 2015, and 2016 will be fast approaching their expiry.
"The Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is forecasting a surge in applications due to the anniversary of the ten-year passports. I encourage you all to ensure yours is up to date before you will need it," says Ms van Velden.
The Department anticipates:
- Over 1.3 million passports expire in the next two years
- In 2026: around 622,000 applications are expected
- 2027: 759,000 passports set to expire.
"So, if your passport needs renewing soon, so will 622,000 others.
"New Zealanders rightly expect excellent service, and I'm proud that our passport team has delivered exactly that. Through their efforts and operational improvements, we've dramatically reduced passport processing times from 25 days in 2023 to just 3 days - and that's for all passport applications, not just urgent ones," says Ms van Velden.
"This represents a great improvement in service delivery that will benefit every New Zealand family planning to travel overseas. If your passport expires in 2026, renew now before the rush. Don't let an expired passport get in the way of your travel," says Ms van Velden.
It's easy to renew online. Most people can renew their passport quickly and securely at passport.govt.nz.
