NEW ZEALAND OVERSEAS DOCUMENTS GUIDE
Quick answer: If a New Zealand marriage certificate is being used in an apostille country, it may need a New Zealand apostille. For the Department of Internal Affairs Authentication Unit process, a New Zealand marriage certificate must be the original certificate with the round seal from the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The document signed on your wedding day — the copy of particulars of marriage — cannot be apostilled or authenticated through this process.
Which marriage document do you need?
This is one of the most important checks before applying. The Authentication Unit accepts the official New Zealand marriage certificate issued through Births, Deaths and Marriages, provided it is the original document with the Registrar-General's round seal.
What does an apostille do?
An apostille is an official government certificate that confirms the relevant signature, stamp or seal on a New Zealand document is genuine for use in countries covered by the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.
In New Zealand, the apostille process is handled by the Department of Internal Affairs Authentication Unit. Apostilles do not need to go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for checking.
Does every overseas country require an apostille?
No. The destination country determines whether the document follows the apostille pathway or an authentication pathway. Some countries use Category A or Category B authentication instead.
Before applying, confirm the destination country and ask the overseas organisation receiving the marriage certificate exactly what it requires. See our Apostille vs Authentication NZ guide if you are unsure about the difference, or Documents for Overseas Use for the broader overseas-document pathway.
How to apostille a New Zealand marriage certificate
- Confirm what the overseas organisation requires. Ask whether it needs an apostille and whether it wants a paper apostille or accepts an e-apostille.
- Use the correct marriage certificate. For this DIA process, use the original New Zealand marriage certificate with the Registrar-General's round seal.
- Prepare the application. Complete the current Authentication Unit application and choose the appropriate apostille format and processing option.
- Submit the certificate and application. The Authentication Unit checks the document and processes the apostille.
- Arrange return or onward delivery. Consider how the original certificate needs to be returned or sent to the overseas organisation.
Do you need to notarise a New Zealand marriage certificate first?
For the standard New Zealand BDM marriage certificate described above, the Authentication Unit's current document requirements call for the original certificate with the Registrar-General's round seal. They do not state that this original BDM certificate first needs notarisation.
Other documents connected with your overseas application can have different requirements. Where the Authentication Unit requires notarisation, it must be carried out by a New Zealand Notary Public, not a Justice of the Peace or an ordinary solicitor certification. For preparation rules, see NZ Apostille Requirements.
Paper apostille or e-apostille?
New Zealand offers both paper apostilles and electronic apostilles. A paper apostille is physically attached to the documents with the official apostille covering certificate, ribbon and embossed seal. An e-apostille is supplied as a secure PDF by email.
Ask the overseas organisation which format it accepts before choosing. Our Paper Apostille vs E-Apostille NZ guide explains the difference.
Current government fee
The current Department of Internal Affairs fee is NZ$37 for one apostille certificate, whether paper or electronic.
NZ Document Assist's apostille coordination starts from NZ$89 plus government and other external fees. Our fee is for administrative assistance and coordination and is separate from the government apostille charge.
How long does a marriage certificate apostille take?
The current standard apostille processing timeframe is within 15 working days.
An urgent service is available for eligible apostille and e-apostille applications. Eligible urgent applications are processed within 5 working days, with a current additional government urgent-service fee of NZ$120.
Urgent applications must be complete and correct, include all required documents, and must not require translation.
What if the marriage certificate needs translation?
The overseas organisation may require a translation. The Department of Internal Affairs can arrange translation as part of an application, or a translation can be organised independently.
If you organise your own translation for the Authentication Unit process, current government guidance says that translation needs to be notarised by a New Zealand Notary Public.
See our Translation Coordination service if translation is part of your document pathway.
Common marriage-certificate apostille mistakes
- Sending the document signed on the wedding day instead of the official BDM marriage certificate.
- Sending a photocopy when the Authentication Unit requires the original BDM certificate.
- Assuming every country uses an apostille.
- Choosing an e-apostille without checking whether the receiving organisation accepts it.
- Getting a document certified by a JP when a separate document actually requires NZ Notary Public notarisation for the Authentication Unit process.
- Arranging translation without checking how the translation itself must be prepared.
What if you do not have the official marriage certificate?
You may need to obtain an official New Zealand marriage certificate before starting the apostille process. A New Zealand marriage certificate is the official record of the marriage; it is different from the copy of particulars signed at the ceremony.
Do not order or prepare documents unnecessarily until you have checked what the overseas organisation requires, especially if it has rules about how recently the certificate must have been issued. If you are planning to marry overseas and also need evidence that there is no legal impediment to the marriage, see our Certificate of No Impediment NZ guide.
Need help with the process?
NZ Document Assist provides administrative document assistance and coordination. We can help check the required pathway, organise the apostille application, coordinate notary or translation steps where applicable, and arrange document return logistics. You can see the full process on How It Works.
View Apostille Coordination Ask About Your Marriage Certificate
Frequently asked questions
Can I apostille my New Zealand marriage certificate?
If the certificate is being used in a country on the apostille pathway and the receiving organisation requires an apostille, it can generally follow the New Zealand apostille process provided it meets the Authentication Unit's document requirements.
Can I apostille a photocopy of my marriage certificate?
For a New Zealand birth, death, marriage, civil union or name change certificate, the Authentication Unit's current requirements specify the original document with the round seal from the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Can the marriage document signed on my wedding day be apostilled?
No. The Authentication Unit specifically states that it does not authenticate or apostille a copy of particulars of marriage — the document signed on the wedding day.
How much does a New Zealand marriage certificate apostille cost?
The current government apostille fee is NZ$37 for one certificate. Assistance, translation, notary, courier and other third-party costs are separate where applicable.
How long does it take?
Current standard apostille processing is within 15 working days. Eligible urgent applications are processed within 5 working days for an additional NZ$120 government urgent-service fee.
Should I choose a paper apostille or e-apostille?
Ask the overseas organisation receiving the marriage certificate. New Zealand offers both formats, but the receiving organisation's acceptance requirements should guide your choice.