Moving to New Zealand from the United States

What changes when you move from the US to New Zealand

Most of a US move to New Zealand is the same as any international move. These parts are specific to coming from the United States:

• Your US tax return keeps coming with you. US citizens and resident aliens living abroad generally file under the same rules as at home, on their worldwide income, so leaving the US doesn't end your filing.
• Your police certificate comes from the FBI. Immigration New Zealand asks for a US certificate from the FBI or an FBI-approved channeler, and the request needs your fingerprints.
• Your licence is on NZTA's exempt list. You can convert a US licence without a theory test.
• Pets can fly direct. The mainland US is a Category 3 country for MPI, so a cat or dog comes in with an import permit, a rabies blood test and at least 10 days in quarantine.

This is general planning information, not immigration, tax or financial advice. Confirm your own situation with the relevant authority, or a qualified adviser, before making a decision you can't easily reverse.

Visa pathways

US citizens are on New Zealand's visa waiver list. You can visit for up to 3 months without a visa, but you need an NZeTA before you travel. See Immigration New Zealand: visa waiver countries.

To live or work here you need a visa. If you're a US citizen aged 18 to 30 living in the US, the USA Working Holiday Visa allows up to 12 months of holiday and temporary work, if you haven't held a New Zealand working holiday visa before. For work, residence and partner visas, use Immigration New Zealand's visa tool. Regulated jobs such as nursing, teaching and engineering also need registration with the New Zealand body. See getting your overseas qualifications recognised in New Zealand.

Anyone advising you on New Zealand immigration must be licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority, or be exempt. Check an adviser on the Immigration Advisers Authority's public register before you pay anyone.

Police certificates

For a resident visa, Immigration New Zealand asks for a police certificate from each country you're a citizen of, and from any country where you've spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years. A certificate has to be less than 6 months old when you apply. See Immigration New Zealand: police certificates.

The US certificate is the FBI's Identity History Summary, requested from the FBI directly or through an FBI-approved channeler. The request is fingerprint-based, so book the fingerprinting first. Only get an apostille if an authority asks for one: the FBI's FAQ explains that the FBI authenticates the results and the US Department of State issues the apostille. See FBI: Identity History Summary checks FAQ.

Leaving the US: your tax return and the FBAR

• Filing continues. US citizens and resident aliens abroad generally follow the same filing rules as in the US, and are taxed on worldwide income. Benefits such as the foreign earned income exclusion and the foreign tax credit are only available by filing a return. See IRS: US citizens and resident aliens abroad.
• There's an automatic 2-month extension. If you live overseas, a calendar-year return is due June 15 rather than April 15, though interest still runs on any tax unpaid from the regular due date.
• Your New Zealand accounts may need an FBAR. A US person whose foreign financial accounts add up to more than $10,000 at any time in the calendar year files an FBAR, FinCEN Form 114, through the BSA E-Filing System, even if those accounts earn no taxable income. See FinCEN: report foreign bank and financial accounts.
• Form 8938 is a separate report. Some taxpayers with specified foreign financial assets also file it with their return. The IRS page above links to the details.

Our US tax filing task walks through what to sort out before you go.

401(k)s, IRAs and US investments

Moving abroad doesn't usually mean you have to do anything with a US retirement account on the day you leave, so don't cash one out in a rush. How a withdrawal, rollover or transfer is taxed depends on the rules of both countries. Get advice from someone who handles US and New Zealand tax together before you change anything, and ask your US provider whether it will keep servicing your account once you have a foreign address.

Tax and your IRD number

• Apply for your IRD number soon after you arrive, through Inland Revenue's new-arrival process.
• New Zealand's tax year runs from 1 April to 31 March, while the US year follows the calendar. Keep income records by month so you can report each year to both.
• Check whether Inland Revenue's transitional resident exemption applies to you, since it can affect how your foreign income is taxed in your first years here.

Healthcare

• Eligibility depends on your visa. If you're not a New Zealand citizen or resident, you're generally eligible for publicly funded health services on a work visa that lets you stay for 2 years or more. See Health New Zealand's eligibility criteria.
• There's no reciprocal health agreement with the US, so arrange private health or travel insurance until you're eligible.
• Bring your records, including prescriptions, which a New Zealand GP will need to reissue. See finding a GP.

Driving

• The US is an exempt country, so there's no theory test. Convert at a specialist overseas conversion site with your physical licence. An international driving permit on its own isn't enough.
• A practical test only if your licence is newer than 2 years. If your licence doesn't show an issue date at least 2 years ago, bring a driving record from your state's licensing agency that does. NZTA's evidence-of-validity page links to each state's office.
• Until you convert, you can drive on your US licence for a limited time after you arrive. Check NZTA's current limit for your arrival date, and remember New Zealand drives on the left.

See converting your overseas licence and NZTA: converting to a NZ driver licence.

Pets

The mainland US, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands are a Category 3 country for MPI. Hawaii, Guam and American Samoa have their own arrangements, so check the APHIS page if you're coming from one of them. From the mainland, the steps are:

1. An MPI import permit. USDA says to apply at least 20 business days before you need it.
2. A USDA-accredited vet to complete Health Certificate A and prepare your pet's paperwork.
3. A rabies blood test (RNATT), with lab reports that match your pet's microchip number.
4. USDA endorsement. APHIS endorses Health Certificate B and the rabies certification, and for New Zealand the health certificates must be ink-signed and embossed by USDA.
5. At least 10 days in quarantine at an MPI-approved facility on arrival.

The rules change for pets arriving on or after 1 April 2027, including a new identity check, so check which set applies to your travel date. See USDA APHIS: pet travel from the US to New Zealand, our pet biosecurity clearance task and our guide to moving with pets.

Shipping your belongings

A container from the US spends weeks at sea, so get quotes early and book once your dates are firm. Before you pack, check MPI's household goods requirements and NZ Customs' household effects concession. Hiking boots, bikes, camping gear and garden tools need to be free of soil. See arranging international shipping.

Costs to plan for

• Visa fees: these depend on the visa and where you apply, so check Immigration New Zealand's page for yours.
• Your FBI check, fingerprinting and any apostille: each has its own fee.
• Cross-border tax help: a preparer who files US returns for people living abroad is worth budgeting for in your first year.
• Freight, flights and pet relocation: these vary too much for a reliable figure. Get quotes early, especially for a pet.

Documents to gather

Your first days in New Zealand

1. Get a local SIM. Inland Revenue and the banks will want a New Zealand phone number.
2. Apply for your IRD number.
3. Open a New Zealand bank account, and note the date you opened it for your FBAR records.
4. Check your healthcare eligibility and register with a GP.
5. Drive carefully on the left on your US licence until you convert it.

Setting up your life in NZ

• Utilities: once you have an address, connect power and gas and set up your internet. Powerswitch compares retailers.
• Housing: tenancies and bonds run nationally through Tenancy Services. See our guide to finding a home.
• Insurance: home insurance here includes Natural Hazards Cover. See our home and contents insurance guide.

Choosing where to live

Auckland has the largest job market, while Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Tauranga each offer a different mix of rents, climate and commute. Before you commit, check Tenancy Services' market rent tool for median rents by suburb and NIWA for climate. The seasons are the reverse of the US, so a move in the American summer lands you in a New Zealand winter.

If a later move within New Zealand is likely, see our Auckland to Wellington and Auckland to Christchurch guides.

Timeline

Build your personalised moving plan

This guide covers what's specific to moving from the United States. Your own plan depends on your move date, your household, whether you have pets and whether you're renting or buying. Navaroa can build a personalised, week-by-week moving plan for your situation, free and with no signup needed to get started.