NZ Citizenship Photo Requirements: No Selfies, 1 JPEG Online or 2 Identical Prints by Post

A photo is one of the three things every New Zealand citizenship application must include, along with your full birth certificate and your passport or travel document. The government’s guide on govt.nz is short and specific — and has one rule people often miss: selfies are not accepted.

Who can take the photo

The Citizenship Office accepts passport-style photos. You don’t need a studio: if you have a cellphone or camera, ask a friend, colleague or family member to take the photo. The guide explains why not a selfie: they change the way your face looks.

How many photos

What the photo must show

• Only you, less than 6 months old, clear, sharp and in focus.
• Your head and shoulders, face looking directly at the camera.
• Eyes open and clearly visible — not covered by hair or sunglasses.
• A neutral expression — not smiling or frowning — with your mouth closed.
• Prescription glasses are allowed as long as your eyes are still visible.

For a baby: lie the baby on a plain sheet and take the photo from above, face in full view and eyes open, with no people or objects in the background.

The selfie in the identity check is different

If you apply online, you can choose an optional identity check: the application asks you to take a selfie and a short video of your face. That selfie is only for checking who you are; it is not your citizenship photo. If you complete the check, you may not need to visit an office to verify your identity.

Fees and timing

Citizenship by grant costs $641 for adults aged 16 and over and $320 for children aged 15 and under. A decision takes 3 to 14 months. Digital copies of documents must be in colour, no larger than 10 MB, in .pdf, .png or .jpeg.

Get a passport-style photo for your application on our NZ citizenship photo page.