Filipinos come to New Zealand as dairy and farm workers, nurses and carers, construction workers, and as partners of New Zealanders, and many have worked in the Gulf, Hong Kong or Singapore first. Whatever the visa, the paperwork from the Philippines follows the same pattern: an NBI clearance, PSA civil records, proof of work history, and, for many, a previous marriage that can't simply be ended by divorce.
This page lists what INZ asks for, what it's called in the Philippines, who issues it, and what to watch for.
The documents at a glance
| What INZ asks for | In the Philippines | Issued by | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police certificate | NBI Clearance | National Bureau of Investigation, Manila | Hits on common names; from NZ, fingerprints on NBI Form No. 5 |
| Birth certificate | PSA birth certificate | Philippine Statistics Authority | Use the PSA copy on security paper; late registration and spelling errors |
| Marriage certificate | PSA marriage certificate, or a Report of Marriage if you married abroad | PSA; Philippine Embassy | A marriage abroad that was never reported |
| Proof you're single | CENOMAR | PSA | Useful when your relationship status needs proving |
| End of a previous marriage | Annulment, declaration of nullity, or recognition of a foreign divorce | Philippine courts | Divorce isn't available to most Filipinos |
| Work in the Philippines | Certificate of employment, contracts, payslips, SSS and PhilHealth records, income tax returns | Employer; SSS; PhilHealth; BIR | Certificates without duties or contact details |
| Work overseas | Work visa and POEA/DMW Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) or e-Receipt, with job descriptions | Host country; DMW | Plus that country's police certificate |
| Qualifications | Diploma, transcript of records, CAV | School, CHED or TESDA | NZQA verification |
| Before you leave | CFO registration (and DMW processing for workers) | CFO; DMW | Philippine requirements, not INZ's |
Names: the middle name
In the Philippines your middle name is your mother's maiden surname. INZ forms ask for family name and given names, so the middle name often ends up as a given name in one place and missing in another.
- Enter your name on every INZ application exactly as in your passport.
- List every name you've used, including a maiden name if you married.
- If a translator or a document spells your name differently, add that spelling under "other names".
Police certificate: the NBI Clearance
INZ needs an NBI clearance from Filipino citizens for every resident visa application, and for temporary visas once total time in New Zealand will reach 24 months. It must be less than 6 months old when you submit.
From New Zealand, the Philippine Embassy in Wellington doesn't issue the clearance: it provides NBI Form No. 5 and takes your fingerprints (also at the honorary consulates in Auckland and Christchurch, by appointment, NZ$43.75). You then mail the form to the NBI in Manila or send it through a representative there. If you've had an NBI clearance since 2014 and only your address or civil status has changed, you can renew online. Step by step: NBI clearance for a New Zealand visa.
Civil records: PSA certificates
The Philippine Statistics Authority holds the national civil registry. Use the PSA-issued copy on security paper, not only the local civil registrar's copy. The usual problems:
- late registration: births registered years later, which can raise questions about your date of birth or identity
- errors in names, dates or sex, corrected through the local civil registrar or a court before the PSA record changes
- a marriage abroad never reported to a Philippine Embassy, so it isn't in PSA records.
Most PSA documents are in English. More: PSA birth, marriage and CENOMAR for INZ.
Where an adviser helps: a PSA record with a wrong name or date can take months to correct, and INZ needs to be sure every document is yours. A licensed adviser can tell you whether to correct the record before applying or explain the difference with other evidence, so it doesn't hold up your visa.
A previous marriage, when divorce isn't available
For most Filipinos there's no divorce. A marriage between two Filipinos usually ends only through annulment or a declaration of nullity from a Philippine court, which takes years. Muslim Filipinos have their own rules, and a Filipino whose foreign spouse got a divorce abroad may be able to have it recognised by a Philippine court.
For a New Zealand partnership visa, INZ looks at whether you and your current partner live together in a genuine and stable relationship, which can include a de facto relationship. But a previous marriage that legally still exists needs careful handling: it affects whether you can marry again, and INZ will ask about it. See no divorce in the Philippines: NZ partner visas.
Work evidence INZ asks Filipinos for
INZ's AEWV guidance names specific Philippine documents. If you're applying from the Philippines, evidence of work experience includes certificates of employment, employment contracts, payslips, SSS records, PhilHealth records and income tax returns (with receipts). If you've worked overseas, give a copy of your work visa and your POEA Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) or e-Receipt, with your job descriptions. A CV isn't evidence, and a certificate of employment on its own may not be enough.
Before you leave the Philippines
Two Philippine agencies may need to process you before you fly, after your visa is granted:
- The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), formerly the POEA, for Filipinos leaving to work overseas: the OEC and contract processing.
- The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), for emigrants and for spouses and partners of foreign nationals: registration, a seminar or guidance programme, and a CFO certificate.
These are Philippine requirements, not INZ's, so INZ checklists don't mention them. Detail: DMW and CFO: leaving the Philippines for NZ.
Job offers and placement fees
In New Zealand it's illegal for an employer, or anyone acting for them, to charge you for a job, and INZ declines an AEWV if you or your agent offered money for a job offer. Only licensed immigration advisers (and lawyers and a few exempt people) can give New Zealand immigration advice, including from the Philippines. Check a licence on the Immigration Advisers Authority register before paying anyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an NBI clearance in New Zealand?
Book fingerprinting at the Philippine Embassy in Wellington or the honorary consulate in Auckland or Christchurch (NZ$43.75), get NBI Form No. 5 there, then mail it to the NBI Mailed Clearance Section in Manila or send it through a representative. If you've had a clearance since 2014, you may be able to renew online.
My middle name is my mother's surname. How do I enter it?
Exactly as in your passport, and list any other versions of your name under "other names".
I'm still legally married in the Philippines. Can I get a partnership visa?
Possibly, as INZ's test is a genuine and stable relationship with your current partner, including de facto relationships. But it needs careful handling; get advice first.
What work evidence does INZ want from the Philippines?
Certificates of employment, contracts, payslips, SSS and PhilHealth records, and income tax returns. For work overseas, your work visa and OEC or e-Receipt, with job descriptions.
Do I need CFO registration for New Zealand?
The CFO is a Philippine requirement for many people leaving to live abroad, including partners of foreign nationals. INZ doesn't ask for it, but you may be stopped at departure without it.
Get help with your Philippine documents
Most documents can be collected without help. Bring in a licensed immigration adviser when your PSA records have errors or late registration, a previous marriage hasn't been dissolved, your NBI clearance shows a hit that doesn't clear or a record, or you need certificates from the Gulf or Hong Kong as well. If INZ questions a document or your relationship, talk to an adviser or immigration lawyer before you reply. Advisers who speak Tagalog are in our network.
Tell us your situation and we'll introduce you to a licensed adviser or immigration lawyer. It's free to ask.
Sources: Immigration New Zealand, "How to get a police certificate" (Philippines), "Police certificates" and "Accredited Employer Work Visa"; Philippine Embassy in New Zealand, "NBI Clearance"; read 28 October 2026.