South Africans come to New Zealand as teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers and tradespeople, usually as families heading for residence. The paperwork from South Africa is familiar but slow: a SAPS police clearance that needs fingerprints and is processed only in Pretoria, unabridged birth and marriage certificates from Home Affairs, and sometimes an apostille.
There's also good news on citizenship: since the Constitutional Court's May 2025 ruling, South Africans no longer lose their citizenship by becoming New Zealand citizens.
The documents at a glance
| What INZ asks for | In South Africa | Issued by | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police certificate | Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) | SAPS Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management, Pretoria | Fingerprints needed; SAPS reports a backlog |
| Birth certificate | Unabridged birth certificate (shows parents) | Department of Home Affairs (DHA) | Older people often only have the abridged version |
| Marriage certificate | Unabridged marriage certificate | DHA | Name changes after marriage not reflected on older documents |
| Divorce | Final divorce order | High Court or Regional Court | Get a certified copy |
| Certified copies | Certified by a commissioner of oaths | Police stations, attorneys, banks | INZ usually accepts colour scans online |
| Apostille | Apostille on public documents | DIRCO or a High Court | Rarely needed for INZ |
| Qualifications | Degree, academic record | University; SAQA | NZQA may need to assess them |
Police clearance: SAPS
INZ needs a South African police clearance from citizens for every resident visa application, and for temporary visas once your total time in New Zealand will reach 24 months. Anyone who lived in South Africa for 12 months or more in the last 10 years needs one for residence too. It must be less than 6 months old when you submit.
The certificate is issued only by SAPS Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management in Pretoria. You need a full set of fingerprints, an application form, a certified copy of your ID or passport, and the R190 fee. From New Zealand, have your fingerprints taken at a police station or the South African High Commission and send everything to Pretoria. SAPS currently warns of a backlog, so start early. Step by step: SAPS police clearance for a NZ visa.
Where an adviser helps: with a slow police clearance, medicals that must be under 3 months old, and a family's worth of certificates, timing is the hard part. A licensed adviser can plan the order so nothing expires before you submit, and tell you what to do if the PCC is stuck.
Unabridged birth and marriage certificates
INZ needs full birth certificates that show the parents' details, especially for children included in an application. In South Africa that's the unabridged certificate. Children born since about 2013 were issued one at registration; many older South Africans only have the abridged (computer-printed) version and need to apply to Home Affairs for an unabridged one, which can take months. Detail: unabridged certificates for INZ.
Certified copies and apostille
For online applications INZ accepts clear colour scans; certified copies are only needed on paper or if INZ asks. A certified copy can be made by a person authorised to take statutory declarations, which in South Africa includes a commissioner of oaths. Apostilles are for documents used in Apostille Convention countries and are rarely needed for INZ. Detail: apostille and certified copies in South Africa.
Keeping South African citizenship
Until May 2025, South Africans who voluntarily took another citizenship without first getting Home Affairs' permission lost their South African citizenship automatically. The Constitutional Court struck that rule down, from the day it took effect in 1995. You can now become a New Zealand citizen and stay South African, and Home Affairs runs an online process to confirm citizenship for people whose records show they lost it. Detail: South African citizenship when you become a Kiwi.
Qualifications and registration
Teachers register with the Teaching Council, nurses with the Nursing Council, doctors with the Medical Council, and engineers often go through Engineering New Zealand. Many of these roles are on the Green List, which opens Straight to Residence or Work to Residence. Some South African engineering degrees are Washington Accord degrees that NZQA doesn't need to assess. See NZQA assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a South African police clearance in New Zealand?
Have your fingerprints taken at a New Zealand police station or the South African High Commission, complete the SAPS application, pay R190, and send it with a certified copy of your ID or passport to SAPS in Pretoria.
Does INZ accept an abridged birth certificate?
INZ wants a full birth certificate showing parents' details. For South Africans, that's the unabridged certificate.
Will I lose South African citizenship if I become a New Zealander?
Not any more. The Constitutional Court ruled in May 2025 that the automatic loss rule was invalid from 1995.
Do my South African documents need an apostille for INZ?
Usually not. INZ accepts scans for online applications and certified copies where needed.
Do South Africans need a medical for a NZ visa?
For residence, yes: a chest X-ray and medical examination. South Africa isn't on INZ's list of low-tuberculosis countries, so you'll need an X-ray for most stays of 6 months or more.
Get help with your South African documents
Most South African families can collect their documents themselves, given time. A licensed immigration adviser is worth it when you're planning a family residence application around a slow police clearance, a child's unabridged certificate is missing, or custody documents are needed for children from a previous relationship. If INZ raises character or health concerns, talk to an adviser or immigration lawyer before you reply. Afrikaans-speaking advisers 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" (South Africa), "Police certificates" and "Countries with a low incidence of tuberculosis"; South African Police Service, "Applying for a Police Clearance Certificate"; reporting on Democratic Alliance v Minister of Home Affairs (Constitutional Court, May 2025); read 28 October 2026.