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Identity and citizenship verification

22 November 2023

Youmay be required to provide evidence ofyour identity and citizenship or residency status during the enrolment process.

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If you are new to UC (or studied at UC before 1990), you have changed your name, or you are an international student, you maybe asked to provide evidence of your identity and/or citizenship status before you can complete your enrolment.

This can either be done by presenting your original documents (such as your birth certificate or passport) in person to the Enrolments team at Te Pātaka in the Puaka-James Hight Building or by sending us certified copies of the original documents.

What documentation willyou need to provide?

The documentation you will need to provide depends on your particular situation:

If you are a NZ or Australian citizen and you have never changed your name, you will need to provide one of the following toverify your identity:

  • your official passport (or a certified copy of the photo page of your passport showing your name and other details)or
  • your official citizenship certificate (original or certified copy)or
  • your official birth certificate (original or certified copy)

If you have changed your name, you willalsoneed to provide evidence of the name change. The documentshould ideally include both your previous name and your new name, such as:

  • A new NZ birth certificate that shows your new legal name
  • Marriage or civil union certificate
  • Certificate of dissolution of marriage or civil union
  • Deed poll
  • Statutory declaration issued by Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages

NOTE: A driver's licence is not considered proof of citizenship or residency.

If you are aNew ZealandorAustralian permanent resident, and have never changed your name, we will require:

  • your original passport (or a certified hardcopy of the photo page of your passport showing your name and other details)and either
  • A certified hardcopy of your residence visa label or appropriate documentation confirming you have been granted an electronic visa (eVisa) (New Zealand residents only)or
  • A confirmation email sent directly from the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service that you have been granted an electronic visa (eVisa) (Australian permanent residents only).

If you are a NZ residence class visa holder, an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident you will be considered adomestic student for tuition feesprovided you areresidingin New Zealand for the period of your study.

NOTE: A driver's licence is not considered proof of citizenship or residency.

If you are a New Zealand citizen born in the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau, you must supply a New Zealand passport or a birth certificate that meets the following requirements:

  • Cook Islands: your full birth certificate with RG6 shoulder number at top left and place of birth stated as a place in the Cook Islands (original or certified copy)
  • Niue: your full birth certificate with place of birth stated as a place in Niue (original or certified copy)
  • Tokelau: your full birth certificate with place of birth stated as one of the three islands of Tokelau (original or certified copy)

NOTE: A driver's licence is not considered proof of citizenship or residency.

New international students

If you are a new international student on campus, you will need to bring your passport and e-visa to the Enrolments team at Te Pātaka (Puaka-James Hight Building) to be sighted.once you have your student visa and have arrived in New Zealand.

Continuing international students

If you are a continuing international studenton campusandyou have shown your current passport to the Enrolments team before, youcan email a copy of yournew visato usinstead of coming on campus to complete your enrolment. If you have anew passportyou will need to bring this on campus to showthe Enrolments team at Te Pātaka (Puaka-James Hight Building).

If you hold refugee status, you must provide the original or a certified copy of the letter from the Immigration Service giving you entitlement to reside in New Zealand or Australia.

NOTE: A driver's licence is not considered proof of citizenship or residency.

If the name on the, your birth certificate, passport or citizenship certificate differs from your current name, or the name in which you gained any qualifications relevant to your admission, you must also provide a certified copy of one or more of the following as formal evidence of each change:

  • A new NZ birth certificate that shows your new legal name (individuals born in NZ)
  • An official Name Change certificate (individuals not born in NZ)
  • Marriage or civil union certificate
  • Certificate of dissolution of marriage or civil union
  • Deed poll
  • Statutory declaration issued by Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Note: Any document containing a change of name should ideally include both your previous name and the new name.

If you initially enrol as aninternational studentat UC and are subsequently granteddomestic status(residence class visa and/or citizenship), please provide the relevant evidence outlined below. Any potential refund of tuition fees due to such a change in status, is guidedby Fees and Fines Regulations 5(b).

Granted NZ Residence Class Visa

You'll need to provide to UC:

  • your original passport (or a certified copy of the photo page of your passport showing your name and other details)and either
  • A certified copy of your residence visa labelor
  • Appropriate documentation confirming you have been granted an electronic visa (eVisa) (New Zealand residents only)

Granted NZ Citizenship

  • your official NZ passport (or a certified copy of the photo page of your passport showing your name and other details)or
  • your official NZ citizenship certificate (original or certified copy)

Granted Australian Residence Class Visa

  • your original passport (or a certified copy of the photo page of your passport showing your name and other details)and
  • aconfirmation email sent directly from the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service that you have been granted an electronic visa (eVisa) (Australian permanent residents only)

Granted Australian Citizenship

  • your official Australian passport (or a certified copy of the photo page of your passport showing your name and other details)or
  • your official Australian citizenship certificate (original or certified copy)

How to provideyour documentation

You can choose tobring the original documentation (or certified copies)in personto showthe Enrolments teamor you can email certified copiesof all required documentation to us.

Who can certifyyour documents?

If you choose to provide certified copies of your documentation, you will need to take both theoriginal document(s)anda photocopy of the document(s)to have the copy certified by one of the following people:

  • a
  • asolicitor
  • aCourt Registrar or Deputy Registrar
  • a Notary Public
  • a designated UC staff member
  • (School Principal -ONLYfor current secondary school students (Years 12-13) enrolling inaSTARcourse at UC)

OutsideNew Zealand, documentscan be certified by the following people:

  • New Zealand Embassy / High Commission / Consulate staff
  • Australian Justices of the Peace
  • a Notary Public
  • an Apostille
  • a Solicitor

Acopy willnotbe accepted as 'certified' if it has been certifiedby a police officer, a bank manager, WINZ, a legal executive, Link, medical professionals, or your employer.

Important notes:

  • We will not return any original documents that youpost to us. They will become the property of UC.
  • Adriver's licence is not considered proof of citizenship or residency.
  • If English translations are required, the translations must also be certified.
  • If you are studying on campus and do not present your original documents in person or send us approved certified copies, you should expect significant delays in completing your enrolment and starting your studies.
  • If you are studying offshore and do not send us approved certified copies of the required documents, your grades for any courses you study offshore will be sanctioned (so you will not be able to see your grades).

If you have questions about providing identity and citizenship documentation

Email usor call 0800 827 748

If you have any questions

Email us

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