When you enrol to study with us, we need information to help us confirm your legal name and residency status.
We need this information if:
- you're enrolling with us for the first time
- you're already studying with us and your residency status has changed since you last enrolled
- you're already studying with us and your legal name has changed since you last enrolled.
What is verified proof of identification?
Verified proof of your identification is a copy of a document that shows your legal name and residency, signed and dated by someone authorised to take declarations to confirm that it's the same as the original document.
The following are types of legal documentation we can accept:
- Birth Certificate (with your place of Birth stated as New Zealand, Cook Islands, Tokelau, Niue, or Australia)
- New Zealand Passport photo page
- Overseas Passport photo page (and NZ Residency visa)
- Overseas Passport photo page (and NZ work visa)
- Deed Poll Declaration (If you have changed your name by Deed Poll)
- Certificate of Citizenship for New Zealand.
Get a copy of your New Zealand Birth Certificate
Note: Open Polytechnic may be able to pay for a Birth Certificate if you don’t have one.
If these documents do not show your current legal name, you also need to email us a verified copy of one of the following:
- Marriage Certificate
- Dissolution of Marriage Certificate
- Change of name by Deed Poll
- Change of Name by Statutory Declaration (signed by the Courts).
How to get a verified copy
You need to get your document copy signed and dated (preferably with an official stamp) by a person authorised to take declarations. This could be a:
- Justice of the Peace (JP) – Find a JP near you
- Lawyer - Find a lawyer near you
- Barrister - Find a barrister near you
- Notary Public - Find a notary near you
- Court Registrar or Deputy Registrar.
If you live in a remote community and can’t access someone from the list above, you can use a school principal, minister of religion or general practitioner (GP).
A verified copy of a whakapapa statement is only acceptable when you cannot get a birth certificate. This must be signed by you and a kaumātua as evidence of identity and citizenship.
The verifier will only need to verify copies of any original documentation. They will not verify emails received from Immigration New Zealand confirming your residency status – these emails should be forwarded to us along with your verified documentation.
Your verified documentation and your email from Immigration NZ (if applicable) is to be emailed to verifications@openpolytechnic.ac.nz
What the person signing must do
The signatory must:
- identify their official designation on the front of each page of the copy (preferably with an official stamp)
- sign and date the copy
- write the following words (or words to the same effect): ‘This is a true copy of an original document that I have sighted.’
All other pages of the verified copy must be initialled by the signatory.
Sending us the verified copy
Please email your scanned, verified documents to:
verifications@openpolytechnic.ac.nz
Need help?
If you have any questions about providing us with verified copies of your identification, get in touch: