Affidavit For Minor Passport Template for New Zealand

When applying for a New Zealand passport for a child under 16, you must complete an Affidavit For Minor Passport as required under the Passports Act 1992. This legally binding document serves as a sworn statement that protects children from unauthorized international travel while ensuring proper guardian consent is obtained before passport issuance.

When do you need this document?

You need this affidavit whenever applying for a first passport, renewal, or replacement for any child under 16 years of age. The Department of Internal Affairs requires this document in all cases involving minor passport applications, regardless of whether both parents are available to consent. You'll also need specific versions if you're a sole guardian with a court order, if the other parent cannot be contacted, or in emergency travel situations where immediate departure is required. Foster parents and legal guardians appointed by the Family Court must also use this document when applying for passports on behalf of children in their care.

Key legal considerations

Your affidavit must accurately declare your relationship to the child and your legal authority to make the passport application under the Care of Children Act 2004. You're legally obligating yourself to provide truthful information about the child's identity, citizenship status, and travel intentions. The document must include declarations about whether you have sole guardianship, joint guardianship arrangements, and any Family Court orders affecting the child's travel. You must also declare any objections from other guardians and explain circumstances if their consent cannot be obtained. False declarations constitute perjury and can result in criminal charges, passport application refusal, and potential civil liability.

Legal requirements in New Zealand

Under the Oaths and Declarations Act 1957, your affidavit must be sworn or affirmed before an authorized witness such as a Justice of the Peace, solicitor, or other qualified official. The witness must verify your identity using acceptable documents as outlined in the Identity Information Confirmation Act 2012. You must provide original or certified copies of supporting documents including the child's birth certificate, proof of your guardianship status, and identification documents. If applying without the other parent's consent, you may need Family Court documentation or statutory declarations explaining their unavailability. The Citizenship Act 1977 requirements must also be satisfied to prove the child's eligibility for a New Zealand passport. All documents must be current, properly completed, and submitted within specified timeframes to avoid processing delays or application rejection.