Official advice for New Zealanders living and travelling overseas

Financial difficulties

There is no automatic right for New Zealanders in distress overseas to receive financial assistance from the government. If you do not have insurance, you are expected to pay any costs yourself. If you lose your money and credit cards in a remote location, this is likely to mean a delay in accessing funds from home. 

If you find yourself in financial difficulties overseas, you can:

  • Have your friends, family, or employer transfer money to you overseas through a commercial agency such as Moneygram, TransferWise or Western Union,  phone 0800 270 000 from New Zealand or go to http://www.westernunion.co.nz/ to find the telephone number of the branch which is closest to you.  This is generally the easiest and quickest way to access emergency funds overseas.
  • Contact the issuing bank/agency to notify lost or stolen credit cards and traveller’s cheques.  Most main banks have a website with advice and international free phone numbers.
  • Ask your credit card company if they can advance funds temporarily.
  • Arrange a funds transfer through your bank.
  • Check your bank's website for international free calling numbers to report losses and seek assistance. Most main banks have a website with advice and international free phone numbers.

ANZ - http://www.anz.co.nz/personal/ or + 64 9 522 3010

ASB - http://www.asb.co.nz/ or + 64 9 306 3000

BNZ - http://www.bnz.co.nz/  or +64 4 473 5901

Kiwibank - http://www.kiwibank.co.nz/ or +64 4 473 11 33

Westpac - http://www.westpac.co.nz/ or +64 9 914 8026

TSB - http://www.tsb.co.nz/ or + 64 6 968 3700.

We can help by:

  • Assisting you to contact family or friends to help you in transferring funds, if you are having trouble making contact with them.
  • Transferring funds through the Ministry or via one of our embassies when there is no other option, for a fee.
  • Discussing other ways of resolving financial issues if none of the above options are successful.

We cannot:

  • Pay your hotel, travel or other bills, legal or medical expenses or costs of returning a body to New Zealand.
  • Give you money.

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