Rainbow Path NZ

Financial Support

If you’re an asylum seeker or convention refugee in New Zealand on a temporary visa

After you have put in your application to be recognised as a refugee and have received your confirmation of claim letter from Immigration New Zealand (INZ), you can apply for financial support from Work and Income (WINZ) if you do not have enough income to support yourself financially.

There are only two benefits asylum seekers can access from Work and Income (WINZ) – the Emergency Benefit (EB) and Temporary Additional Support (TAS). After you have been granted refugee or protected person status, these two benefits continue to be the only two benefits you can access from WINZ, until you are granted residency status (either residency or permanent residency). 

You must have a valid visa that allows you to be lawfully present in New Zealand (including a visitor visa, work visa, student visa, interim visa) to access a benefit from WINZ. If you do not have a valid visa, for example, if your visa has expired, you won’t be able to access WINZ until you get onto a valid visa. 

You cannot access a WINZ benefit on an NZeTA. If you arrive in New Zealand on an NZeTA, it’s important that you apply for a visa (usually a work visa) at the same time as you apply to seek asylum, before your NZeTA expires.

We strongly recommend you get support from an experienced refugee lawyer if you are applying for asylum and the temporary visas associated with the asylum process. Email us for recommendations of Rainbow competent refugee lawyers.

We also strongly recommend you to get support from Asylum Seekers Support Trust (ASST), who provides a lot of information on the support you are entitled to in New Zealand and how to access it. You can find more information on ASST’s website: https://asst.org.nz/resources-v1/ 

If you’re a convention refugee in New Zealand with residency or citizenship

If you’re recognised by Immigration New Zealand as a convention refugee or a protected person, and you are granted New Zealand residency or permanent residency, you will have access to a wider range of benefits and financial support from WINZ, just like other New Zealand permanent residents and citizens. 

If you arrived in New Zealand as a quota refugee

People who came to New Zealand as quota refugees are permanent residents on arrival, and can access a wider range of benefits from WINZ just like other permanent residents and citizens of New Zealand. 

If you’re a migrant in New Zealand on temporary visa 

Unfortunately, migrants on temporary visas in New Zealand who are not seeking asylum or have not been granted refugee status generally do not have access to WINZ benefits or financial support.

Steps for asylum seekers to access financial support from WINZ 

After arriving in New Zealand, there are three steps asylum seekers need to go through to access financial support from WINZ: 1. Opening a bank account -> 2. Applying for benefit from WINZ -> 3. Getting an IRD number. 

Step 1. Opening a bank account 

Opening a bank account is the first step to access a WINZ benefit. To open a bank account, you will need to show the bank: 

  • your passport or other official photo ID the bank accepts 
  • a valid visa, and 
  • proof of your address (usually an official letter addressed to you confirming your physical address in New Zealand, for example, your Confirmation of Claim letter from INZ if it has your address). 

Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) is currently the most understanding bank for asylum seekers who want to open a bank account on a short-term visa (e.g., a visitor visa). They usually accept the Confirmation of Claim letter from INZ as your proof of address. 

After your bank account is set up, ask the bank for a signed and stamped bank statement from your new account. You do not need to have money to open a bank account, but if there is no money in the account, ask the bank to confirm in writing that the account is “functional” or “active”. This document can then be used as your proof of bank account for the next two steps – to apply for a WINZ benefit and an IRD number. 

Unfortunately, banks usually only open an account using the name and gender marker on your overseas passport. Some branch managers may have the discretion to use your correct name. However, most will only do this after you can legally change your name in New Zealand (after you have residency or permanent residency). 

Contact Asylum Seekers Support Trust (ASST) for support if you run into any problems opening a bank account.

Step 2. Applying for benefit from Work and Income (WINZ)

The second step is to apply for a benefit from Work and Income (WINZ). You may be eligible for Emergency Benefit (EB) to help with essential living expenses and Temporary Additional Support (TAS) to help with accommodation costs if you are paying rent. 

Your eligibility for receiving benefit will be tested against your income and assets in New Zealand and overseas, including if you own property or have income from overseas. It’s important that you provide truthful and accurate information to WINZ. 

To apply, you first need to get a client number online. Use this number as reference when filling in your application form and booking your appointment with WINZ. 

Next, you need to fill out a paper-based application form. WINZ has stopped producing the Emergency Benefit application forms, and you will need to fill in the equivalent benefit form: 

  • If you’re a single person, a couple, or a family with children => fill in the Jobseeker Support form;
  • If you’re a single parent => fill in the Sole Parent Support form;
  • If you’re above 65 years old => fill in the New Zealand Superannuation form. 

These forms also contain the application for Temporary Additional Support (TAS).

Even though the WINZ website says people can apply online for Jobseeker Support and New Zealand Superannuation, that process does not work for asylum seekers and convention refugees. So you will need to fill in a hard copy form. Contact ASST to get the hard copy application forms for Jobseekers Support (or for Sole Parent Support or New Zealand Superannuation). 

Note: even though you have to fill out one of these forms, the only benefits you can receive are the Emergency Benefit (EB) and Temporary Additional Support (TAS). Only permanent residents and citizens can apply for other benefits.

Once you have completed the application form, you need to book an appointment to put in your application at a WINZ service centre convenient to you. You can either phone 0800 559 009 or go to a WINZ service centre in person to book an appointment. We recommend you to go to a WINZ service centre to book your appointment in person, because it can take a very long time waiting to speak to someone over the phone. You should have your client number and your passport with you when booking this appointment.

When going to your WINZ appointment, you will need to bring:

  • the application form you have filled out;
  • your Confirmation of Claim letter from INZ, which shows that you have an ongoing asylum claim;
  • your passport or other official photo ID that WINZ accepts;
  • a valid visa (can be a visitor visa, work visa, student visa, interim visa); and
  • proof of your bank account (see step 1)

There may be other documents required depending on your personal circumstances.

If you are also applying for Temporary Additional Support (TAS), you will also need to provide proof that you’re paying rent. Usually this is an agreement you have signed with your landlord or your flatmate showing the amount of rent you’re paying. If you are paying board (for both rent and food), WINZ will only help pay towards the rent part of your board. The following templates provide what this agreement should contain:

After submitting your application and supporting documents at your appointment, it will take WINZ about 10 working days to process your application. If approved, WINZ will pay your benefit from the date you submit your application. 

Once you have been granted a WINZ benefit, you will also receive a Community Service Card. You can use this Community Service Card to pay less when accessing publicly funded healthcare (including GP visits, prescriptions, etc) and public transport.

Contact ASST for support if you run into any problems or are mistreated in this process. For example, if WINZ does not accept your identity documents, if you are not getting the right amount of benefit, if you have been declined benefit for unreasonable reasons, or if WINZ staff makes racist/ xenophobic comments or ask you about the details of your asylum claim, etc. 

Step 3. Applying for an IRD (tax) number 

There’s been a lot of recent changes to the IRD application process. We are still learning more details about this process. Stay tuned for more updates.

The third step is to apply for an IRD number to make sure you’re paying the right amount of tax. Asylum seekers do not need an IRD number to apply for a WINZ benefit initially. However, you should apply for an IRD number once you receive a work visa.

You can apply for an IRD number by either:

When verifying your identity at an IRD service centre or an AA Driver Licensing Agent, you will need to provide: 

You can find more information on the official IRD website. 

Contact ASST for support if you run into any problems in this process. 

Other financial support asylum seekers and convention refugees on temporary visas may be eligible for

Family Tax Credits

The Family Tax Credit is a payment for families with dependent children aged 18 and under. The amount you can get is based on your yearly family income and family circumstances. Asylum seekers can get this while receiving a benefit. 

Re-Establishment (Special Needs) Grant

Asylum seekers granted refugee status within one year of arriving in New Zealand can also apply for a Re-Establishment Grant. The maximum grant is $1,200. Most asylum seekers cannot apply for this grant because it will take more than a year for your claim to be decided, even if you applied as soon as you arrived in New Zealand.

Grants you need to pay back

You can also ask WINZ for an advance on your Emergency Benefit to pay for high costs such as a bond when you move to a new rental house. This is a recoverable grant which you will have to pay back to WINZ. It is also worth asking WINZ if you can get any help to pay for other emergency costs including food and clothing.

Depending on your situation, ASST may also be able to offer small short-term loans for asylum seekers.

Food assistance 

ASST can deliver food boxes to asylum seekers and convention refugees in Auckland. Contact ASST to enquire more.