Taking photos to open an account online
You can use your smartphone to take a photo of yourself and your New Zealand passport or New Zealand driver licence to open your account online. You must currently live in New Zealand and be aged 18 or older.
How to open an account
- Apply to open an account online.
- After completing the qualifying questions, you’ll be asked how you wish to identify yourself. Select Take photos.
- We’ll ask you to take a selfie on your smartphone. If you started your application on a desktop computer, you’ll be shown a QR code to scan with your smartphone to continue.
- The next step is to take a photo of your ID document. Your ID must be current.
- You’ll be asked to enter your contact details including your NZ address.
- Your ID document and NZ address will be verified with greenID^.
- If your NZ address can’t be verified automatically, we’ll ask you to upload proof of address such as a bank statement, letter from employer/education institute, or bill. The document needs to:
- display your name and residential address
- be dated within the last 12 months.
- If the document was sent to an address where you don’t live, you can still use it, if it also includes your name and residential address. For example, mail sent to your PO Box that includes your residential address is acceptable.
What happens next
- When you submit your application, we’ll do some final checks. Once these have been done, you’ll receive a confirmation email with details to log in to Internet Banking. You can then set up the BNZ app.
- Your NetGuard card, and any Flexi Debit Visa cards you requested, will be posted to you. Your Flexi Debit Visa card will arrive at your address within a few days.
- Your Flexi Debit Visa card PIN will be loaded onto your card but you’ll need to activate your card. To do that, just enter your PIN at an EFTPOS terminal when making a purchase, or at any ATM.
- Link your Flexi Debit Visa card in the BNZ app to start making purchases anywhere that accepts Apple Pay or Google Pay™.