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Taking photos to open an account online

You can use your smartphone to take photos of yourself and your New Zealand passport or New Zealand driver licence to verify your identity and open an account online. You must currently live in New Zealand and be aged 18 or older.

As part of this process, we’ll capture two photos of you. The first photo is taken automatically when the application camera opens, and the second is taken by you. You’ll also take a photo of your valid ID. We’ll use these photos to verify your identity, check you’re completing the application yourself, and help prevent fraud.

If you’re aged 13 or older, you can also verify your identity by:

How to open an account

  • Apply to open an account online and choose the Take photos option.
  • After completing the qualifying questions, select Take photos to verify. If you started your application on a desktop device, you’ll be shown a QR code to scan with your smartphone to continue.
  • Select your ID type. 
  • Capture photos of yourself using your smartphone.
  • Next, take a photo of your New Zealand passport or New Zealand driver licence. Your ID must not be expired. 
  • Enter your contact details, including your New Zealand address.
  • Your ID document and New Zealand address will be verified with greenID.^
  • If your New Zealand address can’t be verified automatically, we’ll ask you to upload a proof of address document, such as a bank statement, a letter from your employer or education provider, or a bill. Your document needs to: 
    • display your name and residential address
    • be dated within the last 12 months
    • not be targeted promotional or marketing material. 
      • If the document was sent to a postal address where you do not live, you can still use it if it also shows your name and residential address. For example, mail sent to your PO Box that also includes your residential address.

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.
  • If you requested a Flexi Debit Visa card, it’ll be posted to you.
  • Your Flexi Debit Visa card PIN will be loaded onto your card, which needs to be activated. To do this, use the BNZ app, an ATM, or enter your PIN at an EFTPOS terminal when making a purchase.
  • Link your Flexi Debit Visa card in the BNZ app to start making purchases anywhere that accepts Apple Pay or Google Pay™.

Your information

Biometric information collected or created when you use photo verification is stored securely and can only be accessed by authorised staff. We keep this information in line with our legal obligations and data retention policies. Information that identifies you is generally deleted or anonymised in the verification system after three months.

Some information, including the images used to verify your identity, may be kept for longer to meet legal and record-keeping requirements, or to help detect and prevent fraud. Learn how to access or correct your personal information.

Find out more about how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information in our Master Privacy Policy.