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Takapuna office closure | Takapuna office closure. The Takapuna office is relocating to a new address so will be closed from 22 November 4pm to 26 November 4pm. From 27 November you can find the new office at: 74 Taharoto Road Smales Farm, One NZ Building, Takapuna.

Some services unavailable 23 - 24 November | myIR, gateway services and our self-service phone line will not be available from 3pm Saturday 23 November to 9am Sunday 24 November while we do planned system testing. This will not affect any tax entitlements or payments scheduled during this time.

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International

This page explains how we'll help you meet your FATCA obligations.

Our role in the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)

The Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the United States (US) and related changes to New Zealand domestic legislation, now require financial institutions to send their FATCA disclosures directly to us to exchange with the IRS, instead of all financial institutions dealing individually with the IRS. We will provide the secure electronic system to receive and send on the FATCA disclosures.

We are also providing technical guidance to New Zealand financial institutions about their FATCA obligations. However, financial institutions are still responsible for understanding and complying with the US and New Zealand requirements.

Most of New Zealand's major trading partners have either entered into or are negotiating similar IGAs with the US. New Zealand has also accepted the US proposal of the more favourable terms offered by the US/British Virgin Islands IGA as being automatically applicable to New Zealand's IGA. A full list of these IGA countries (and the 'more favourable terms' extensions) can be found on the US Treasury website.

Additional FATCA Documents (US Department of the Treasury)


In addition, the Commissioner is authorised, on behalf of New Zealand, to make certain choices under the IGA. Accordingly, reporting New Zealand financial institutions are permitted to:

  • rely on due diligence procedures in the US Treasury Regulations in lieu of procedures in Annex 1 of the IGA (per Annex I (I)(C) of the IGA)
  • use third-party service providers to fulfil the obligations imposed on such institutions as contemplated by the IGA (per Article 5(3) of the IGA)
  • rely on the due diligence procedures performed by third parties to the extent provided in relevant US Treasury Regulations (per Annex I (VI)(F) of the IGA)
  • use a definition in the US Treasury Regulations in lieu of a corresponding definition in the IGA provided that such application will not frustrate the purposes of the IGA.

This notification is made in accordance with the publication requirements of section 185F of the Tax Administration Act 1994. Cooperation between tax administrations is critical in the fight against tax evasion and the exchange of information is a key aspect of that cooperation.

If you have any questions and would like to receive regular policy and IT updates please email us at:

[email protected]

Find out more about the shift to automatic exchange of information between tax administrations:

Last updated: 28 Apr 2021
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