New Zealand Citizens purchasing in Australia
Under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, New Zealand citizens have the right to live, work, and study in Australia indefinitely. This also means they can purchase property in Australia without needing Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval, enjoying the same property ownership rights as Australian citizens. They don’t face any additional costs or charges for not holding an Australian citizenship or permanent residency. Whether you’re relocating or already residing in Australia, our team can assist you in navigating the home loan process and accessing available grants and schemes tailored to your circumstances.
Kiwi Saver as a deposit
Accessing Kiwi Saver is done through the First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSSS). In this scheme, you can access up to $15,000 in voluntary contributions per financial year up to a total of $50,000. Because you entire Kiwi Saver is deposited into your superfund at the same time (hence the same financial year), you can only access a maximum of $15,000.
The entire process takes 2 week – 3 months.
Key Note: Ensure you have received your ATO Letter Of Determination prior to signing any contract of sale, otherwise you won’t be able to access your Kiwi Saver to use as a deposit.
- Steps to transfew Kiwi Saver into an Australian Superfund
- Join an Australian Superfund that accepts Kiwi Saver (eg. First Super or Brighter Super)
- Contact your Australian Superfund and request a Kiwi Saver Acceptance Letter (KSAL). You will need to provide the KSAL to your Kiwi Saver fund
- Contact your Kiwi Saver Fund and request the Trans-Tasman Portability forms
- Complete the forms & along with the KSAL, send all forms & supporting documents back to your Kiwi Saver fund
- Once the Kiwi Saver arrives into your Australian Superfund, apply for the ATO Letter Of Determination through the myGov portal
- If you've had to join a second Australian Superfund, it's a good idea to consolidate your superfunds once the process is complete
Commonly asked questions
Yes! You can access all the available governments schemes and grants given you meet all criteria.
Not necessarily. We do have some lenders that will consider yourself if you have worked in the same industry or with the same skill set in New Zealand. We usually prove the employment that you had in New Zealand, typically with employment letters or your last payslip in New Zealand. This means even casual workers in Australia could be eligible.
If you haven't had any credit cards or personal loans since coming to Australia you likely won't have a credit file. This typically isn't an issue as most lenders understand the reason why you won't have an active credit file.
Yes! If you have a career that is eligible for a LMI waiver you can. This includes medical professionals, teachers, accountants, financial advisors, commercial pilots, allied health professionals, solicitors, lawyers & more.
You can still purchase a home using the same process as any Australian citizen or permanent resident purchasing with a temporary visa holder. There are a number of options and structures available that we use depending on your particular situation. Important to note, that as with any temporary visa holder on title, they may be subject to FIRB approval and Foreign Ownership Surcharges. However, we have structure options using co-borrowing to help avoid these costs.
Copyright © 2025 2K Finance – Residential Mortgage Specialist | 2K Finance Credit Representative Number 549574 to Australian Credit Licence 377294. Information is general and non-specific to any individual. Always seek advice from a financial advisor.