Find out what to do if you're going overseas for longer.

• When you go overseas
• Interest-free loans while you're overseas
• Repayment holiday
• Making repayments while overseas 
• Updating your contact details
• Nominate someone to act on your behalf
• We match information with New Zealand Customs
• When you return to New Zealand

When you go overseas

You need to let us know if you're going to be overseas for 184 days (about 6 months) or more. The easiest way to do this, if you also want to apply for a repayment holiday, is to complete the form in your myIR Secure Online Services account. 

Otherwise send us secure mail through your myIR account or call us on 0800 377 778 (+64 3 951 2020 from overseas).
You need to include:

• your departure date
• how long you intend to be away, and
• any repayment holiday information.
• Login to myIR Secure Online Services
• Register for myIR Secure Online Services

You'll become an overseas-based borrower if you'll be overseas for 184 days or more. This means you'll have different repayment obligations and your loan will no longer be interest-free. Interest applies to your student loan from the day after you leave New Zealand.

Find out more about interest and how it's calculated

Interest-free loans while you're overseas

There are certain situations where you may still qualify for an interest-free loan while you're overseas.

Find out if you qualify for your loan to be interest-free while you're overseas

Repayment holiday

You can apply for a repayment holiday if you're going overseas for 6 months (184 days or more), which means you won't have an overseas-based repayment obligation to pay for up to the first year (365 days) of being overseas. A repayment holiday is optional but you'll need to apply if you want one.

The following conditions apply to repayment holiday applications:

• You'll need to apply before you leave New Zealand or within the first 183 days (6 months) of being overseas.
• You'll need to provide the name and address of a person based in New Zealand, who is willing to act as an alternative contact person in case we need to get in touch with you about your loan.

If you don't meet these conditions your application may be declined.

Apply for a repayment holiday now

You can apply for the repayment holiday through your myIR account by completing the form.

Otherwise send us secure mail through your myIR account or call us on 0800 377 778 (+64 3 951 2020 from overseas).  

• Login to myIR Secure Online Services
• Register for myIR Secure Online Services

New Zealand based repayment obligations due while you're overseas

Repayment holidays don't apply to New Zealand-based repayment obligations so you'll still need to make these repayments when they're due.

You can use your myIR account to check if you have any repayments due:

• Login to myIR Secure Online Services
• Register for myIR Secure Online Services

If you've already had a repayment holiday or you're currently on one

You won't be entitled to another repayment holiday if you've already used up your full entitlement.

If you were on an existing 3-year repayment holiday, you didn't need to do anything as we've adjusted it and you should have received advice of when it will now end.

When your repayment holiday ends

Your repayment holiday ends the earlier of when you:

• have used your full entitlement or
• return to New Zealand and become New Zealand based.

If you're still overseas when your repayment holiday ends, you'll need to start making repayments for your overseas-based repayment obligations.

Making repayments while overseas

If you're not on a repayment holiday, you must make repayments towards your overseas-based repayment obligations. Repayments are based on your loan balance and are payable in two instalments (30 September and 31 March) each year.

Find out more about making repayments while overseas

If you're on a repayment holiday or want to pay off your loan faster, you can make voluntary repayments.

Updating your contact details

It's important to keep your contact details up to date so you can receive information on your student loan. You'll need to let us know if you have a change of:

• address
• phone number
• email
• bank account
• alternative contact person's details, or
• alternative contact person.

You can update these details and keep up to date with your student loan online anytime by using your myIR account. You can check your loan balance, repayments, interest charges and/or write offs and contact us using the secure mail service.

• Login to myIR Secure Online Services
• Register for myIR Secure Online Services

Nominate someone to act on your behalf

You may find it easier to nominate someone else to manage your student loan while you're overseas.

Find out more about setting up a nominated person

We match information with New Zealand Customs

We match information with New Zealand Customs so we’re notified when student loan borrowers who have fallen behind on their repayments are travelling to New Zealand. We use this information to contact the borrower to discuss their student loan and make arrangements to repay their loan arrears, or pursue other collection processes.

Inland Revenue and Customs have met the conditions of an information matching programme under the Privacy Act 1993, and have the approval of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

It's your right to challenge any information from the information matching with Customs. If you have any concerns or questions about this, please go to our Contact us page.

When you return to New Zealand

When you return to New Zealand after being overseas for 184 days (about 6 months) or more, you must let us know so we can update your student loan details and contact information.