Cook Islands: Knowledge Base profile
Published 1 May 2024
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About: Cook Islands
This document contains useful information about Cook Islands which will assist HM Passport Office staff process passport applications.
Contacts
If you have any questions about the document and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the document has factual errors then email the Guidance team.
If you notice any formatting errors in this document (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the document then you can email the Guidance team.
Publication
Below is information on when this version of the document was published:
- version 2.0
- published for Home Office staff on 18 April 2024
Changes from last version of this document
This document has been updated with minor formatting changes.
Cook Islands: names
This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in the Cook Islands.
Naming conventions exist in the Cook Islands.
Names consist of:
- forename
- father’s surname (if named on the birth certificate)
- mother’s surname (if no father is named on the birth certificate)
Cook Islands: nationality
This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in the Cook Islands.
As the Cook Islands is an independent nation in free association with New Zealand, a person will have dual citizenship as a citizen of:
- Cook Islands
- New Zealand
Cook Islands: legitimacy and parental responsibility
This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy and parental responsibility in the Cook Islands.
Legitimacy
Cook Islands recognises a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births.
A child will be considered:
- legitimate if their parents:
- are married at the time of birth
- marry after the birth
- illegitimate if their parents never marry
Parental responsibility
A father does not have parental responsibility for a child if he is not married to the mother at the time of conception or birth.
Cook Islands: documents
This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents from the Cook Islands.
Birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates in the Cook Islands are only issued if requested.
Birth certificates
Births in the Cook Islands must be registered at the Ministry of Justice within 14 days. Late registrations are allowed.
Marriage certificates
A couple getting married must get a marriage licence before the marriage takes place. Once the marriage licence has been issued, they have 3 months to get married.
A marriage must be solemnised by an Officiating Minister, Marriage Celebrant (registered with the Ministry of Justice), or Registrar of Marriages.
Identity documents
The Cook Islands does not issue its own passports, people from the Cook Islands are issued New Zealand passports.