United States of America

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Embassies and consular services for United States of America

Location Service areas
Embassy of the United States of America
New Zealand Consulate-General, Honolulu, Hawaii Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Palau, United States of America
New Zealand Consulate-General, Los Angeles, California United States of America
New Zealand Embassy to the United States of America United States of America
Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York

Our relationship with the US

New Zealand and the United States are close strategic partners. We have a deep and longstanding friendship, united by a commitment to promote a free, democratic, secure and prosperous world. The first US Consul to New Zealand was commissioned in 1838.

Under the 2010 Wellington Declaration, we agreed to a new focus on practical co-operation in the Pacific, and enhanced dialogue on a range of international issues. The Washington Declaration, which set out a framework for closer defence relations, was signed by Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman in 2012.

These arrangements commit our two countries to collaborate on a wide range of issues, regular meetings between ministers and annual political military talks between officials. Issues of common concern include:

  • Antarctica including safeguarding the environment, scientific research into key concerns such as climate change, and supporting the Antarctic Treaty system
  • Pacific region stability, security and governance
  • Counter-terrorism and countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Asia-Pacific region and further afield
  • Trade both internationally through the WTO, and regionally through APEC

Economic relations

Economic relations span a wide range of commercial activities, including trade in goods and services, and direct foreign investment across all major sectors from heavy manufacturing to agriculture. New areas of our knowledge economy feature in the relationship, as New Zealand firms and institutions work to commercialise their intellectual property in ICT, biotech and clean technology in the US.

New Zealand and the US established the New Zealand United States (NZUS) Council in 2001. It aims to foster and develop a strong and mutually beneficial relationship, and advocates for growing trade and economic links between the two countries. The council works closely with its American equivalent, the United States New Zealand (USNZ) Council.

More on the NZUS Council(external link)

Trade

2019 statistics

Total trade in goods 

$18.62 billion

 

Total exports to the US

$9.24 billion 

Top goods exports: meat, dairy products, wine

Total imports from the US

$9.38 billion

Top goods imports: machinery, aircraft, vehicles, and medical equipment

The US is New Zealand’s third-largest individual trading partner, and there continues to be scope for further development. It’s a major market for agricultural products, and a significant source of foreign direct investment, innovation and research, and tourism.

In August 2018, US President Trump signed the KIWI Act. This allows New Zealand businesspeople to apply for E1/E2 trade and investment visas. The visas became available for application from June 2019. More information on the application process can be found at the US Embassy and Consulate website(external link).

Working Holiday Scheme

New Zealanders over the age of 18 who are students or recent graduates can apply for a 12-month working holiday visa for the US.

For more information, read the US Embassy website(external link).

Embassies

New Zealand is represented in the US by:

The US is represented in New Zealand by:

Recent official visits

New Zealand to the US

  • March 2020: Minister of Internal Affairs Tracy Martin visited Washington DC
  • January 2020: Minister of Defence Ron Mark visited New York, Washington DC, and Honolulu
  • November 2019: Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters visited Washington DC
  • September 2019: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited New York for the UN General Assembly and had a bilateral meeting with President Trump
  • July 2019: Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor visited Washington DC
  • July 2019: Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters visited Washington DC
  • May 2019: Minister for Energy and Resources Dr Megan Woods visited San Francisco
  • April 2019: Minister of Finance Grant Robertson visited Washington DC
  • April 2019: Minister of Justice Andrew Little visited Washington DC
  • December 2018: Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters visited Washington DC
  • December 2018: Minister for Corrections, Crown-Māori relations and Tourism Kelvin Davis visited Washington DC
  • October 2018: Minister of Trade and Export Growth David Parker visited Washington DC
  • September 2018: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited New York for the UN General Assembly
  • June 2017: Minister of Trade Todd McClay visited Washington DC and Los Angeles

US to New Zealand

  • September 2019: US Secretary of Defence Dr Mark Esper visited Auckland
  • August 2019: A US Senate delegation led by Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) visited Wellington
  • April 2019: A US Senate delegation led by Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) visited Wellington and Dunedin
  • August 2018: Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Philip Davidson, visited New Zealand for talks with the Government and senior Defence officials
  • June 2017: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Wellington
  • November 2016: US Secretary of State John Kerry visited Christchurch as part of a visit to Antarctica
  • July 2016: US Vice President Joe Biden visited Auckland

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