If you’re a New Zealand citizen who’s moved to Australia, you don’t have to wait until retirement to access your KiwiSaver. In certain situations, you can withdraw it earlier — including to help buy your first home in Australia.
Like most things involved with buying your first house, the idea of withdrawing your KiwiSaver can feel overwhelming at first. But once you understand the process, it’s actually very manageable. Below is a simple, step-by-step guide based on a real experience from a member of the One Click Life team.
Withdrawing My KiwiSaver in Australia to Buy My First Home (Step by Step)
Buying my first home in Australia was exciting — but figuring out how to use my KiwiSaver as a Kiwi living overseas felt overwhelming. I’d heard it was possible, but I expected endless paperwork and requests for information I might not even have.
So, here’s exactly what I did, from my first Google search to the moment the money landed in my bank account. No jargon. No guesswork. Just real steps, in the right order.
Step 1: Confirm you’re eligible
Before doing anything else, I made sure I ticked all the boxes on the basic checklist.
To withdraw your KiwiSaver in Australia for a first home, you need to:
- Be a New Zealand citizen
- Be buying your first home in Australia
- Intend to live in the property (not buy it as an investment)
- Have permanently moved to Australia
- Transfer your entire KiwiSaver balance to an Australian-complying super fund
If you’re unsure about any of these, pause here and confirm first — it’ll save a lot of back-and-forth later.
Step 2: Open an Australian super fund that accepts KiwiSaver
Not all Australian super funds accept KiwiSaver transfers, so this step is important. A quick Google search can help, but I’d also recommend starting by speaking with your existing NZ super fund.
(We have included a list of a few Australian Super Accounts that accept KiwiSaver transfers at the bottom of this guide)
I chose my super fund because:
- They accept KiwiSaver transfers
- They’re familiar with NZ-to-AUS first home withdrawals
- Their forms and communication were clear and easy to follow
Once my account was set up, I received my member number — you’ll need this for the rest of the process.
Step 3: Download your KiwiSaver acceptance letter
Your Australian super fund will provide a KiwiSaver acceptance letter.
This letter confirms to your KiwiSaver provider in New Zealand that your chosen Australian super fund is approved to receive KiwiSaver transfers — and it’s essential for the next step.
Step 4: Transfer your KiwiSaver from NZ to Australia
This step takes the most time and patience, but you won’t get far without completing it.
Here’s what I did:
- Contacted my KiwiSaver provider in New Zealand and requested the Trans-Tasman portability forms
- Provided details for my chosen Australian super fund
- Completed identity verification documents
- Sent the KiwiSaver acceptance letter to my KiwiSaver provider
- Confirmed they had everything needed to process the transfer
This part can take several weeks, so start early — even if you’re months away from buying your home. Time zone differences can also slow things down, so I often replied to emails early in the morning before work. There can be a bit of back and forth but stay patient and keep responding promptly.
Step 5: Confirmation that the funds are on the move
Once everything was reviewed and approved, my KiwiSaver provider confirmed the funds were being transferred to Australia.
My Australian super fund then notified me when the money arrived in my super account. I could finally move forward with buying my first home!
Step 6: Start the First Home withdrawal process with your Australian super fund
After my KiwiSaver was officially sitting in Australia, I contacted my super fund to begin the first home buyer withdrawal process.
I completed my ID checks, which allowed my super fund to report my KiwiSaver balance to the ATO.
Step 7: Contact the ATO
Once my balance was reported, I logged in to my ATO account through myGov and applied for a First Home Super Saver (FHSS) determination through my personal ATO profile under the Super >Manage tab.
IMPORTANT:
You must apply for the FHSS determination at least two weeks before settlement. You cannot apply after settlement — once the property settles, you’re officially a homeowner and no longer eligible.
Step 8: Wait for the ATO to process the determination
During this time, the ATO may contact you to confirm bank details or personal information. Respond as quickly as possible to keep things moving.
It’s okay if the processing goes past settlement as long as the determination was requested before settlement.
Step 9: Approval — and the funds hit my account
Then came the best email of the whole process.
The funds were released from my Australian super fund and deposited directly into my nominated bank account.
My KiwiSaver money was there – ready to use as a deposit for my new home in Australia.
Step 10: Send the contract to the ATO
After the funds are released, you have 90 days to provide the ATO with your signed contract of sale for the home purchase.
Final thoughts
If I were doing this again, I would:
- Start the KiwiSaver transfer earlier than I did
- Keep digital copies of every document and track where I was up to
- Ask questions straight away — I spoke with my KiwiSaver provider, my Australian super fund, and the ATO multiple times
It’s always better to ask. And trust me — once the funds hit your account, it’s absolutely worth it.
Who accepts KiwiSaver in Australia?
Unfortunately, it’s not compulsory for Australian super funds to accept KiwiSaver transfers so you will need to shop around to see what’s available and what suits your needs.
A few Australian Super Funds That Do Accept KiwiSaver Transfers include:
- First Super
- Brighter Super
- Acclaim Wealth (previously AMG Super)
- Telstra Super
- Verve Super
- Vision Super
- Future Super
