Get support

The support you may be able to get depends on your circumstances.

Currently serving
While serving, the NZDF will take care of your health and wellbeing issues. If you have qualifying service, we may be able to provide you with home help. Register now with Veterans’ Affairs, and when you need some support, we’ll be ready to help you.

Ex-serving
We can provide you with health, rehabilitation and financial support if you have a condition related to your service. We can also provide home help assistance and financial support for you to commemorate your service.

Family and whānau
How we can support you, your family and whānau.

Non-military personnel
Non-military personnel can have Qualifying Operational Service in certain circumstances.

Entitlements, services, and support
Eligibility for these entitlements, services, and support will depend on your own circumstances.
Remembrance

We're proud to honour the service of the veteran community.

Services Cemeteries and plaques and headstones
We help look after Services Cemeteries. We're also able to contribute towards plaques and headstones.

Commemorative funding
There are two types of financial contributions available from the Commemorative Fund.

Medals and service records
The NZ Defence Force's Personnel Archives and Medals team administer medals and hold most New Zealand military service records.

When someone dies
We may be able to provide support when someone who had Qualifying Service dies.

Your family's military history
Learning more about your family's military history is a great way to honour their service.

Certificate of Appreciation and Veterans' Pins
The Certificate of Appreciation and Veteran's Pin recognise operational service.

NZ Post Stamps
This series of stamps explores the stories of 6 veterans deployed after 1995. You can purchase the stamps on the NZ Post website.
Eligibility

To be eligible to receive support from us, you — or certain family members — need to have Qualifying Service.

Check your eligibility
Check the support, services, or entitlements you may be able to get from us.

Qualifying Service
To get support from us you — or certain family members — need to have Qualifying Service.

Living outside NZ
You can still get support from us even if you live outside NZ.

Eligibility criteria for family and dependants
You may be able to get support if you're the spouse, partner, child or dependant of someone with Qualifying Service.

Veterans of foreign militaries
Veterans' Affairs New Zealand was established to support New Zealand veterans.
For clients

We put veterans and our clients at the heart of everything we do.
If you have a question at any stage, please contact us — we're here to help.

How we'll work with you
We'll work with you to help you get the best support available.

Your treatment card
Your treatment card helps you get no-cost treatment and medication for your approved conditions.

Your rights and responsibilities
We want to make sure you have the best possible experience when you deal with us.

Payments
Information on payment rates and dates.

How we make decisions
We use a number of tools and processes to make decisions. This helps ensure each decision we make is fair and treats our clients consistently.

Living outside NZ
You can still get support from us even if you live outside NZ.

Other benefits
You may be able to access a range of discounts and benefits. Not only that, your family may get access too.

Information about claims
Information on processing times, how to make a claim, and what happens next.

Te reo Māori
Read some of our key pages in te reo Māori.
For providers

Information for providers of services to Veterans' Affairs and our clients.

Treatment cards and letters
To help you identify our clients, we issue treatment cards and letters.

Invoicing us
How to invoice us to ensure we pay you quickly and correctly.

Treating our clients
Information for healthcare professionals providing treatment to our clients.

Councils and local authorities
Guidance for councils and local authorities relating to services cemeteries and memorials

Forms
Forms for our clients, family and whānau, and our providers.

Audiologists
Schedules of fees, invoicing and application instructions, and information for treating hearing needs.

How military service affects the health of veterans
Veterans can experience physical and mental health conditions disproportionately compared to the general public. Different NZDF 'operations' may be linked to higher rates of specific conditions. Understanding a veteran's service can help you to understand their health.

Transition Health Check
A post-release health assessment for veterans.

We will be using ProCare to reimburse treatment costs in 2026
We will be changing the provider for claiming and reimbursing medical and pharmacy costs associated with a veteran’s service-related condition.

Get support

Back

Get support
The support you may be able to get depends on your circumstances.
Currently serving Ex-serving Family and whānau Non-military personnel Entitlements, services, and support
Remembrance

Back

Remembrance
We're proud to honour the service of the veteran community.
Services Cemeteries and plaques and headstones Commemorative funding Medals and service records When someone dies Your family's military history Certificate of Appreciation and Veterans' Pins NZ Post Stamps
Eligibility

Back

Eligibility
To be eligible to receive support from us, you — or certain family members — need to have Qualifying Service.
Check your eligibility Qualifying Service Living outside NZ Eligibility criteria for family and dependants Veterans of foreign militaries
For clients

Back

For clients
We put veterans and our clients at the heart of everything we do.
If you have a question at any stage, please contact us — we're here to help.

How we'll work with you Your treatment card Your rights and responsibilities Payments How we make decisions Living outside NZ Other benefits Information about claims Te reo Māori
For providers

Back

For providers
Information for providers of services to Veterans' Affairs and our clients.
Treatment cards and letters Invoicing us Treating our clients Councils and local authorities Forms Audiologists How military service affects the health of veterans Transition Health Check We will be using ProCare to reimburse treatment costs in 2026

Search results

Displaying 651-660 of 712 results for "qualifying service"

Bill Russell: From stamps to signaller and back again

From beginning his career with NZ Post to initiating a veteran stamp series, and from installing a radio system for the NZ Army and then joining up, Bill Russell’s life is one of crossing paths of...
The Quiet Warning Lights: Signs of Struggle We Often Miss

The following article was written by LTCOL Stephen Kearney, Chief Mental Health Officer ...
Taskforce Kiwi have been busy at home and all over the world

The following article was written by Richard Adams, National Director of Taskforce Kiwi: While we continued our Cyclone Gabrielle relief work in Hawke’s Bay, we still managed (in June 2023) to send...
Forms

Download the latest versions of our forms here We often make changes and updates to our forms. To make sure you have the correct version, always download forms from our website as you need them. If...
20 minutes on the runway at Kabul Airport: NZDF Photographer Maria Eves

Just 20 minutes on the runway at Kabul airport, but in those moments Maria Eves brought all of her 12 years of experience as a photographer in the NZDF to bear. Maria Eves joined the Royal New...
Our history

The history of support for veterans as a timeline Step 1 1915 The War Pensions Act 1915 provided for War Pensions Boards to administer war pensions. The boards contained three, then later four...
Commemoration of 50 years since HMNZS OTAGO sails to protest French nuclear tests

It was recently the 50th anniversary of New Zealand’s protests against nuclear testing in the Pacific. The Mururoa Nuclear Veterans Group Inc. hosted a commemoration of 50 years since the...
A way forward for veterans' health and wellbeing

Veterans’ Affairs has launched Te Arataki mō te Hauora Ngākau mō ngā Mōrehu a Tū me ō rātou Whānau, The Veteran, Family and Whānau Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy Framework — a detailed...
Remembrance
Never give up hope: COL Richard P. Gray OBE (Mil)

COL Richard P. Gray OBE (Mil) is a determined man, one who served New Zealand with distinction for almost 30 years. However, he needed all his determination and that of his wife to come back from a...