The Cook Islands status is a stamp in your passport to recognize that you are a Cook Islander by descent. The passport you currently hold serves as citizenship for that country. According to Section 24 of the Cook Islands Immigration Act 2021, all Cook Islanders are required to prove their descent and have their passports endorsed.
Cook Islanders generally refer to their birthplace as adequate evidence of Cook Islands heritage. However, non-Cook Islanders are also born in the Cook Islands, so it is insufficient to rely on evidence of birthplace alone.
All Cook Islanders have continuing rights to travel in and out of the Cook Islands and reside at will. It is recommended that all Cook Islanders seek to have their status recognized and apply to have the Cook Islands status stamp endorsed in their passport.
To apply for Cook Islands Status, the applicant will need to provide the following supporting documents:
- A copy of the biodata page of the passport
- A copy of the applicant’s birth certificate
- A copy of the birth certificate for the Cook Islands born parent(s)
- A copy of the birth certificate for the Cook Islands born grandparent(s) where the parent is born outside the Cook Islands
- Evidence of a name change, such as a marriage certificate or statutory declaration
All supporting documents must be original or certified color copies, and where they are issued in a language other than English, a certified English translation must accompany the original document.
Once your passport has expired, you can reapply to our office to transfer the stamp to your new passport.
If you would rather submit in person, you can visit our customer service office in Avarua, located directly opposite the Ministry of Justice.
The Cook Islands Status has a fee of $30.00 per application and is valid for the duration of the passport. Once you have gathered all the required documents, you can submit by clicking this link here, which will redirect you to the online application form.