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Who we are

The Embassy of Italy in Wellington

The Embassy of Italy in Wellington is the official diplomatic representation of the Italian Republic in New Zealand. It represents Italy before the New Zealand authorities and it promotes the bilateral relations between the two countries, in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. In 2025, Italy and New Zealand celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations.
The jurisdiction of the Embassy of Italy in Wellington includes New Zealand and the territories of Pitcairn and Tokelau. The Embassy is also secondarily accredited to the following countries: Cook Islands, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu.

 

Functions of the Embassy

The Embassy promotes political and institutional relations between Italy and New Zealand, as well as with the countries of secondary accreditation, both at the bilateral level and in multilateral contexts. It also safeguards the interests of Italy and Italian citizens present in the territory by providing consular assistance and administrative services.
📎 Italy and New Zealand – Ambasciata d’Italia Wellington
📎 Consular Services and Visas – Ambasciata d’Italia Wellington

The Embassy supports Italian businesses in New Zealand, promotes Italy’s commercial and economic presence in the country and encourages cooperation with the local business community. It also provides information and support to strengthen economic relations between the two countries.|
📎 Doing business in New Zealand – Ambasciata d’Italia Wellington
📎 Doing business in Italy – Ambasciata d’Italia Wellington

Among its functions is also the promotion of scientific, academic and technological cooperation. The Embassy coordinates institutional, cultural and economic initiatives throughout the territory with the aim of fostering contacts between institutions, universities and civil society.
The Embassy also plays an active role in promoting the Italian language and culture and in maintaining strong ties with the local Italian community. It supports sports initiatives as well, promoting sport as a tool for dialogue and cooperation between countries.
📎 Learn more about our events and cultural activities: News – Ambasciata d’Italia Wellington
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Travel information
  • For general and operational information regarding safety in New Zealand and in the countries of secondary accreditation, please consult the website of the Crisis Unit of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs “Viaggiare Sicuri”.
  • If you are planning a trip to or residing in New Zealand or in the countries of secondary accreditation, you are also encouraged to register on the “Dove siamo nel Mondo” portal in order to be reachable in case of emergency.

 

The Residence of the Italian Embassy

The Embassy’s Residence, built in 1877, was designed by the well-known architect Thomas Turnbull, as his own home, where he lived for 21 years.

Thomas Turnbull (1824–1907) was one of the most important architects in New Zealand during the mid to late nineteenth century. Among his most notable buildings are the Willis Street churches of St Peter (1879) and St John (1885), the former National Mutual Building (1883–84), the General Assembly Library at Parliament (1899) and the former Bank of New Zealand Head Office (1901).

Over the years the house passed from one owner to another, was divided into two flats, until 1961 when it was purchased by the Italian Government as the residence of its Ambassador. The Italian Government subsequently purchased the surrounding blocks, which today house the diplomatic chancery and the consular section.

The Residence is a two-storey double-bay villa designed in the Italianate style, an architectural language widely used in New Zealand in the late nineteenth century. The building features elegant decorative details that reproduce in timber elements typical of Renaissance stone architecture, such as the quoins that mark the corners of the façade.

The main façade is characterised by two projecting wings crowned by prominent gables supported by long corner brackets, giving rhythm and depth to the architectural composition. At ground-floor level, the bay windows are enhanced by segmental arches. On the first floor, above each bay window, balustraded balconies inspired also by Italian architectural forms are connected by a further balcony extending across the entrance veranda, contributing to the balance of the façade.