Residency Requirements

All applications received, on or after the 21st of April 2010, will be assessed using the five year residency requirement. The applicant must be physically present in New Zealand for a minimum of 1,350 days with permanent residency during the five years immediately preceding the date of their application, and for at least 240 days with permanent residency in each of those five years.

Citizenship by Birth

From 1 January 2006, children born in New Zealand (or in the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau) will acquire New Zealand citizenship at birth only if at least one of their parents:

• is a New Zealand citizen; or
• has permanent residency (ie. is entitled to be in New Zealand or Australia indefinitely); or
• is entitled to reside indefinitely in the Cook Islands, Tokelau or Niue.

For a free assessment on your eligibility, contact us for a professional consultation schedule.