Eligibility quiz
Was your adoption finalised on or after 1 January 1978?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
New Zealand passport
New Zealand citizens can travel on a New Zealand passport.
An adult passport lasts 10 years and a child passport lasts 5 years.
A passport must be renewed when it expires, but citizenship continues.
Live in New Zealand for life
New Zealand citizens can live in New Zealand indefinitely and leave and return as citizens.
Citizenship does not need renewal.
Live and work in 2 countries
Study in New Zealand
New Zealand citizens have full access to education in New Zealand.
Work in New Zealand
New Zealand citizens can work in New Zealand without a work visa condition.
They can also represent New Zealand in sport.
Get help abroad
New Zealand citizens can get help abroad after an arrest, illness, crime or lost passport, or in an emergency.
Help may be limited for people with another citizenship, and costs such as medical, legal and travel bills are not paid.
Vote and run for office
New Zealand citizens can vote in elections if they meet the voting rules.
They can also stand for Parliament or local government.
Use public healthcare
New Zealand citizens can use publicly funded health and disability services if they meet the service rules.
Not every treatment is free or immediate.
Access financial support
New Zealand citizens may qualify for financial and family support.
Payments have their own rules about things like residence, time spent in New Zealand, income, savings, age and family circumstances.
How to apply
Applying by mailApplying by mail
Download the application form
Download the citizenship by descent application form: DRG002 for someone aged 16 or over, or DRG001 for a child aged 15 or under.
Download the formFill in the form
Fill in, print and sign the form, or do this for your child. Ask a witness to sign where the form requires it.
Get help with fillingSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in and sign the New Zealand citizenship by descent application form?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for your application.
See required documentsMail your application package
Send the signed form, photographs, documents and fee to the Citizenship (Descent) Office in New Zealand, or to an eligible overseas office where you live. Include payment as directed on the form; registration costs NZ$278, with a different fee if you also apply for a passport.
Get the mailing addressWait for the decision
Respond if the Citizenship Office asks for more information; your original documents will be returned by courier. You can also check your application’s progress through the status service.
Check your application statusSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I check the status of my New Zealand citizenship by descent application?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificate
Send your original, full official birth certificate, showing your full name, place and date of birth, gender, and both parents’ names. A hospital certificate is not accepted; if a document is not in English, the Department of Internal Affairs will translate it for your application at no charge.
Adoption documents *
Send the original documents that establish your adoption. If your adoption was under the Hague Convention, include the Article 23 certificate or other Convention adoption documents; ask the Citizenship Office about the requirements for your adoption.
* Only if you were adopted outside New Zealand.
Name change document *
Send the original official document showing your name change, such as an adoption order or statutory declaration. A name you are only known by is not accepted as a legal name change.
* Only if your name changed outside New Zealand.
Parent's citizenship records *
Send evidence that your New Zealand adoptive parent was a New Zealand citizen by birth or grant when your adoption was finalised. Send the original documents.
* Only if the Citizenship Office cannot check your parent's citizenship electronically or your adoption documents do not establish it.
Parent's photo ID *
Send your New Zealand adoptive parent’s current government-issued photo ID. A colour photocopy is acceptable if certified by a Justice of the Peace, notary, sworn police officer, court registrar, New Zealand embassy or consulate, or authorised Department of Internal Affairs staff member.
* Only if your New Zealand adoptive parent has no New Zealand passport.
Considerations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Enrolment to vote
New Zealand citizens must enrol to vote.
Voting itself is not compulsory.
Citizenship can be lost
Citizenship may be taken away for acting against New Zealand's interests after gaining another citizenship, if legal conditions are met.
Citizenship by grant can also be taken away for fraud, false statements, deliberately hidden facts or an administrative error.
Adults aged 18 or over with full capacity and another citizenship can ask to give it up; it ends when that is registered.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Residence in NZ - Free Immigration Advice and INZ Updates
English Facebook group for people interested in New Zealander citizenship and visas
Join on FacebookWorking Holiday Visa New Zealand
Facebook group for people living in New Zealand interested in New Zealander visas (English & Spanish)
Join on FacebookMOVING TO NEW ZEALAND -Immigration Questions, Advice, Information & Support
English Facebook group for people living in New Zealand interested in New Zealander visas
Request to joinConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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