Citizenship guides
Requirements, rules, and timeline for New Zealand citizenship by grant
Presence requirements
To qualify for NZ citizenship by grant, you must meet two physical presence requirements during the 5 years immediately before your application date:
Total days in NZ across 5 years
Minimum days per 12-month period
In practice
- •You cannot be outside NZ for more than 125 days in any single 12-month period
- •You cannot be outside NZ for more than 450 days total across 5 years
- •The 5-year period is counted backwards from when you submit your application
- •Each 12-month period starts from your residence visa grant date anniversary
The 125-day early credit
Up to 125 days of physical presence in NZ immediately before your residence visa was granted can count toward the first 12-month period. This means some applicants could be eligible approximately 4 months earlier than the full 5-year mark.
Example: If you were in NZ for 125 days before your visa was granted on 1 March 2022, you could potentially be eligible around late October 2026 instead of March 2027.
2021 Resident Visa (RV2021) to citizenship
The 2021 Resident Visa was a one-off pathway for migrants affected by COVID-19. Over 200,000 people applied, with approvals processed from March 2022.
Timeline
DIA expects a significant increase in citizenship applications from 2027 as RV2021 holders reach the 5-year mark. Nearly 40,000 people were granted citizenship in the year to June 2024 — this number is expected to surge.
Travel planning for citizenship
You can travel while working toward citizenship, but you need to plan carefully.
Per year
Max 125 days (about 4 months) outside NZ
Over 5 years
Max 450 days (about 15 months) total
Tips
- •Keep a detailed log of all your travel dates — you will need this for your application
- •Use the calculator regularly to check your remaining travel budget
- •Consider getting your Permanent Resident Visa first (after 2 years) for unlimited travel
- •The 12-month periods are fixed from your visa grant date, not calendar years
- •Short trips add up — even a 2-week holiday is 14 days off your budget
Resident Visa vs Permanent Resident Visa
These are different visas. You do not need a Permanent Resident Visa to apply for citizenship.
| Resident Visa | Permanent Resident | |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | Limited — has expiry date | Unlimited |
| Conditions | May have conditions | None |
| Citizenship eligible? | Yes | Yes |
| When available | On approval | After 2 years |
A standard Resident Visa is sufficient for citizenship. You do not need to upgrade to a Permanent Resident Visa before applying.