Eligibility
Do you qualify for citizenship by grant?
To qualify for New Zealand citizenship by grant in 2026, you need to have held a resident visa continuously for at least 5 years, been physically present in NZ for 1,350 days across those 5 years (about 240 days per year), have sufficient English, be of good character, and intend to keep living in New Zealand. Set out in the Citizenship Act 1977.
A plain-English summary of the legal requirements for citizenship by grant, the pathway most adult residents use, plus who is exempt from the new citizenship test and what you can study at our topic guides — start with the Bill of Rights guide. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Eligibility checker
Check your NZ citizenship eligibility: 2027 update
A short walk-through to work out which pathway fits your situation, whether you meet the standard requirements, and whether the new test will apply when you lodge. Most people finish in about three minutes. This is guidance, not legal advice, and this checker is not the official test.
Stage 1 · Find your pathway
Where were you born?
Core requirements
What the law asks of you.
- Resident visa
- Held continuously for at least 5 years
- Physical presence
- 1,350 days in NZ across the 5 years (≈ 240 days per year)
- English
- Basic conversational English (waiver available in some cases)
- Good character
- No serious criminal record or outstanding charges
- Intent
- Plan to keep living in New Zealand
Fee
How much does it cost?
The current citizenship by grant application fee is NZ$560 for adults and NZ$280 for children under 16, effective 21 November 2025. The Department of Internal Affairs has not announced a fee for the new 2027 citizenship test. Any test fee will be charged on top of the existing application fee, and we will not speculate on the amount until DIA confirms it. The published cost on govt.nz is the authoritative figure.
Processing
How long does it take?
Processing for a complete citizenship-by-grant application is typically around 9 months from lodgement to receiving an invitation to a citizenship ceremony, though this varies with caseload and the complexity of your file. Postal applicants usually have their original documents couriered back within about 4 to 6 weeks. The ceremony itself is scheduled by your local council and usually follows the approval letter by a few weeks. Confirm current timeframes on govt.nz before you apply. If your case is unusual, talk to a licensed immigration adviser before lodging.
Test exemptions
Who doesn’t have to sit the test.
The test goes live in late 2027. These groups won’t be required to sit it. DIA may add further exemptions before launch.
- Under 16 at the time of application
- 65 or over at the time of application
- Granted a waiver from the English-language requirement
- Becoming a citizen by birth, descent, or under the Western Samoa pathway
- Application lodged before the test goes live in late 2027
Frequently asked
Common eligibility questions.
- Who needs to take the new NZ citizenship test?
- From late 2027, most adult applicants for citizenship by grant will sit the new in-person, multi-choice test. People under 16 or 65 or over, applicants granted an English-language waiver, those becoming citizens by birth, descent, or under the Western Samoa pathway, and anyone whose application is lodged before the test goes live are not required to sit it.
- What are the residency requirements for NZ citizenship by grant?
- You must have held a resident visa or permanent resident visa continuously for at least 5 years, been physically present in New Zealand for at least 1,350 days across those 5 years (roughly 240 days per year), be of good character, have sufficient knowledge of English and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, and intend to keep living in New Zealand. These come from the Citizenship Act 1977.
- How long must I have lived in New Zealand?
- At least 1,350 days physically in New Zealand over the 5 years immediately before your application, with no fewer than 240 days in each of those 5 years. The Department of Internal Affairs Presence Calculator is the most reliable way to check your day count.
- What are the character requirements?
- You need to be of "good character" under the Citizenship Act 1977. In practice that means no serious criminal record, no outstanding charges, and a clean recent history with NZ and overseas authorities. Older or minor matters are usually weighed in context. Speak to a licensed immigration adviser if your situation is borderline.
- Do I need to know English to become a New Zealand citizen?
- Yes, applicants must have "sufficient knowledge of the English language" under the Act. The threshold is conversational rather than formal, and the Department of Internal Affairs can grant a waiver where age, disability, or other circumstances make the requirement unfair.
- How long does the citizenship application take?
- Processing for citizenship by grant published by the Department of Internal Affairs is typically around 9 months from application to a ceremony invitation, though it varies with caseload and the complexity of the application. Check the current published timeframe on govt.nz before you lodge.
- How much will the new citizenship test cost?
- The Department of Internal Affairs has not announced a test fee. Any test fee will be on top of the existing citizenship application fee, which is currently NZ$560 for adults and NZ$280 for children under 16 (effective 21 November 2025). We will publish the test fee here as soon as it is confirmed.
- When does the new NZ citizenship test start?
- The Department of Internal Affairs is aiming for the second half of 2027. An exact start date has not been published. Applications lodged before the test goes live continue under the current declaration-based process.
Get important updates.
One email when there's real news. The official handbook, the test fee, the start date, and other key announcements.
Emails when there's real news. No spam, unsubscribe any time. See our privacy policy.