[Lupin]

My children and I have PR but I'm wondering what we need to do to get citizenship. I understand we will be eligible after five years but I have the following questions:


Is it 5 years from issue of visa or permit?
Does one have to be living in NZ for all of those five years?


These are just idle ponderings, there is no agenda other than wondering because I hope to spend holidays with my mum in Australia in the next few years.

Thanks :)

[anna_c]

It's five years from grant of PR.

Holidays are certainly not a problem. You have to live in NZ for those 5 years (there's a certain number of days you have to be in the country and I think it has to be your normal place of residence) but there's nothing to say you can't temporarily leave the country.

[debnjohn]

I'm probably wrong, but I thought it 5 years or 3 years after entering NZ i.e getting your passport stamped (as PR can be awarded up to 18 months before entry). 3 years if ITA was offered before mid-April 2005, 5 years after.

Cheers,
John.

[Brad77]

http://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Services-Citizenship-General-Requirements-for-a-Grant-of-New-Zealand-Citizenship?OpenDocument#ten

Permanent Residence on or after 21 April 2005

If you applied for and received permanent residence after 21 April 2005 you are required to fulfill the following requirements. You are required to have:
Been present in New Zealand for a total of at least 1,350 days during the 5 years immediately before you make your application; and
Been present in New Zealand for a total of at least 240 days in each of those 5 years, with a Permanent Resident Permit issued by the New Zealand Immigration Service; and
Fully met any conditions imposed by the New Zealand Immigration Service in regard to your Permanent Resident Permit.
Please Note: If you can show that there are exceptional circumstances that warrant a reduction, you may be considered as long as you have a minimum presence in New Zealand of 450 days with a Permanent Resident Permit in the 20 months before you make your application.