[craig1234564]

How long do you have to live in New Zealand before you can become a citizen and get an NZ passport?
Also if you do become a new zealander would you have to give up your british passport or have dual citizenship?
Would becoming a citizen present any problems if you decided to return to live in the UK in the end?

Also my wife already has 2 passports > croatian and british so i guess she would not be allowed 3 and would have to choose 1 to give up?

could get complicated if things dont work out in NZ!

any help with these questions is appreciated :cheers

[tomo1340]

I can't help on the NZ front but I do know someone who was born in Canada to a British Father and has become a US citizen, he has three passports so I think it is possible. Unless one has expired?

[Wahlet]

Live in NZ 5 years after getting PR (permanent residence) and you can apply for citizenship.

I have several relatives who have dual US-Canada citizenship and passports for both countries. I know someone who has NZ, Canada, and US citizenship. I don't know if he has passports for all three countries. I think countries vary in their tolerance for multiple passports, you'd have to check with each country's immigration office...

[JandM]

My d-i-l and grandchildren all have British and NZ citizenship, having been born in NZ of British fathers. D-i-l has two passports, and the children are entitled to them but they haven't bothered getting them for them yet as they're only little. D-i-l's father also has British and NZ passports, and says he finds the British one gets him through formalities faster when travelling in Europe, but the NZ one works better for Australia, SE Asia and Japan. Obtaining an NZ passport doesn't alter anything about being British - it's an add-on.

[Croft]

How long do you have to live in New Zealand before you can become a citizen and get an NZ passport?

Depends when you submitted you ITA.

General Requirements for a Grant of New Zealand Citizenship
To be granted New Zealand citizenship you must meet the requirements of either the Citizenship Act 1977 or the Citizenship Act (Western Samoa) 1982. You may be eligible for grant of New Zealand citizenship if you:

* Intend, if granted citizenship, to continue to reside in New Zealand.
* Are able to understand and speak English.
* Are of good character.
* Understand the responsibilities and privileges of New Zealand citizenship.
* Are a permanent resident of New Zealand; and

EITHER

1. You have received your permanent residence before 21 April 2005, and
2. Have been ordinarily resident in New Zealand for the last 3 years.

OR

1. You have received your permanent residence on or after 21 April 2005, and
2. Have had your New Zealand permanent residence for the last 5 years.

http://www.antispam.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Services-Citizenship-Requirements-for-New-Zealand-Citizenship?OpenDocument


Also if you do become a new zealander would you have to give up your british passport or have dual citizenship?
Would becoming a citizen present any problems if you decided to return to live in the UK in the end?

You'll have dual citizenship. Both UK and NZ permit it. Australia and US are a bit funny about it.

Also my wife already has 2 passports > croatian and british so i guess she would not be allowed 3 and would have to choose 1 to give up?

From what I've read on the internet (Google is a great tool) Croatia doesn't recognise dual citizenship - but they won't stop your wife.

could get complicated if things dont work out in NZ!

any help with these questions is appreciated :cheers

No - you should be OK.

I can't help on the NZ front but I do know someone who was born in Canada to a British Father and has become a US citizen, he has three passports so I think it is possible. Unless one has expired?

You have to formerly renounce citizenship - just because a passport has expired doesn't mean your citizenship has lapsed. In fact UK law permits you by law to formerly renounce it once, then have it re-instated (typically used in countries which require you to renounce you previous citizenship before getting theirs!!). A second subsequent renunciation and application needs to be cleared by the Home Secretary.

[KerryS]

And you can certainly have citizenship of more than just two countries - I currently hold 3: British, Canadian and New Zealand.

[dharder]

Also my wife already has 2 passports > croatian and british so i guess she would not be allowed 3 and would have to choose 1 to give up?

All my children have three citizenships (and three passports), and we haven't had any issues yet. I felt a bit funny travelling with three people (the girls and I) and 8 passports, but no one ever went through our luggage so they didn't know about that 'stash' and we only ever showed one.

In your case, Croatia would be the one to check with, NZ and the UK both let you have multiple passports.

Daniela

[dilanium]

Has anyone managed to obtain US/NZ dual citizenship?

[Milliemoo]

For those of you with dual/multiple citizenship ... what do you put down when you're asked on offical documents what you're citizenship is? Do you choose one (most relevant to whatever document it is that you're filling out) or put all of them down?

Milliemoo

[urban78]

For those of you with dual/multiple citizenship ... what do you put down when you're asked on offical documents what you're citizenship is? Do you choose one (most relevant to whatever document it is that you're filling out) or put all of them down?

Milliemoo

I have dual US and French.

I just put the one that's most relevant, in NZ for official documents ect I would put my French passport number in just because my blue stickers are in it. NZIS are aware that I've got both as I mentioned my US passport number on the application for residence form.

When I travelled to Europe last year I put both, simply because I travelled via the US and they are known to be fussy about immigration :uhoh I didn't have a problem at check in at all, and it was quite amusing because upon checking in for the flight from Heathrow to LA I showed my US one and then once in LA I handed my French one :laugh

I can apply for an NZ one from December this year :)

Jen

[migratory birds]

My understanding is to move from PR to citizen status, you need to be in NZ 240 days/years for the 5 yrs prior to applying for citizenship.

As for Americans having dual citizenship, yes at this point we can.