[xdzgor]

Hi
I'm a kiwi living in Denmark (I've been away from NZ for 15 years). I'm married to a Dane, and we have 3 kids together.

As I understand it, my kids are automatically New Zealand citizens, correct? They don't have to undergo some sort of application procedure do they?

We're thinking of moving to NZ. Does myw ife have automatic right to settle in NZ? From what I can find out, it appears she actually needs to apply for residency and could risk being refused. Can this be correct? Can a country actually decide who its citizens are allowed to live with (seems "wrong" to me on so many levels)?

Anyway, assuming she does have to apply for residency, can she do this once in NZ? Is it better to apply from NZ, or from home in Denmark?

Thanks for any comments and advice,
Peter

[clairelouise]

Firstly Hi and welcome to the forum. :D
AFAIK, your children are automatically NZ citizens, you just need to contact the NZ embassy and register their citizenship. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, and there ARE people who have gone through this before - you're not alone!! :)This link (http://www.citizenship.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Services-Citizenship-New-Zealand-Citizenship-by-Descent?OpenDocument) should be helpful for you.
Your wife does have to apply for residency, but I can't help with where it would be best to do that from, sorry!
Good luck with your plans!!

[lockstock]

I think it may be worth your while reading the NZIS website for information here. I don't think there is any 'automatic' right to anything as far as NZ is concerned!

[JandM]

Hello and welcome. :)

Here's the link to the procedure you'll need to follow to get your wife residency. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/live/partner/howdoiapply/ It's some hoops to jump through, proving that it's a genuine relationship (not a marriage of convenience just to get somebody into the country), and it can be annoying, but you'll get there.:nice1 (Our son is married to a Kiwi and has done all this.)

[jo1966]

Hi, I am a NZer and have lived in London for 20 years. I registered my children when they were born for NZ citizenship and they have had both NZ and UK passports - or only UK at the moment as passports are expensive.
My husband has applied for permanant residency in December via the London office. PM me if you want any further info and as the previous people have said there is a wealth of info. on the forum.

[JandM]

(Peter, you'll be able to send and receive PMs once you've made a total of five posts.)

[ljrobin]

We had to apply for our daughters to be NZ citizens by descent, their dad is a Kiwi. There is some paperwork involved for this and takes a few months. After their certificate of citizenship was given we applied for their NZ passports.

[dharder]

Can a country actually decide who its citizens are allowed to live with (seems "wrong" to me on so many levels)?

That's quite funny coming from someone living in Denmark, which I seem to recall has some rather draconian laws regarding gaining citizenship and sponsoring a non European spouse :)

Compared to that, it is very easy to get into NZ as the partner of a NZer. I don't think there is a very realistic risk of being denied entry, so I really wouldn't worry about it.

You will have to apply for citizenship by descent for the children, and you can do that in one go with the passport application, so you get the passports and the citizenship registration forms back at the same time. That is what we did.

However. Looking back, I think we could have waited and applied for citizenship once here, as I think we could have applied to be granted citizenship, which doesn't have the restrictions the 'by descent' has. As it is, we would now have to apply (for a fee again, of course, I think $120, but not sure) for citizenship for the children again, if we were worried about the 'by descent' status.

I can't remember how long the children's registration/passports took, but the application for me as the partner took 4 weeks (in London).

Good luck,

Daniela

[xdzgor]

Thanks for all the comments.

Wrt citizenship for my kids: I have emailed the immigration dept in NZ, and the reply I got is that my kids are NZ citizens, as of birthright. The certificate of citizenship by descent is merely a formality, a document which makes it easier in some situations if you have to point to some "evidence" that my kids are NZ citizens. My oldest two kids have this registration certificate, but not my youngest. We'll probably wait till be get to NZ for her.

I appreciate the comments regarding Denmark! It is quite true that the rules here are very restrictive, and have gotten much worse in the time I've been here - and this is really what makes me worry about the situation in NZ. I hope it is easier. Even so, there is a lot of documentation and many forms we need to fill in for residency in NZ. (I still think it is atrocious that a state can in theory stop its citizens living with who they want (but this is a political viewpoint I guess)).

I wonder if it is best to apply for my wife's residency here from Denmark, or if we should do it once we get to NZ? Any comments? From Denmark it seems so distant (there is no embassy here), and I'm not too happy about sending our passports (yes, mine too?) internationally with the post. (Besides the fact I sometimes need my passport to travel in Europe for my job - quite inconvenient). Once in NZ it would seem to be much easier to keep in touch with the relevant authorities.

Thanks,
Peter

[JandM]

It can be done when you're in either place, but from your last para, it sounds as though you'd rather do the business in NZ, and really, it's a matter of preference.