A new direct pathway to Australian citizenship for eligible New Zealand citizens living in Australia has been announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and the Minister for Home Affairs and the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs.
From 1 July 2023, New Zealand citizens holding a Special Category Visa (subclass 444) will be able to apply directly for citizenship without becoming permanent residents first, subject to meeting other eligibility requirement including a four-year residence requirement. It means that the New Zealand Citizens who have been living in Australia for four years are not required to first apply for a permanent residency, to apply for citizenship.
From 1 July onwards:
- All New Zealand citizens holding an SCV will be considered permanent residents for citizenship purposes.
- New Zealand citizens granted an SCV before 1 July 2022 will have their period of permanent residence for citizenship purposes backdated to 1 July 2022.
- New Zealand citizens granted an SCV for the first time on or after 1 July 2022 will be considered a permanent resident for citizenship purposes from the date of their SCV grant.
- Provisions will apply to New Zealand citizens who are overseas, but held an SCV immediately before last leaving Australia.
- Any child born in Australia on or after 1 July 2022 to an SCV holder may automatically acquire Australian citizenship at birth. From 1 July 2023, children who meet these circumstances can apply for evidence of citizenship.
However, these provisions will not be applicable to citizenship applications submitted before 1 July 2023. If an application is submitted before this date and the applicant doesn’t meet the eligibility requirement, the application will be refused.
These changes have been introduced to ensure viable pathways to Australian citizenship for New Zealand citizens living in Australia. This reflects the deep and strong connection between Australia and New Zealand and further strengthens the connection between the two.
