Kiwis in Australia – 2023 Changes
If you are a Kiwi in Australia and are eligible to apply for citizenship under the new changes, you can start preparing now even though applications do not open until 1 July 2023. This way you’ll be ready to go.
- Apply for New Zealand Police Certificate
You must provide a New Zealand police certificate. This is free of charge and you can apply online through the NZ Ministry of Justice. It is currently taking up to 15 days to process certificates.
- Apply for Overseas Police Certificates
If you have lived in any country for more than 90 days since the age of 18, you will need a police certificate from that country. These can take a while so we recommend applying now.
For guidance on how to apply for one in any country you have lived in, head over to the Department of Home Affairs website and select the relevant country.
- Request Travel Movement Records
The citizenship application requires that you provide details of all your travel for the last 10 years prior to applying, including countries visited, dates and reasons for travel. We recommend making a list of any travel you have done now, as it can take some time to gather this information – especially when many countries no longer stamp your passport!
Applying for your travel movement records can make this process easier for you, and it is free. You can apply online for these and it can take up to 30 days.
- Ensure you have original identity documents
With your application you must provide THREE documents that together will show:
- birth name, date of birth and gender
- photograph
- signature
- current residential address
You will also need to provide evidence of any change of name.
You will need to provide a birth certificate. Other documents to meet the requirement above can include:
- Australian driver’s licence
- pages from your passport (photo, personal details, passport issue and expiry dates)
- national identity card
- UNHCR document
- aircrew identity document
- seafarer identity document
- military identity document
- proof of age card
- student card
If you do not have any original identity documents or your marriage certificate, we recommend obtaining these as soon as possible. Click on the links below for how to obtain the relevant document.
While you do not need a current passport to apply for citizenship, this could be an easy identity document to get so you could apply for a new passport and kill two birds with one stone.
Book today if you would like advice or assistance with your application!
