New Zealand citizenship application

New Zealand offers the possibility for eligible foreigners to apply for a citizenship in various ways, including residency and work. New Zealand also allows for dual citizenship. This article will explain the general process of applying for New Zealand citizenship.

Table of contents

• Ways to apply for New Zealand citizenship
• Identity referee or witness
• Documents required for New Zealand citizenship application
• Application photo requirements
• Get a photo for New Zealand citizenship online

Ways to apply for New Zealand citizenship

There are two ways to apply for New Zealand citizenship:

Apply online

To apply for New Zealand citizenship online, you will need a RealMe account. You will also need a device with a camera (computer, smartphone, tablet) and internet access to confirm your identity. Besides that, you will need an identity referee, digital copies of your documents and photo, as well as a credit or debit card for payment.

You can start your application here.

Apply for in person or by post

The documentation set similar to the online process, for the exception of the photo (here it needs to be two printed copies) and the printed and completed application form.

To apply in person, you will have to make an appointment in a Citizenship Office in Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch.

To apply by post, you will have to send your documents and payment to the Department of Internal Affairs’ PO Box in Wellington.

Identity referee or witness

You will need an identity referee if applying online, or a witness if applying in person or by post. This is needed to confirm your identity. Your identity referee or witness must:

• Be aged 16 or over;
• Have a current or expired New Zealand passport;
• Have known you for at least 1 year, or since birth;
• Not be related to you or part of your extended family;
• Not live at the same house as you;
• Consent to be your referee or witness.

Your identity referee will be contacted to confirm your identity, while a witness will have to sign the back of 1 of your passport photos and complete the witness section of your application form.

You will need to provide some personal and contact details of your identity referee.

Documents required for New Zealand citizenship application

Here are the documents necessary to submit:

• Your full birth certificate or birth record;
• Your current passport or travel document — or your most recent one, if it has expired;
• Photo(s) no older than six months that meets passport photo requirements.

If any of your documents are not in English, you will need to submit both your original documents (and copies, if applicable) and professional English translations.

Additional documents may apply depending on your status. For example, if your name or gender marker has changed, you must submit documental proof of it.

Application photo requirements

Your photos must fulfil the following requirements:

• The photo must be a portrait with an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 3:4 on a smartphone;
• The photo must be in colour and digital (not a scan);
• The file format must be .jpg or .jpeg;
• The file size must be between 250KB and 10MB
• The photo dimensions must be between 900 and 4500 pixels wide and 1200 and 6000 pixels high;
• The background must be light and plain, preferably light blues, greys and creams, with no other objects;
• The camera should be about 1.5m away from you and at eye level to make sure that your face and ears are captured completely;
• Your head must be centred in the photo, part of your shoulders and upper chest must be visible;
• Your face and facial features must be discernible in the picture;
• No distortions and digital enhancements are allowed;
• Keep your facial expression neutral and look straight into the camera;
• Glasses with tinted lenses or thick frames are not allowed;
• No head accessories or gear are permitted except for religious or medical reasons. Your face must be fully visible in the photo.

Here is an example:

Get a photo for New Zealand citizenship online

Save time on your citizenship application by getting your photo professionally done online. With Visafoto, you can get a photo for your citizenship application that’s guaranteed to be accepted without having to go to a professional photo studio.

First, take a photo of yours under daylight like this one:

Whether you need your photo printed or in digital format, Visafoto has got your back: your resulting files include a template of photos that’s ready to print.

Simply take a picture of yourself following the guidelines and upload it to our tool below. No worries about the format, background, sizes, and dimensions: we’ll handle that for you.

Take an image with a smartphone or camera against any background, upload it here, and instantly get a professional photo for your visa, passport, or ID.