Pathway to Australian citizenship for New Zealand citizens

Exciting news for our Kiwi friends living in Australia!

From 1 July 2023, New Zealand citizens who have been living in Australia for four years or more can apply directly for Australian citizenship. To currently meet the general residence requirement for Australian citizenship by conferral, an applicant must be lawfully present in Australia for four years and hold a permanent visa for 12 months before the date of application. With these upcoming changes coming into effect, elligible New Zealand citiznes will have a direct pathway to Australian citizenship without the need for a permanent visa as the Department of Home Affairs will be backdating applicants period of permanent residence for citizenship purpose. This creates a great opportunity for long-term residents to become Australian citizens.

At Zest Legal, we're always up to date with the latest in Australian immigration law changes and we're here to help you navigate the complex Australian citizenship application process. We can assist you in preparing a strong citizenship application to ensure you meet all eligibility requirements. So if you're a New Zealand citizen living in Australia, contact us now and let us help you achieve your Australian citizenship goals.