Need help? 1300 559 535 (AUS) 0800 22 51 51 (NZ) +64 (4) 462 0651 cizenship.govt.nz passports.govt.nz
DRG001 25 May 2024
Who can apply?
Any person born outside New Zealand on or ater 1 January 1978, and whose mother or father was a
New Zealand citizen (otherwise than by descent) at the time of their birth or adoption can apply for
registration of New Zealand citizenship by descent. Your child’s mother or father will have either been
born in New Zealand or will have received a grant of New Zealand citizenship before they were born.
If you are aged 16 years or older, and want to apply for citizenship, please use the Adult form.
To find out more please contact the Citizenship Oce. Our contact details are at the bottom of this page.
Need a passport too?
Use this form just to register your child’s citizenship by descent, or to register your child’s citizenship
by descent and apply for a New Zealand passport for them. There is no need to complete a separate
passport form.
How long will it take?
For current processing timeframes, visit govt.nz/registercitizenship.
Where should I start?
Answer the questions in the boxes below to see what you should do.
The questions in these boxes are based on the legal requirements for a citizenship by descent application. The results
from the questions are only a general indicator to give you some idea of your child’s eligibility for citizenship by descent.
These questions do not form part of the formal assessment process. A formal assessment will be carried out by the
Department of Internal Aairs, should you choose to apply for citizenship for your child. For more detailed information,
please read the rest of the application form or see our website citizenship.govt.nz.
Oce use only
DD MM YY
Date
Received
NOTES
Name
25 May 2024
Do you want to apply for New Zealand
citizenship for your child, and one of their
parents is a New Zealand citizen?
You might need a ‘Citizenship by Grant’
application form.
Please look on our website or contact the
Citizenship Oce to find out more.
If your child was born in New Zealand they
may be a New Zealand citizen by birth.
Please look on our website or contact the
Citizenship Oce to find out more.
Was your child born outside New Zealand?
NO
YES
YES
NO
NO
Was your child adopted?
You are ready to start.
Turn the page to find out who needs to fill out this
form and what documents you are going to need.
YES
Please read the “What documents do I need to
provide” table on page 2 of the form carefully.
Applicants who are adopted need to provide
extra documents and information.
Child
(15 years or under)
Descent & Passport
Application for
New Zealand Citizenship by
DRG001 25 May 2024
Who fills in this form?
You will need a ‘New Zealand Parent’, and a witness to help you complete this application form.
If your child has two parents who are both New Zealand citizens (other than by descent), you can choose either parent
to be the ‘New Zealand Parent’, when completing this form. If the birth mother or claim parent is unable to sign the
application, please contact us.
1
What documents do I need to provide?
Child
Birth certificate
(Full ocial state-issued)
This document needs to be the original birth certificate. Hospital certificates
are not accepted. It must have the child’s full name, place and date of birth,
gender and both parents’ names. If the child’s birth certificate does not have
all this information on it, please contact the Citizenship Oce. Photocopies can
not be accepted.
2 photos
You must provide 2 identical, passport size photos of the child. These photos
must meet certain requirements. Please see the photo section for more
information.
Change of name documents
(if your child has changed their name)
If your child’s name has changed for any reason (for example: adoption,
statutory declaration) you need to provide an ocial state-issued change of
name document (for example: the adoption order or statutory declaration). We
cannot accept ‘also known as’ names.
Note: If this name change happened in New Zealand, you do not need to send
the documents. The Citizenship Oce can access them electronically.
Adoption documents
(if your child has been adopted)
You must provide all original adoption documents if your child has been
adopted outside New Zealand. Adoptions from other countries have dierent
requirements.
For more information, please see our website or phone the Citizenship Oce.
New Zealand Parent
Your most recent New
Zealand passport number
Please enter your most recent New Zealand passport number in question
of
this form. If you do not have a New Zealand passport, you need to provide a
current photo identification document (for example a driver licence). This can
be certified by a Justice of Peace, Notary, Sworn Police Ocer, Court Registrar,
NZ Embassy/NZ Consulate sta member or Department of Internal Aairs (DIA)
sta authorised to do so.
Change of name documents
(if you have changed your name)
If your name has changed for any reason (for example: marriage, adoption,
statutory declaration) you need to provide an ocial state-issued change of
name document (for example: your marriage/civil union certificate or adoption
order).
Note: If this name change happened in New Zealand, you do not need to send
the documents. The Citizenship Oce can access the records electronically.
Application for Child Passport
No other documents
required
If you also want to apply for a New Zealand passport for your child, you just
need to complete question
40
of this form and add the additional passport
fee.
Check the tables below to see which documents the ‘Child’ and the ‘New Zealand Parent’ need to provide. Remember,
we need original documents. We will return all your original documents to you.
Any documents not in English will be
translated as part of your application. If you would like a copy of the translation, download a ‘Request for Translation’
from our website (govt.nz) and include this with your application.
2
22
GUIDE NOTES 1
DRG001 25 May 2024
Page 3 of 12
Everyone who is applying for citizenship by descent must supply 2 identical colour photos.
Your child’s passport-size photos need to be:
The child’s witness will need to write the child’s full name on the back of one of the photos and sign and date it.
Do not attach your photos to the application form. We can only accept undamaged photos.
• Recent colour photos, less than 6 months old.
• Be a full front, close up view of the head and shoulders with the
head covering 70% to 80% of the photograph.
• Be taken with a neutral expression (not smiling or frowning) with
their mouth closed.
• Show the child looking straight at the camera, and their head not tilted.
• Show child’s eyes open and clearly visible, and no hair in their eyes.
• Without sunglasses. Tinted prescription glasses may be worn as long
as eyes are still visible.
• A true image and not altered in any way.
• Clear, sharp and in focus with minimum reflective light on face.
No redeye.
• With a plain light coloured background (not white).
• Be of good quality colour and on high quality photographic
paper, with no ink marks on the image (no inkjet printers).
• Passport-sized (45mm x 35mm).
• Glasses frames must not obscure the eyes.
• Do not trim the photos.
3
What is the child’s full name?
Surname or family name(s)
First and middle names
5
Copy the names from the child’s birth certificate. You must provide the original state issued birth certificate with the
application. If their name has been legally changed (by adoption etc.), then use the new name details from that document.
What is their date of birth? (DD/MM/YYYY)
D D
MM
Y Y Y Y
7
What gender are they?
8
Male Female Other
Where were they born?
City, town or village where they were born
Country where they were born
6
Copy the town, city or village and country of birth from their birth certificate.
The questions numbered to are about the child.
4
Remember, you are filling this out for a child, so you need to use their name and details on this page.
4 13
Is the child adopted? (Refer to section 2 for the documents you need to provide.)
Date of adoption Country of adoption
D D
MM
Y Y Y Y
Yes. Please write their adoption date and country of adoption in the boxes below
10
No go to
11
What is their height and eye colour?
Height, in centimetres
Eye colour, for example: Brown, Blue, Green, Grey, Hazel, Black
9
Remember, you are filling in this form for your child, make sure you give their height and eye colour.
DRG001 25 May 2024
14
go to
What is your postal address?
Your name
Unit and/or house number Street name
Suburb
Place name (city, town, village) State or territory Postcode
Country
Same as the child’s residential address go to
14
I want the documents sent to this address
This is where we will return your documents.
Please note that in most cases courier services cannot deliver to Post Oce boxes.
What is your child’s home address and your contact details?
Unit and/or house number Street name
Suburb
Place name (city, town, village) State or territory Postcode
Country
Your contact number
Your email address
12
This address information must be for the child. It must be where they usually live.
If they live in more than one place, please put the details of the place they spend the most time.
Country code Area code Phone number
13
Has their name been legally changed for any reason? (Refer to section 2 for the documents you need to provide.)
Write the name they had before it was legally changed in the space below
11
Yes please tick a box below to show how their name has been changed
No go to
This could be because they were adopted, changed their name by deed poll etc.
12
Deed poll Adoption Other (please specify)
DRG001 25 May 2024
Page 5 of 12
Has your name been legally changed for any reason? (Refer to section 2 for the documents you need to provide.)
Write the name you had before it was legally changed in the space below
18
Yes please tick a box below to show why your name has changed
No go to
19
This could be because you were adopted, got married, changed your name by deed poll etc.
Marriage/Civil Union Deed poll Adoption Other (please specify)
What is your relationship to the child who is claiming New Zealand citizenship by descent?
Please tick one of the following
Birth parent
Adoptive parent
Other parent (please specify)
16
The questions numbered to are for the New Zealand parent.
14
To be the New Zealand parent on this application, you need to have either been born in New Zealand, or received
a grant of New Zealand citizenship before your child was born.
If the child’s parent received their New Zealand citizenship by descent, they cannot be the ‘New Zealand Parent’ on this application.
14 22
What is your full name?
Title, please tick on of the following options
Surname or family name(s)
First and middle names
Copy the names from your birth or citizenship certificate. If your name has been legally changed (by marriage,
civil union, adoption etc.), then use the new name details from that document.
17
Parent’s claim to New Zealand citizenship
Please tick one of the following. I was:
Born in New Zealand
Given a grant of New Zealand citizenship
15
This is where the child’s parent provides evidence of their New Zealand citizenship.
Where were you born?
City, town or village where you were born
Country where you were born
19
Copy the city, town or village and country of birth from your birth certificate.
What is your date of birth?
20
D D
MM
Y Y Y Y
Born in Niue, Tokelau or Cook Islands
(The original birth certificate must be supplied)
Mr Mrs Ms Miss
Other
(please specify)
DRG001 25 May 2024
What is your date of birth?
26
D D
MM
Y Y Y Y
What is your relationship to the child who is claiming New Zealand citizenship by descent?
Please tick one of the following.
Birth parent
Adoptive parent
Other parent (please specify)
27
The questions numbered to are for the child’s other parent.
23
To complete this application form we need both parents’ details. One parent’s details must be in the ‘New
Zealand Parent’ section and the other parent’s details must be in this section.
23 27
This is the end of the other parent’s section. Please go to question , and read the Privacy Act section. Then complete question 30.
28
This is the end of the New Zealand parent section. Please go to question , and read and sign the Privacy Act section.
28
Has your name been legally changed for any reason?
Write the name you had before it was legally changed in the space below
25
Yes please tick a box below to show why your name has changed
No go to
Marriage/Civil Union Deed poll Adoption Other (please specify)
26
This could be because you were adopted, got married, changed your name by deed poll etc.
What is your full name?
Title, please tick option that applies
Surname or family name(s)
First and middle names
24
Copy the names from your birth or citizenship certificate. If your name has been legally changed (by marriage,
civil union, adoption etc.), then use the new name details from that document.
What gender are you?
21
Male Female Other
What is your New Zealand passport number?
Write the number of your most recent New Zealand passport below.
22
Mr Mrs Ms Miss Other (please specify)
DRG001 25 May 2024
Page 7 of 12
New Zealand parent
Full name
Signature
Date
29
I have read and understood the information above relating to the collection and use of information for this
application, and I authorise the use and disclosure of my information as outlined above.
D D
MM
Y Y Y Y
SIGN HERE
Privacy Act information - who should read this?
Collection, authorisation and use of information in support of this application
This application form requires you to produce certain information in support of your application. The decision to supply the
information is voluntary. If you do not produce sucient information to enable a claim to New Zealand citizenship by descent to
be determined, the application will be declined.
We need to collect this information to see if the requirements of the Citizenship
Act 1977 are met, to process the application and for other lawful purposes. The information you provide in this form is collected
and held by: Department of Internal Aairs, PO Box 10680, Wellington, New Zealand.
Information held by the Citizenship Oce and Passport Oce can be used in authorised information matching programmes by
the Electoral Enrolment Centre, the Department of Internal Aairs, the Inland Revenue Department, the New Zealand Transport
Agency, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Development, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment as
authorised by statute. Details are available on the Department of Internal Aairs website – dia.govt.nz or call +64 (4) 462 0651.
You have a right of access to and correction of personal information you have provided under the Information Privacy Principles
of the Privacy Act 2020. Please contact the Citizenship Oce for more details.
WARNING: It is an oence against the Passports Act 1992 to knowingly or recklessly make a statement that is false or misleading
in a material particular for the purposes of gaining a New Zealand passport. It is also an oence to knowingly or recklessly give
false information or conceal any facts for the purpose of gaining New Zealand citizenship for oneself or on behalf of someone. If
you do so, you may be denied/lose New Zealand citizenship, face criminal charges, or both.
Who needs to sign
Under the New Zealand Citizenship Act 1977, a citizen by descent holds that status from their date of birth or adoption. There is
no legal requirement to register that status, but if the person chooses to do so parental consent to register is not required, as
citizenship by descent is considered a birthright.
By signing the application form, you are not consenting to the registration of citizenship but are consenting to the collection and
use of information about yourself to determine the claim to citizenship.
If the claim to citizenship is through the mother, the father is not required to sign the form as we do not need to collect any
information about him to verify maternity.
If the claim is through the father, we need acceptable evidence of paternity and consent from both parents to collect and use
information about them to verify the claim.
The Department retains the right to request further documents should they be required.
28
The ‘New Zealand Parent’ and ‘Other Parent’ need to read the information in this section. Each parent then needs to write
their name, date and sign at the bottom of the page to say that they have read and understood the information.
Other parent
Full name
Signature Date
30
I have read and understood the information above relating to the collection and use of information for this
application, and I authorise the use and disclosure of my information as outlined above.
D D
MM
Y Y Y Y
SIGN HERE
By signing below you declare the following:
• The statements made in this application are to the best of my knowledge true, complete and correct.
• If false information has been provided I understand that any citizenship certificate/passport issued on the basis of that
information may be cancelled and the matter referred to the New Zealand Police.
• I understand that information may be obtained about me to determine my child’s eligibility for this citizenship application
by way of an authorised information matching programme in accordance with the Births, Deaths, Marriages and
Relationships Registration Act 2021.
• I authorise any necessary additional enquiries including the disclosure of personal information about myself or the child for
the purpose of determining eligibility for this application. My authorisation includes, but is not limited to, any information
held by the Department of Internal Aairs.
• If I have also applied for a New Zealand passport for my child at the same time, I authorise my/the child’s information to be
taken from or shared with the New Zealand Passport Oce for the ecient processing of both applications.
• I understand that if I have possession of a forged or false New Zealand travel document, I may be liable on conviction to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, a fine not exceeding NZ$250,000 or both.
DRG001 25 May 2024
The next section is for your witness.
Get the person who is your child’s witness to complete all the following questions. Make sure you give your
witness the 2 identical photos of the child so they can complete the details on the back of one photo, see
question 38.
31
If you do not hold a New Zealand passport, complete the following fields for your place of work
or organisation you are involved with.
Name of
organisation
Registered name
Organisation address
Contact number Organisation website
(Reception or Administration) /social media link
35
If you are unable to supply a website or social media organisation page with a sta list please supply a letter from
your employer or leadership team on letterhead confirming your employment and how long you have worked there.
This section numbered to is for the witness.
Before you fill in this section, please read the statements carefully to make sure you can be a witness.
The witness must:
If you meet the above criteria go to
32
33
32 39
• not be a relative or part of the family group of the child
• not live at the same address as the child
• be aged 16 years or over
• have known the child for more than 12 months, or since birth if the child is under 12 months old
You only need to answer this question if you do not have a New Zealand passport. You must
still meet all the requirements in section 32.
Which of the following groups describes your current job?
34
Registered medical professional (for example, a doctor, nurse, dentist, pharmacist, physio etc.)
Teacher (primary or secondary teacher or university lecturer)
Minister of religion
Lawyer
Police ocer
Kaumatua
None of the above Stop, you cannot be a witness for this application.
34
Yes What is your passport number? now go to
No go to You might be able to be a witness.
Do you hold a New Zealand passport?
33
34
36
DRG001 25 May 2024
Page 9 of 12
What is your full name and date of birth?
Title, please select one of the following options
Surname or family name(s)
First and middle names
What is your date of birth?
D D
MM
Y Y Y Y
36
Mr Mrs Ms Miss Other (please specify)
Do you have the child’s 2 photos?
The witness needs to write 3 things on the back of one of the photos:
39
Witness to:
I declare that
I am 16 years of age or over.
I have known the applicant for more than 1 year or since
birth if under 12 months.
The information I have given is complete and correct to the
best of my knowledge.
The person in this photo is the person named in section 5
.
I have written the full name of the applicant, signed my
name and written the date on the back of one photograph.
I understand that if I have provided false information, this
passport can be cancelled and I can, by law, be fined or
imprisoned.
Do not: staple, glue or
paperclip photos to the
application as this may
cause damage.
Ensure your photo
has been correctly
witnessed to avoid
delays in processing.
• write full name of
the child
• sign back of photo
• write today’s date
Please check carefully. Have you written the 3 things on the back of one of the photos correctly?
• the full name of the child
• sign the back of photo
• today’s date
38
Where do you live?
Unit and/or house number Street name
Suburb
Place name (city, town, village) State or territory Postcode
Country
Contact number
Email address
Please write the details of your residential address and contact details.
37
Country code Area code Phone number
DRG001 25 May 2024
Witness declaration and Privacy Act information
Collection, authorisation and use of information in support of this application.
As a witness for this application you are required to provide personal information. The decision to supply the
information is voluntary.
If you do not want to supply this information or authorise access to your personal information you cannot act as a witness.
We need to collect your information to help with processing this citizenship and passport application and for other lawful
purposes. The information you provide in this form is collected and held by: Department of Internal Aairs, PO Box 10680,
Wellington, New Zealand.
You have a right of access to and correction of personal information you have provided under the Information Privacy
Principles of the Privacy Act 2020. Please contact the Citizenship Oce for more details.
By signing below you declare the following:
Signature of witness
Date
This is the end of the witness section.
Parent’s passport
Parent’s state-issued photo ID
Parent’s marriage/civil union certificate
Parent’s change of name certificate
Other:
39
If you are acting as a witness for this application, you need to read all the information in this section.
Then fill out the
name of the child being registered, the number of years you have known them, and sign and date the bottom of this section.
I have known
Child’s full name (as shown in question )
For
5
(if the child is aged less than 12 months, please just write the number of months you
have known the child)
MM
Y Y
Years (YY) Months (MM)
D D
MM
Y Y Y Y
SIGN HERE
Documents List Applicant
Applicant’s birth certificate
2 x passport photos
State Issued ID
Applicant’s change of name certificate
Fee
Other:
Original Photocopy Documents List Parent Original Photocopy
Oce use only
This is where you apply for a PASSPORT for your child.
If you do not want a passport for your child, please leave this question blank.
Signature Date
40
New Zealand parent Other parent
I want to apply for a passport for my child
Note: If your your child wears a headcovering please contact us.
I give my consent for a passport to be issued to the child named in question of this application.
I am the:
5
Only one parent needs to give permission in this question. Please tick one of the boxes below.
SIGN HERE
D
D
D
MM Y Y Y Y
DRG001 25 May 2024
Page 11 of 12
Citizenship and passport application fees
Fees if lodged in New Zealand Fees if lodged in Australia Fees if lodged in the UK
Citizenship NZD $204.40 Citizenship AUD $165.00 Citizenship GBP £86.00
Citizenship
& passport
NZD $329.40
Citizenship
& passport
AUD $313.00
Citizenship
& passport
GBP £164.00
Urgent
citizenship
& passport
NZD $544.40
Urgent
citizenship
& passport
AUD $566.00
Urgent
citizenship
& passport
GBP £297.00
Courier delivery cost will
be charged based on your
delivery destination — see
below for further details.
Courier delivery cost will
be charged based on your
delivery destination — see
below for further details.
Courier delivery cost will
be charged based on your
delivery destination — see
below for further details.
Courier costs
Delivery destination
Lodged in
New Zealand
Lodged in
Australia
Lodged in
the United Kingdom
New Zealand NZD $5.00
(including GST)
Lodge your application in
New Zealand
Lodge your application
in New Zealand
Australia NZD $13.00 AUD $12.00 Lodge your application
in Australia
United Kingdom NZD $27.00 Lodge your application in
the United Kingdom
GBP £13.00
Asia Pacific countries NZD $22.00 AUD $20.00 Lodge your application
in New Zealand or
Australia
United States NZD $32.00 AUD $30.00 GBP £16.00
European countries (excluding the UK
and countries listed below)
NZD $43.00 Lodge your application in
the United Kingdom
GBP £21.00
Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia,
Malta, Switzerland, Serbia, Libya,
Pakistan, Ukraine
NZD $51.00 Lodge your application
in New Zealand or the
United Kingdom
GBP £25.00
Russia, Iran, Nepal, Belarus NZD $56.00 AUD $52.00 GBP £27.00
Rest of world NZD $45.00 Lodge your application
in New Zealand or the
United Kingdom
GBP £22.00
What do you need to pay?
Application Fees vary depending on which country you lodge your application in.
Choose the country you are sending your application to and tick which service you need in the boxes below.
If you reside outside of New Zealand, and are sending your application to New Zealand for processing, we will
exclude the GST amount from the New Zealand application fees.
Note: You cannot make an urgent application if your case involves an overseas adoption.
41
DRG001 25 May 2024
Lodging your application and documents
By post
If you want to post us your application, we advise you to use a ‘track and trace’ courier bag from New
Zealand Post (within New Zealand) or registered mail (from overseas) to keep track of your original
documents. We will send your documents back to you by courier.
New Zealand Australia United Kingdom
Courier or post to:
The Citizenship (Descent) Oce
Service Delivery and Operations
Department of Internal Aairs
PO Box 10680
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
Courier or post to:
Department of Internal Aairs
GPO Box 365
Sydney NSW 2001
Australia
(Express Post, Standard Mail,
Registered Mail)
Courier or post to:
Department of Internal Aairs
1 Pall Mall East
London SW1Y 5AU
United Kingdom
Hand deliver to one of our oces
For oce locations, please visit govt.nz/citizenship or call us on 0800 22 51 51 or if outside New Zealand
+64 (4) 462 0651.
43
Payment details for citizenship and passport application fees
Tick the method of payment you want
Credit card/Debit card please complete the card details below
EFTPOS (in person only) Preloaded payment card (for example, Prezzy card — do not post card)
Card details
Name as it appears on card
Card number
Expiry date Security code/CSC (UK only)
(last 3 numbers on the reverse side of card)
What do you need to pay?
Fees vary depending on which country you are sending your application to. Make sure you have ticked the service
you require in question
41
.
Visa MasterCard Amex
CARDHOLDER SIGN HERE
I authorise the Department of Internal Aairs to charge
the total amount across to my credit or debit card.
42
(MM) (YY)
Cardholder signature