People who visit New Zealand as migrants often dream of getting primary citizenship here. Notably, the Indians relocating to New Zealand for work purposes aim of obtaining citizenship. However, the process is complicated, and there are various conditions under which an applicant might be able to secure citizenship.

Are you curious to know how to get New Zealand citizenship for Indians? This article will help you get a clearer understanding of the entire process.

There are three types of citizenship in New Zealand. One type is citizenship by birth. Individuals could get this if at least one of their parents were New Zealand citizens. Another type can be citizenship by descent if you were born overseas and had at least one parent who is a New Zealand citizen by birth. Finally, you can be granted citizenship if you were born outside New Zealand or in New Zealand with non-resident parents. The eligibility criteria for New Zealand citizenship for Indians is discussed below. 

• Applicants have been residents of New Zealand for at least five years (1,350 days). 
• They must not have travelled abroad for a long time in these years, which means they must have stayed at least 240 days each year in New Zealand.
• Applicants must understand and be able to read and write the English language. 
• They should not have any criminal records during their residence.

Now the question is, how to get New Zealand citizenship for Indians? The process is a tricky one. Once you have checked the eligibility criteria, you can apply through the following steps. 

Step 1: Visit the official website of RealMe and log in with your credential. If you do not have an account, register on the website. You can also apply in offline mode by downloading the form and filling it out manually. 

Step 2: Fill out the form with all your accurate details. Take time to double-check all the steps. 

Step 3: Upload the required documents. If applying offline, gather all the documents for presenting. 

Step 4: Pay the application fees and submit your form. If you are conducting the process offline, you will have to gather your form and all the documents and the application fees. Next, submit it in one of the three counters of citizenship in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Step 5: Wait for the immigration experts to make their decision. Once your application is approved, attend the citizenship ceremony and apply for a passport as a citizen of New Zealand.

Now that you know how to get New Zealand citizenship from India, you need to see a list of the documents while applying. These are as follows. 

• Birth certificate or birth record
• Current passport or travel document
• Recent passport-style photographs 
• Scanned digital copies if applying online

The New Zealand government charges specific fees from applicants trying to become permanent citizens. Adults aged over 16 years must pay an application fee of $470.20 along with the application form. Children under the age of 15 years will pay about $235.10.

The New Zealand government charges specific fees from applicants trying to become permanent citizens. Adults aged over 16 years must pay an application fee of $470.20 along with the application form. Children under the age of 15 years will pay about $235.10.

Applicants relocating to New Zealand with families can apply for citizenship for the entire family. However, they first need a migration visa for the entire family. A citizen of New Zealand by naturalisation can help their partners and spouses to get citizenship easily.

Children born in New Zealand before 1st January 2006 are considered New Zealand citizens by birth. However, those born after the date mentioned above must have at least one New Zealand parent, whether by birth or naturalisation. If not this, one of the parents must have a visa that allows them to reside in New Zealand indefinitely. This criterion will allow the child to become a citizen of New Zealand.

1. Application errors

Whether you complete your application online or offline, you need to be extra cautious about the information you fill in. The immigration experts will analyse your form and verify the details. Errors in these might end up rejecting your application. Moreover, any incomplete information in the form will negatively impact the approval. 

2. Fraud in documents

The immigration experts will reject your application automatically if they find fraudulent activities in your submitted documents. They will verify the data, and the lack of evidence will raise questions. Furthermore, if they encounter issues with your residence and conduct, your application can be rejected.

3. English language knowledge

 If you are not proficient in speaking or understanding English, your application can get rejected. Therefore, you should be able to show your proficiency in the Basic English language.

4. Financial stability

It is essential to show financial stability during your stay in New Zealand. Outstanding tax and other bills contribute to rejecting your citizenship application. It would help if you, therefore, avoided such possibilities.