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Citizenship Act 1977

Introduction

You could also call this:

"Becoming a Kiwi: Clear and Fair Rules for Everyone"

Illustration for Citizenship Act 1977

This law is about New Zealand citizenship. It aims to improve the rules around being a New Zealand citizen. The law also updates and combines old rules from the British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948.

You can think of it like a big update to make sure the rules are clear and fair for everyone. The law looks at what it means to be a New Zealand citizen and how people can become citizens.

The old rules from 1948 are being changed and improved to make sure they work well for New Zealand citizens.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM443683.

Highlights from this law

Topics:
Immigration and citizenship > Becoming a citizen
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1: Short Title and commencement, or

"What the law is called and when it started"

Citizenship Act 1977

Reprint as at:
2025-09-18
Assent:
1977-12-01
Commencement:
see section 1(2)

The Parliamentary Counsel Office has made editorial and format changes to this version using the powers under subpart 2 of Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

Note 4 at the end of this version provides a list of the amendments included in it.

This Act is administered by the Department of Internal Affairs.

An Act to make better provision with respect to the status of New Zealand citizenship, and to consolidate and amend the British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948

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