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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Citizenship Act 1977

New Zealand citizenship - Acquisition of citizenship

11: Minister may require oath or affirmation of allegiance to be taken

You could also call this:

"The Minister can ask you to promise loyalty to New Zealand to become a citizen"

Illustration for Citizenship Act 1977

The Minister can decide that you must take an oath of allegiance to get New Zealand citizenship. This oath is written in a special form that you can find in the Schedule 1 document. You will have to say this oath or make a promise that means the same thing. The Minister gets to choose when this is necessary.

You will usually have to take the oath or make the promise at a public ceremony where people become citizens. The Minister can agree to let you do it somewhere else, but that is not usual. You will have to follow the rules the Minister sets for taking the oath or making the promise.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM443878.

Topics:
Immigration and citizenship > Becoming a citizenGovernment and voting > Government departments
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"Get New Zealand citizenship if your mum was a Kiwi when you were born"

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"Getting a special document to prove you are a New Zealand citizen"

Part 1New Zealand citizenship
Acquisition of citizenship

11Minister may require oath or affirmation of allegiance to be taken

  1. The Minister may, in such case or class of cases as the Minister thinks fit, make the grant of New Zealand citizenship conditional upon the applicant taking an oath of allegiance in the form specified in Schedule 1, or making an affirmation to similar effect.

  2. Unless the Minister agrees otherwise, the oath or affirmation must be taken or made at a public citizenship ceremony.

Notes
  • Section 11: replaced, on , by section 8 of the Citizenship Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 43).