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Citizenship Act 1977

Miscellaneous provisions

27: Offences and penalties

You could also call this:

"Breaking the rules about citizenship can lead to fines or imprisonment"

Illustration for Citizenship Act 1977

If you make a false statement to get something done under the Citizenship Act, you can get in trouble. You can be imprisoned for up to 5 years or fined up to $15,000, or both. This happens if you knowingly or recklessly make a false statement, or submit false documents to support a citizenship application.

You can also get in trouble if you alter or deface a document, or fail to deliver one, as stated in section 24. Lending a document for unlawful purposes or resisting someone who is doing their job under the Act can also lead to trouble.

If you record, delete, or alter any entry in a citizenship register without a good reason, you can be imprisoned for up to 10 years or fined up to $50,000, or both. Taking a citizenship document from where it is kept, or issuing one to someone who should not have it, can also get you in trouble.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM444025.

Topics:
Immigration and citizenship > Becoming a citizenCrime and justice > Criminal law
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"Rules for New Zealand Citizenship"

Part 2Miscellaneous provisions

27Offences and penalties

  1. Every person commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $15,000, or both, who—

  2. for the purpose of procuring anything to be done or not to be done under this Act,—
    1. makes any statement that he or she knows to be false in a material particular; or
      1. recklessly makes any statement that is false in a material particular; or
      2. knowingly or recklessly submits false or forged documents to support a citizenship application; or
        1. in contravention of section 24, knowingly—
          1. alters or defaces a document; or
            1. fails to deliver a document; or
            2. knowingly or recklessly lends or parts with a document (as defined in section 24(1)) for unlawful purposes; or
              1. knowingly resists, obstructs, or deceives any person who is exercising or attempting to exercise any function or power imposed or conferred under this Act.

                1. Every person commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $50,000, or both, who, knowingly and without reasonable excuse,—

                2. records, deletes, or alters any entry in a citizenship register or database; or
                  1. takes a citizenship document (including any blank certificate) from where it is officially kept; or
                    1. issues a citizenship document to a person who has no lawful entitlement to the document.

                      Notes
                      • Section 27: replaced, on , by section 14 of the Citizenship Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 43).
                      • Section 27(1): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
                      • Section 27(2): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).