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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Citizenship Act 1977

Miscellaneous provisions

28: Regulations

You could also call this:

"Rules for New Zealand Citizenship"

Illustration for Citizenship Act 1977

The Governor-General can make rules for many things, like what you need to do to become a citizen. You need to follow these rules when you apply to become a citizen. The rules can say things like how much you have to pay for certain services, like getting a certificate of citizenship.

The Governor-General can also make rules about how to register important events, like births and deaths, of New Zealand citizens living in other countries. You can find more information about how these rules are published in Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

The Governor-General can make rules about many other things related to citizenship, like how to cancel or change certificates, and how to keep records of important information. Any fees you have to pay will be reasonable and based on the costs of providing the service.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM444029.

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Immigration and citizenship > Becoming a citizenGovernment and voting > Government departments
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Part 2Miscellaneous provisions

28Regulations

  1. The Governor-General may from time to time, by Order in Council, make regulations for all or any of the following purposes:

  2. prescribing anything that under this Act is to be prescribed:
    1. providing for the registration of anything required or authorised under this Act to be registered:
      1. providing for the administration and taking of oaths of allegiance under this Act, prescribing the time within which oaths of allegiance shall be taken, and providing for the registration of oaths of allegiance:
        1. providing for the giving of any notice required or authorised to be given to any person under this Act:
          1. providing for the cancellation and amendment of certificates of naturalisation and certificates of New Zealand citizenship, and for the cancellation of the registration of such certificates, relating to persons deprived of New Zealand citizenship under this Act, and providing for the surrender of such certificates by such persons:
            1. providing for the registration, by officers in the service of the New Zealand Government,—
              1. of the births and deaths of persons of any class or description born or dying in any Commonwealth country, or in a protected State, or in any foreign country:
                1. of citizenship by descent of persons born in any Commonwealth country, or in a protected State, or in any foreign country:
                2. enabling the births and deaths, and the citizenship by descent, of New Zealand citizens and British protected persons to be registered in any country in which the New Zealand Government has for the time being no overseas representatives—
                  1. by persons serving in the diplomatic, consular, or other foreign service of any country that, by arrangement with the New Zealand Government, has undertaken to represent that Government's interests in that country; or
                    1. by any person authorised in that behalf by the Governor-General:
                    2. providing for the keeping of records, registers, and indexes for the purposes of this Act, and enabling persons to inspect and make copies of any entry in any such record, register, or index:
                      1. prescribing the fees payable, or the rate at which fees are to be calculated, and providing for the recovery and application of such fees, in respect of—
                        1. any application made under this Act:
                          1. the registration of any document under this Act:
                            1. the making of any declaration under this Act:
                              1. the taking of an oath of allegiance under this Act:
                                1. the grant of any certificate under this Act:
                                  1. the issue of any copy (whether certified or not) of any notice, certificate, order, declaration, or entry given, granted, or made under this Act:
                                    1. the inspection of any record, register, or index kept under this Act:
                                      1. the giving of written advice or the provision of written information, by or on behalf of the Secretary and whether generally or in relation to a particular case, in respect of all or any of the following:
                                        1. the eligibility of any person for citizenship by descent:
                                          1. the acquisition by any person of citizenship:
                                            1. the status of any person under this Act:
                                            2. the issue of a certificate under section 7(3):
                                              1. any other matter arising under this Act:
                                                1. prescribing offences in respect of the contravention of or non-compliance with any regulations made under this Act, and prescribing the amount of any fine that may be imposed in respect of any such offence, being an amount not exceeding $200 and, where the offence is a continuing one, a further amount not exceeding $20 for every day during which the offence has continued:
                                                  1. providing for such other matters as are contemplated by or necessary for giving full effect to the provisions of this Act and for the due administration thereof.

                                                    1. Every fee prescribed by or under regulations made under this section shall be reasonable, having regard to the costs and expenses incurred and borne by or on behalf of the Secretary in respect of the matter for which the fee is payable.

                                                    2. Regulations under this section are secondary legislation (see Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019 for publication requirements).

                                                    Notes
                                                    • Section 28(1)(f): replaced, on , by section 12(1) of the Citizenship Amendment Act 1992 (1992 No 104).
                                                    • Section 28(1)(g): replaced, on , by section 12(1) of the Citizenship Amendment Act 1992 (1992 No 104).
                                                    • Section 28(1)(h): replaced, on , by section 25(1) of the Official Information Amendment Act 1987 (1987 No 8).
                                                    • Section 28(1)(i): amended, on , by section 12(2) of the Citizenship Amendment Act 1992 (1992 No 104).
                                                    • Section 28(1)(i)(viia): inserted, on , by section 12(3) of the Citizenship Amendment Act 1992 (1992 No 104).
                                                    • Section 28(1)(i)(viib): inserted, on , by section 12(3) of the Citizenship Amendment Act 1992 (1992 No 104).
                                                    • Section 28(1)(j): repealed, on , by section 96 of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 1995 (1995 No 16).
                                                    • Section 28(2): inserted, on , by section 12(4) of the Citizenship Amendment Act 1992 (1992 No 104).
                                                    • Section 28(3): inserted, on , by section 3 of the Secondary Legislation Act 2021 (2021 No 7).