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Citizenship Act 1977

Schedule 1AA: Transitional, savings, and related provisions

You could also call this:

"Rules to help when the law changes"

Illustration for Citizenship Act 1977

When you look at the Citizenship Act 1977, you will see some extra information called the Transitional, savings, and related provisions. This part of the act has rules about how some things will work when the law changes. You will see that it talks about two main things: the Minors (Court Consent to Relationships) Legislation Act 2018 and the Adoption Amendment Act 2025. The rules explain what happens to some decisions that were made before these new laws started.

If you were adopted overseas and this adoption was recognised in New Zealand before the new Adoption Amendment Act 2025 started, you can still be a New Zealand citizen by descent. This means that even though the law has changed, you will still be considered a New Zealand citizen by descent. The new law does not change your citizenship status, even if you did not apply to have it officially registered before the law changed.

The law also says that some consents given before the Minors (Court Consent to Relationships) Legislation Act 2018 started will still be valid, as if the new law had not been made. This means that these consents will continue to work in the same way as they did before the law changed. You can find more information about these laws by looking at the Minors (Court Consent to Relationships) Legislation Act 2018 and the Adoption Amendment Act 2025.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS74130.

Topics:
Immigration and citizenship > Becoming a citizenFamily and relationships > Adoption and guardianship
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30: Repeals, consequential amendments, and revocation, or

"Changes to old laws: some are cancelled, some are updated, and some are no longer valid."

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Schedule 1: Oath of allegiance, or

"Promising to be loyal to New Zealand and its laws when you become a citizen"

1AATransitional, savings, and related provisions Empowered by s 4B

1Provisions relating to Minors (Court Consent to Relationships) Legislation Act 2018

1Interpretation

  1. In this Part,—

    2018 Act means the Minors (Court Consent to Relationships) Legislation Act 2018

      commencement date means the day on which the 2018 Act comes into force.

      2Consents given under section 3(5A)(b) before commencement date

      1. Consents given under section 3(5A)(b)(i) or (ii) before the commencement date continue to have effect as if the 2018 Act had not been enacted.

      2Provisions relating to Adoption Amendment Act 2025

      3Interpretation

      1. In this Part,—

        amendment Act means the Adoption Amendment Act 2025

          commencement date means the day after the amendment Act receives Royal assent

            overseas adoption has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Adoption Act 1955.

            Notes
            • Schedule 1AA clause 3: inserted, on , by section 17(a) of the Adoption Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 49).

            4Citizenship by descent continues for persons whose adoptions outside New Zealand were recognised before commencement date

            1. This clause applies if, before the commencement date, a person—

            2. was adopted pursuant to an overseas adoption that was recognised under section 17 of the Adoption Act 1955 (as then in force); and
              1. was deemed to be a child of a New Zealand citizen under section 3(2)(b); and
                1. had the status of a New Zealand citizen by descent by virtue of section 7(1).

                  1. On and after the commencement date, the person continues to be a New Zealand citizen by descent.

                  2. Subclause (2) applies whether or not before the commencement date an application was made under section 7(2) to register the person’s citizenship status.

                  3. This clause applies despite section 7 of the amendment Act.

                  Notes
                  • Schedule 1AA clause 3: inserted, on , by section 17(a) of the Adoption Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 49).