Can a recently-granted NZ citizen move to Australia straight away?
I'm a UK citizen and have been living in NZ for 17 years as a permanent resident. I've only just applied for and been granted NZ citizenship this year.
Now I'm considering moving to Australia as most of my family is over there and are Australian citizens, including my parents and daughter.
Are there any NZ citizenship obligations or requirements that would prevent me from doing this as soon as I recieve my NZ passport? (It wasn't planned this way, honest!) I'm just exploring the option at this stage. Thanks
A friend of a friend planned that as soon as he got his NZ passport he was gone. He had all his passport papers pre-filled in and as soon as he got his certificate he applied the next day. A week after he got his passport he left. No worries. There is no stipulation about how long you have been a NZ citizen before you can enter Oz.
WOW, thats a load off my chest.
I am in EXACTLY the same position as him but I came from the UK 23 years ago.
Why did our parents not get us a duel citizenship!!??
I am so happy i will not have to be in NZ too much longer. It great that I will be able to come home though. NZ is my home. It just sucks.
Wow I love this site!
From what we've researched, you can move as easily as any other NZ citizen. Your NZ passport is your ticket to the special category visa that allows you to work and live in Australia indefinitely. Some might say 17 years is long enough to have earned it!
Yes, you can. The law is clear (Citizenship Act 1977. No 61. Reprinted August 2018 )
(2).The requirements referred to in subsection (1)(d) are as follows"...
..."that the applicant has sufficient knowledge of the English language: (f) that the applicant intends, if granted New Zealand citizenship, either— (i) to continue to reside in New Zealand; or"...
"For the purposes of subsection (2)(f),—(a) the intention referred to in subsection (2)(f)(i) must be a continuing intention throughout the period from the date of application for citizenship until the date that the applicant becomes a citizen under section 12."
But you need to have the intention to live in NZ from the date you submit your application until you get your citizenship in your ceremony. If next day you change your mind there is no trouble. You are free, its your right as any other citizen to have leave the country
We are UK citizens and moved to NZ from the UK 4.5yrs ago and are NZ permanent residents. DO we need to obtain NZ citizenship in order to be allowed to freely enter and live/work in Australia?
Hi there, Well it involves applying for permanent residency visas for your family, which is a reasonably involved process and not nearly as easy as it used to be - especially if you aren't on the skills list (and can be expensive too). It will depend on your situation as to what visa you'll need to get. You will most likely need to start with looking at the skilled migrant visa, as this is the most common PR visa for Australia. The Australian Immigration site is the best place to start, to find out what visas you might be eligible for: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/
In response to: #4 response from doodlebug at 04:31 on Thu, 23 June 2011
I am in the same boat. I have NZ residency and am from Scotland. Can I move to Australia easier than if I wasn't? I am a teacher and have looked in to the Skilled Migration Visa but I am not sure if by being a resident I need to pay the same fees?
If anyone can help that's be great!
Thanks
hai iam am overseas student from india got enrolled in nz university and now i would like to move to australia as my dearest friend is studying there and please suggest me if i can transfer or restart my course there in australia? thank you!!
Hi! I am in a similar predicament I am UK born NZ citizen heading to Australia with my common law partner in January. However I do not own a NZ passport - I've just always travelled back to Britain on my UK passport. NZ Passport/IRD are now closed for the holiday period and I'm worried I will not be able to immigrate on my UK passport. Help!
Hi, we've lived in NZ for the past five and a half years, have permanent residency and are considering going the whole hog and applying for citizenship.
The Citizenship forms have a question regarding our intention to stay in NZ, as we are thinking of leaving, possibly for Australia or a long term visit to UK, could our application for citizenship be denied or should we just play dumb and go for it. Put simply, once we get passports, can we leave and travel/ work elsewhere? We have no firm plans at the present, but are looking for work elsewhere...
BTW we are UK citizens.
I'm a NZ citizen and trying to move to Aussie and I really appreciate this website it really helps a lot.
So anyone from any country around the world, lets say China, come to NZ apply straight away for a NZ citizenship, get that, then just go and live in Australia?
Yes and thats why we now cant get citizenship in Australia. Its because of all the backdoor Kiwis who only come long enough to get citizenship and then bail out somewhere else.
They will get a shock when they get to Aussie and cant get a job and wont get the dole and lots of other handouts.
Its not as good as its made out to be here.
There is of course a qualifying period in NZ before they grant it to you.
I'm a NZ citizen and planning to move to Australia. I'm 51 years old and I would like to apply for permanent residence in Australia. I would like to know if there is any age limit?
You can come but you will find its almost impossible to get citizenship. Read the threads above as to why. When you come you get an electronic visa which allows you to live and work here as long as you like. Permanent residency which you have to get before citizenship, unless you have a required skill is damn near impossible.
If you dont get a job you cant get the dole or newstart or anything. If you have a disabled kid, dont even ask. The closer you get to retirement the harder it is. I am retired and dont qualify It costs $3950 just to apply, non refundable. My son also lives here and if he has an accident and cant work he gets nothing. He has to pay into the new Disability scheme but can never get a payout from it. You get the NZ age pension for the number of years you paid into it from age 20 when you reach pension age here and Aus tops it up for the amount of time you work here. If you work here.
Depending on where you come to rents are high and jobs are hard to get in some areas $300- $800 a week for a house is not uncommon Unemployment is at 6.5% and more in some areas. Once you have an address and utilities bill you can join Medicare but you really need private health insurance which at 51 will have a 40% loading We pay $3700 a month for mid high level cover and dont have the loading which comes in if you dont have hospital cover from age 31
If you cant afford to support yourself for a prolonged period I would suggest you have a think about coming as despite it supposedly being Gods country it isnt as good as it was.
My partner (a motor mechanic) was born in the UK, migrated to NZ when he was 30, got citizenship in NZ 18 years later, then came to Australia to live with me 3 years after that & has worked and remained in Australia for the past 12 years. He is now ages 63 & wants to become a permanent resident with citizenship in mind. How does he go about doing this ??
Don't like your chances. If any Kiwi comes after 26 Feb 2001 it is almost impossible to get citizenship unless you qualify under one of the required skill visas.
It costs over $3000 for a skilled visa application and I was quoted $3950 for mine.
At 63 will be even harder. I came in 2002 at age 61 and have been refused.
If he still has his UK citizenship and passport it may be easier. There is also a spouse sponsorship but is also expensive
Instead of asking on here where you get opinions which, while helpful may not be absolutely correct, you should approach the Australian Immigration Office who will give you the truth and costs etc
Can someone with New Zealand PR go to Australia without a visa? If go with visa, then it is easy to get visa to Australia? Help me please
No - you need to be a NZ citizen to be able to reside in Australia on a Special Category Visa (SCV). Only NZ citizens quaiify for this visa.
If you are a PR of NZ then you will need to apply for a visa to live in Australia.
If a New Zealand Citizen has criminal convictions (Drink Driving) would they need to get a special visa to work in Australia?
I am Irish , have an Irish passport, I am a NZ permanent resident, my wife is English with a NZ. Passport also and UK passport. I receive a NZ pension. If I was accepted into Australia could I get an Australian pension or continue with a NZ pension, or if I go for my NZ citizenship do I have a better chance of getting in and getting some sort of pension........thanks
To Joe Tallis You would as I do get an NZ pension and if you work in AUS you get a top up to what you would be entitled to as if you would get the Aus pension.
If you dont work I dont know how it is.
To John Hope You might be better off in NZ as with the mining crash there are a lot of tradespeople out of work from very high paying jobs.
Guys who were earning $100K plus are on the dole. Houses that were $1,000,000 on the west coast cant get buyers at $350,000. In one QLD mining town you can buy a house for the price of a car.
To both of you and anyone else asking questions on sites like this.
THE ONLY WAY TO GET TRUE AND SPECIFIC ANSWERS IS ASK THE AUS IMMIGRATION OFFICE
If you come from NZ and cant get work YOU WONT GET THE DOLE THAT IS A FACT. GUARANTEED
Anything we say on a forum is opinion only and may or may not be correct. Except the dole remark. That is true.
Can I still move over to oz straight away after getting citizenship, after working here in NZ as a diesel mechanic with permanent residence for sixteen years?
Hi I have a NZ passport by decent whilst living in the Ul I have an English husband and 2 children we are looking to emigrating to Australia on my passport. Could you please advise what the best process is and was wondering if anyone had been in a similar situation. I find the website quite difficult to follow. Many thanks
Read the reply above The information would also apply to you The ONLY TRUE information comes from AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES
What is given on here in good faith is nothing but opinion and may or may not apply.
We are eligible to apply for NZ Citizenship Jan 27th 2018. After the ceremony and we get our NZ Passports, can we move to Australia immediately or is there a minimum time limit? Thanks
On your citizenship application it states that you intend to stay in NZ for 12 months prior to receiving your certificate. It doesn't say that you must. So I'd say you can leave.
Sorry not prior. I meant after gaining your certificate.
#25 response from Sean at 23:15 on Mon, 16 October 2017 We are eligible to apply for NZ Citizenship Jan 27th 2018. After the ceremony and we get our NZ Passports, can we move to Australia immediately or is there a minimum time limit?
I would be interested to hear if you got your NZ citizenship and did you make the move to Oz right away?
I did get my citizenship, took 4 months from application to ceremony. I haven't moved yet due to unforeseen circumstances. Have you put your application in?
Citizenship approved, just waiting for ceremony now. Could move to Oz within a month. Would be nice to hear from someone who has also moved straight after getting a passport and if they had any issues.
@scotsmans_in_nz Please do share your experience once you move to Oz if there was any issue or not?
Hi Scottsman_in _ nz, can you please share if you were able to move to aus after ceremony?