How to obtain New Zealand citizenship for a Russian citizen in 2021

Legislation

The settlement of the issue regarding obtaining the status of a citizen of New Zealand for citizens of the Russian Federation is regulated by the legal acts of two states, namely:

• Federal Law No. 62 of May 31, 2002 “On Citizenship”;
• Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1325 of November 14, 2002 “Regulations on the procedure...”;
• New Zealand's citizenship law since 1949;
• Other regulatory legal acts.

Based on these laws, our citizens have the right to apply for New Zealand citizenship, while retaining their native citizenship and the opportunity to have a passport of two states.

HOW TO OBTAIN NEW ZEALAND CITIZENSHIP

Demonstration of a firm intention to continue to reside in New Zealand. The presence of a permanent job, real estate and other assets is checked. Exceptions include employment with international organizations or New Zealand government agencies overseas.

Residence in the country at the time of application for at least 5 years , of which 240 days annually and 1350 days in total must be directly on New Zealand territory. In some cases, a minimum stay of 450 days within the last 20 months is permitted.

Basic information

Theoretically, it is possible to obtain citizenship of this country only through naturalization, since citizenship in this island state, which is located in Oceania, was legalized only in the middle of the last century, in 1949.

The government of this state honors its traditions and forces foreigners to take into account the established foundations here.

There are no diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Russia. The country has underdeveloped partnerships with other states.

But New Zealanders are considered a hospitable people, which makes people from all over the world come here as tourists and to find work. Having been here at least once, you will want to live in this place permanently, since the standard of living in New Zealand is growing rapidly from year to year.

New Zealand residency and citizenship

Why do you need a New Zealand passport? New Zealand citizenship comes with many benefits. Among them is the opportunity to live in one of the best countries in the world, having a New Zealand passport, with which you actually become a citizen of two countries - New Zealand and Australia. It is very important that a New Zealand citizen has the right to buy unlimited quantities of land and stand for election to the New Zealand Parliament. In addition, you will have all the rights of an Australian citizen (only you will not be able to be elected to parliament), and will have the opportunity to freely, without visas, visit more than 100 developed countries of the world - the USA, Canada, Western Europe, Japan, etc. Without visas, you can live in these countries for up to three months. This is very convenient for businessmen and for those who are looking for work there - you have 3 months to undergo various interviews. But even this restriction does not apply to young people under 27 years of age who have received a New Zealand passport. They can live and work in all developed countries without visas or permits indefinitely. New Zealand recognizes multiple citizenship, so if you take on your citizenship, you can keep all your previous ones.

We recommend reading: From what year do we contribute to the pension?

Hello! Who can give the right advice? My boyfriend and I want to go to study in New Zealand and then, if possible, get citizenship there. Is it better to go there as husband and wife or each on their own? I heard that if you are a family, it is easier to obtain citizenship, since the points add up for two. Tell me, who knows?

Terms of purchase

Let's consider the basic requirements that are necessary to acquire the status of a citizen of this state, obtaining citizenship through naturalization, including:

• Have lived in New Zealand for at least five years. Stay in the country for at least 240 days every year.
• Know English at a high level.
• Have a permanent official salary or income in this kingdom.
• Do not violate state laws during naturalization.
• Show knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of a citizen of the kingdom, and also make it clear to the commission that you plan to stay in the territory of the state for quite a long time.
• Provide grounds for acquiring citizenship in this country.

Only if the specified requirements are met, the submission of a package of documents for obtaining citizenship allows the candidate to acquire the status of a citizen of the Kingdom for citizenship.

Ways to immigrate to New Zealand

Obtaining a student visa

One of the simplest ways to get a fairly good, and most importantly, internationally recognized education. By the way, the country’s educational system allows work in parallel with studies, but working time should not exceed 20 hours per week.

So, if you are young and have sufficient funds for study, then taking an educational course at one of the New Zealand educational institutions is an excellent start to subsequently obtaining a residence permit. Tuition on average costs about 10,000 US dollars per year, plus other living expenses, they will also amount to about 10,000 dollars on average for a year of study.

To apply for a student visa, you need an official invitation to study sent by one of the universities in New Zealand. To obtain it, you will need to first contact the administration of the chosen university, or entrust this matter to third-party Russian companies involved in processing documents for studying abroad.

In any case, in addition to the invitation itself, you must have:

1. insurance – medical and travel;
2. a document confirming the availability of the necessary money (bank statement or credit card);
3. health certificate (form NZIS1007);
4. certificate of no criminal record.

Investment programs

For individuals willing to invest an amount equal to NZ$10 million (approximately US$6.7 million) into the New Zealand economy over three years, an Investor Plus visa is available.

To obtain it you need:

1. Confirmation that the money belongs exclusively to the applicant, and no third parties or organizations have rights to it;
2. Documents certifying the possibility of bank transfer of the required amount;
3. Confirmation of the legality of the acquisition of these funds.

Also, the investor must not have problems with the law or serious illnesses. The shortest period of stay in the country is 44 days per year, from the second year of residence. You are allowed to move with your family - wife (husband) and children. All family members receive the right to work, medical and social insurance.

An Investor visa is issued to people who wish to invest an amount equal to 1.5 million New Zealand dollars (or 1 million US dollars) into the country's economy over a four-year period.

To apply for this visa, you must pass the Expression of Interest (EOI) test, where points are awarded based on the results of answers to questions about family, profession, and work experience. Each week, from the total number of applicants, one holder of the highest number of points is selected.

If you have scored the required number of points, then in this case, in addition to confirming the legal origin of the funds and the availability of health certificates, the investor must meet a number of conditions:

1. Proficiency in English at IELTS 4.0 level;
2. Minimum 3 years of business experience;
3. The age of the applicant must not be more than 65 years.

After obtaining a visa, the investor must spend a minimum of 146 days per year in New Zealand.

Work Visa

You can go to New Zealand to work from Russia without having a preliminary contract or an invitation from one of the local companies.

That is, if you are a sufficiently highly qualified worker, and especially if your specialty is on the list of the most in-demand professions in the country, then you may well receive permanent residence status.

There are Skilled Migrant Category and Work to Residence visas for workers.

To obtain an SMC (Skilled Migrant Category) visa, it is enough if:

• you have a sought-after specialty;
• your age does not exceed 55 years;
• you have no problems with the law or health;
• Knowledge of English corresponds to at least IELTS 6.0 level.

To apply for a visa in this category, as for an Investor visa, you must complete the EOI (Expression of Interest) survey.

If the number of points scored corresponds to the required level, the application is submitted for consideration. You can receive additional points in the EOI if:

• you have already performed highly skilled work in New Zealand for at least three months;
• you have a job offer from one of the local employers.

List of specialists for whom there is the greatest need:

If you have the required specialty, or have great talents in sports or art, then you can apply for a temporary Work to Residence visa. It is issued for a period of two years, but after working on such a visa, you can safely apply for a Residence from Work visa, which provides the opportunity to obtain permanent residence.

In addition to these two categories, for young professionals there is a Silver Fern visa - a kind of equivalent to the American Green Card, because it is awarded annually. But unlike the Green Card, it does not give the right to permanent residence, only to work, and you can find it within nine months after entering the country. After starting a job, the visa is extended.

Business visa

Enterpreneur Work is available to businessmen who want to set up a business in New Zealand if they commit to investing an amount equal to NZ$100,000 in their business. Conditions for obtaining this visa:

• score 120 points in EOI;
• provide your business plan;
• not be bankrupt and not participate in fraudulent transactions.

Visa for family members of New Zealand citizens and residents

Everything is quite simple here. The following are eligible to receive this type of visa:

• husband or wife of a citizen of the country;
• minor children;
• adult children under 24 years of age who do not have their own family;
• parents of a resident or citizen.

By birth

Citizenship of this country is granted automatically at birth. That is, parents who were born in the territory of the child’s country can issue a kingdom passport to a minor, regardless of their origin, if they want to continue to stay in the state.

But there is an exception: if the parents do not intend to stay here, then the child will not be granted citizenship.

First of all, this is due to the fact that it takes a considerable amount of time to obtain citizenship for children.

What does New Zealand citizenship provide?

The majority of immigrants legally reside in New Zealand and are in no hurry to become citizens. But permanent or temporary residence in the kingdom does not give a foreigner full rights on an equal basis with the local population.

Let us present the main advantages of obtaining New Zealand citizenship:

• The opportunity to live in the kingdom forever, you do not risk being deported.
• The right to participate in state and local elections as a candidate and voter an unlimited number of times.
• Opportunity to find employment in a government agency;
• Unlimited training, including eligibility for grants.
• The right to social and economic preferences, which are provided only for persons with New Zealand citizenship.
• Travel to most countries visa-free.

Important! New Zealand laws make it possible to have dual citizenship.

New Zealand Citizenship

After the first and second stages of naturalization are successfully completed, the applicant receives residence. New Zealand becomes his new place of permanent residence. And the third stage lies ahead - the process of obtaining citizenship.

List of required documents

To obtain New Zealand citizenship, you must collect the following package of documents:

• statement;
• 4 photos;
• a document giving the right to reside in the country;
• birth certificate;
• marriage registration certificate (if available);
• birth certificate of children and spouse (if available);
• an employment contract with the employer, signed by both parties;
• document confirming the availability of real estate;
• certificate of absence of tax debt;
• a certificate of no criminal record both in New Zealand and at home;
• certificate confirming knowledge of English;
• a health certificate confirming the absence of severe infectious diseases or mental disorders;
• proof of financial solvency.

All documentation must be translated into the official language and notarized.

After successfully submitting all documents, you will have to undergo a short interview. It will be necessary to talk about yourself and show your knowledge of history, legislation, state policy, as well as significant events and traditions.

Double citizenship

For a Russian, among others, there is one more undeniable advantage of obtaining New Zealand citizenship - he does not have to give up his first one.

In other words, a citizen of the Russian Federation can become a citizen of New Zealand without losing his Russian citizenship.

But it is worth remembering that a person with dual citizenship must obey the laws of the country in which he is located.

Having received a second citizenship, upon arrival in the Russian Federation, the citizen must notify the migration service about this within 2 months.

Otherwise, he will face a fine.

Stages of registration of citizenship

After passing the preliminary test and submitting an application for citizenship to the Kingdom's Department of the Interior, the local government reviews the papers within 14 days and informs the foreigner about the need to provide additional information or certain clarifications may be required. No later than 30 days (maybe a little more) from the moment the documentation package is submitted, the applicant will receive a notification that the application has been approved.

If a foreigner is refused citizenship, the reason and procedure for resubmitting the application are described in detail. If everything is fine initially, approximately 120 days after the request is granted, the candidate goes to a ceremony to take the oath and issue a document of citizenship in the solemn atmosphere of the given kingdom in Oceania. Attendance is mandatory for all subjects over 14 years of age. The immigrant is presented with a certificate, and based on this document, a passport is subsequently issued.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Question No. 1. New Zealand citizenship - what are the disadvantages?

Disadvantages of citizenship:

• isolation of the kingdom (it takes 3 hours to fly to the nearest state);
• is located in an area where there are active volcanoes;
• high prices for real estate;
• There is no heating in most buildings.

All of the above points are considered subjective. For a certain circle, the isolation of the state will even be a plus.

Question #2: What types of New Zealand visas are there?

The migration legislator provides the following types of visas for visiting this kingdom:

1. For tourism purposes.
2. For business activities.
3. For visiting guests.
4. To reunite with family.
5. For employment under a contract agreement.
6. Resident visa.

If an applicant wants to visit a country to get to know it personally, then the easiest option is a tourist visa. But its capabilities are limited.

New Zealand citizenship: ways to obtain

If you do not fall into any of these categories, then use a step-by-step moving plan. Start with student status. It is not necessary to go to university for this, although if you are young, then why not. You can take any preparatory courses, for example, language learning. While studying, keep an eye on a job and try to get an official job offer from a potential employer. With it, you can safely collect documents for a temporary work visa, and it will later lead you to a residence permit. To do this, you must work in New Zealand for at least two years with an accredited employer and demonstrate fluency in English (at least IELTS level 5).

We recommend reading: Documents for Putting a House into Operation 2019

First, you need to fill out the “Expression of interest” questionnaire (this can be done on the website of the New Zealand Immigration Service). In addition to your professional skills, knowledge of English, work experience, education, age, presence of relatives in New Zealand or an invitation from an employer are taken into account. For each item certain points are awarded. Those who score 100 or more points compete to advance to the next stage of selection. Those who score 140 points automatically become participants in the second stage.

The chances also increase if you have a letter of invitation to work from the head of a New Zealand enterprise. After sending the completed “Expression of interest” form, wait for a response in the form of an invitation to further participate in the selection. To proceed to the second stage, you will need to send documents confirming the information from the questionnaire answers.