From 1 July 2023, NZ citizens who have been living in Australia for 4 years or more are eligible to apply directly for Australian citizenship.
If you’re an NZ citizen and you hold a Special Category visa (subclass 444) you can live, study and work in Australia for as long as you like. You do not have the same rights or entitlements as permanent residents or citizens.
From 1 July 2023, you can apply for Australian citizenship without first becoming a permanent resident if:
The above new rules do not apply to Australian citizenship applications made before 1 July 2023.
If you arrived before 26 February 2001 and you’re an ‘eligible NZ citizen’ (‘Protected SCV holder’) — you’ll continue to be eligible to apply directly for Australian citizenship.
You can apply to become a permanent resident. You’ll need to work out which visa is right for you and meet the criteria.
As a permanent resident you’ll have some entitlements but you will not have the same entitlements as a citizen.
To apply for Australian citizenship you must either be:
There is other criteria you must also meet to become a citizen including requirements for residence and good character.
If you hold an SCV, you are considered a permanent resident for the purposes of citizenship. This means you can meet the 12 month permanent residence requirement for citizenship.
If you arrived in Australia before 1 July 2022, your period of permanent residency is backdated to 1 July 2022. You will immediately meet the 12 month permanent residence requirement.
Contact the Australian Department of Home Affairs to find out more about residency or citizenship in Australia.