Originally Posted by
JandM
It can be applied for when you meet the requirements, which cover five years after you start living in NZ as a resident. PR isn't mentioned in the requirements, probably because, quite legally, people don't HAVE to apply to get PR at the very first moment they are eligible for it, and anyway, they may not be eligible for it straight away two years after they first activated their Residence visa. But logically, for quite a lot of people, they would be applying after what you said - two years' residence and three years' permanent residence.