Latest Citizenship Timeline

[vdktqtvqt]

Latest update

I can confirm that as at 4 November 2021, the oldest paper application waiting to be allocated to a staff member for processing was fro m 4 December 2020, and the oldest online application waiting to be allocated for processing was from 6 January 2021.
https://fyi.org.nz/request/17029/res...00288.pdf.html

[chleyva]

31-12-20 Whole family applied online for citizenship.
01-11-21 email from CO to confirm data.
01-11-21 email back to CO as we needed to change my son DOB.
04-11-2021 Returned email from CO with confirmation of the change.
Now, how long is going to take until we are granted citizenship?
Is being too long...

[YessicaCBO]

Latest update

I can confirm that as at 4 November 2021, the oldest paper application waiting to be allocated to a staff member for processing was fro m 4 December 2020, and the oldest online application waiting to be allocated for processing was from 6 January 2021.
https://fyi.org.nz/request/17029/res...00288.pdf.html

Thank you for the update...

[ht8990]

hi lovely fellows, thank you all for your contributions to this thread. We're looking to be eligible to apply for our citizenship soon and are in prep stage for our application. We're grateful to find this forum to learn more about timeline and processing etc.
I have been checking the presence calculator constantly these days - holding my breath for the page to give me the green light!

However, for my own reassurance, I would like to seek your advice please. We got our residency on 26th May 2017 (the date it says on the stamp) and my understanding is that we enter our 5th year of residency on 27th May 2021 and the date of eligibility for citizenship application would then be 27/5/2021+240 days = 22/1/2022. This is also because we haven't travelled outside NZ since 26/5/2021 and won't do so until 22/1/2022 (thanks to COVID!).

Based on your personal experience, could someone please confirm that my understanding is correct and we would be good to go for 22/1/2022? Thanks all and enjoy your sunny Sunday!

[Kelerei]

hi lovely fellows, thank you all for your contributions to this thread. We're looking to be eligible to apply for our citizenship soon and are in prep stage for our application. We're grateful to find this forum to learn more about timeline and processing etc.
I have been checking the presence calculator constantly these days - holding my breath for the page to give me the green light!

However, for my own reassurance, I would like to seek your advice please. We got our residency on 26th May 2017 (the date it says on the stamp) and my understanding is that we enter our 5th year of residency on 27th May 2021 and the date of eligibility for citizenship application would then be 27/5/2021+240 days = 22/1/2022. This is also because we haven't travelled outside NZ since 26/5/2021 and won't do so until 22/1/2022 (thanks to COVID!).

Based on your personal experience, could someone please confirm that my understanding is correct and we would be good to go for 22/1/2022? Thanks all and enjoy your sunny Sunday!

You're making the common mistake of counting forwards from your date of residency. You must count backwards from the day immediately preceding your date of application: this is the legal requirement per Section 8(2)(b) and it is therefore how the Department of Internal Affairs will ascertain whether or not you have met the presence requirement (and therefore, it is also how their presence calculator works).

If you intend to apply on January 22nd, 2022, you would need to look at the following time periods:

• Period 1: January 22nd, 2021 to January 21st, 2022 (365 possible days)
• Period 1: January 22nd, 2020 to January 21st, 2021 (366 possible days)
• Period 2: January 22nd, 2019 to January 21st, 2020 (365 possible days)
• Period 4: January 22nd, 2018 to January 21st, 2019 (365 possible days)
• Period 5: May 26th, 2017 to January 21st, 2018 (241 possible days, noting that nothing before May 26th, 2017 may be counted)

From there, it depends on your travel movements: note that I said "possible days" in the example above. In the example above, note in particular that any travel that you may have done in Period 5 would almost certainly result in you not meeting the presence requirement. Don't forget that once you have taken your travel movements into account, a) each period must be at least 240 days and b) the sum of all periods must be at least 1,350 days.

[ht8990]

You're making the common mistake of counting forwards from your date of residency. You must count backwards from the day immediately preceding your date of application: this is the legal requirement per Section 8(2)(b) and it is therefore how the Department of Internal Affairs will ascertain whether or not you have met the presence requirement (and therefore, it is also how their presence calculator works).

If you intend to apply on January 22nd, 2022, you would need to look at the following time periods:

• Period 1: January 22nd, 2021 to January 21st, 2022 (365 possible days)
• Period 1: January 22nd, 2020 to January 21st, 2021 (366 possible days)
• Period 2: January 22nd, 2019 to January 21st, 2020 (365 possible days)
• Period 4: January 22nd, 2018 to January 21st, 2019 (365 possible days)
• Period 5: May 26th, 2017 to January 21st, 2018 (241 possible days, noting that nothing before May 26th, 2017 may be counted)

From there, it depends on your travel movements: note that I said "possible days" in the example above. In the example above, note in particular that any travel that you may have done in Period 5 would almost certainly result in you not meeting the presence requirement. Don't forget that once you have taken your travel movements into account, a) each period must be at least 240 days and b) the sum of all periods must be at least 1,350 days.

Hi Kelerei, thanks so much for pointing it out - I kind of knew that it was too good to be true with my way of calculating the eligibility date.
Given that we were out of NZ for 23 days in period 5 (26th May 2017 - 22nd Jan 2018), we would have to add those 23 days to the eligibility date - then it's worked out to be 14th Feb 2022

[smita smita]

Hi,

I have a question regarding my citizen.

I got my Resident visa on 4 January 2018. If I calculate my time according to the 2018 January my 8 months will be complete in August 2022.
when came to NZ in 2016 I just went twice overseas for 10 days only.

Is that possible for I can file my citizenship early next year 2022?
thanks

[MajorLiggs]

Is that possible for I can file my citizenship early next year 2022?
thanks

I would recommend reading Kelerei's posts above. They explain how it works nicely. You need to count BACKWARDS from the date your applying. Then ask have you been within NZ as a resident for 240 days or more in each of those 5 year periods.

I'd imagine you'll be able to apply mid-2022, or just after.

[cheeryking]

You're making the common mistake of counting forwards from your date of residency. You must count backwards from the day immediately preceding your date of application: this is the legal requirement per Section 8(2)(b) and it is therefore how the Department of Internal Affairs will ascertain whether or not you have met the presence requirement (and therefore, it is also how their presence calculator works).

If you intend to apply on January 22nd, 2022, you would need to look at the following time periods:

• Period 1: January 22nd, 2021 to January 21st, 2022 (365 possible days)
• Period 1: January 22nd, 2020 to January 21st, 2021 (366 possible days)
• Period 2: January 22nd, 2019 to January 21st, 2020 (365 possible days)
• Period 4: January 22nd, 2018 to January 21st, 2019 (365 possible days)
• Period 5: May 26th, 2017 to January 21st, 2018 (241 possible days, noting that nothing before May 26th, 2017 may be counted)

From there, it depends on your travel movements: note that I said "possible days" in the example above. In the example above, note in particular that any travel that you may have done in Period 5 would almost certainly result in you not meeting the presence requirement. Don't forget that once you have taken your travel movements into account, a) each period must be at least 240 days and b) the sum of all periods must be at least 1,350 days.

using the example given, that's not a total of 5 years. I think a lot of people on this forum are still confused and we continue to get questions.

Is it 5th year anniversary people can apply or 4 years and 8 months using the example above? (provided each year block of 240 days is met)

or could the period 1 and period 5 swapped? so it's 8 months closest to the application date and full 4 years backward?

[LemonAndPaeroa]

There is only one way to calculate it correctly that covers all scenarios. You have to count back five years from the date of application. In each of those 5 years, you have to have been present in NZ with residency status for at least 240 days.

That doesn't mean you have to have been a resident living in NZ for 5 years. At a minimum, with no travel in the first year, it is 4 years and 240 days. Any travel during the first year gets added on to that.