Permanent residency and citizenship for NZers in Australia
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.
Special Category Visa (SCV) for NZ citizens
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.
Special Category Visa — Australian Government Department of Home Affairs
NZ citizens have a direct pathway to citizenship
From 1 July 2023, you can apply for Australian citizenship without first becoming a permanent resident if:
- you’re an NZ citizen with an SCV, and
- you arrived in Australia after 26 February 2001, and
- you have lived in Australia for at least 4 years.
Applied for citizenship before 1 July 2023
The above new rules do not apply to Australian citizenship applications made before 1 July 2023.
If you arrived in Australia before 26 February 2001
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.
Who is an eligible NZ citizen — Australian Government Department of Home Affairs
Permanent residency
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.
Permanent resident — Australian Government Department of Home Affairs
Become an Australian citizen
To apply for Australian citizenship you must either be:
- a permanent resident, or
- an NZ citizen holding a Special Category visa (subclass 444).
There is other criteria you must also meet to become a citizen including requirements for residence and good character.
Become an Australian citizen — Australian Government Department of Home Affairs
How SCV meets the permanent residency requirement for citizenship
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
Contact the Australian Department of Home Affairs to find out more about residency or citizenship in Australia.
Contact us — Australian Government Department of Home Affairs
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