How Long For NZ Citizenship Application Processing?
 

Hello Everyone,

I have just joined this site to share information and experiences with others in the same position (Brit living in NZ). I am currently living in NZ as a permanent resident, and I am about to apply for citizenship.

Does anyone here have any experience of how long NZ citizenship takes to process? In particular I am really scared about having to submit my UK passport for what appears to be the duration of the assessment (up to 7 months???) - what if something goes wrong with family back in the UK and I need to get back on the next plane leaving? My folks are late eighties and early nineties so its a very serious worry and time is not on my side.

My UK passport also expires in 6 month's time so I am also stressing on the what if I need to get back in an emergency and I don't get my UK passport back in time to get it renewed before the expiry date? I just read a post on here that said it had taken over six weeks so far to renew at the Consulate?

I'm guessing I am not the first to be worried about this so if anyone has experience of when I can get my documents back or if I can get them back sooner than the 7 months, and what happens if you need to travel for emergency things whilst passports are being renewed at the Consulate, that would be great to hear.

Thanks everyone!

Re: How Long For NZ Citizenship Application Processing?
 

A couple of my friends have got citizenship in the last couple of years & they told me that they got there passports back after 2 or 3 weeks, although they didn't hear about their application status for a few months. So I don't think you have any worries there.

We sent ours off on Wednesday & they obviously arrived as the Citizenship peeps have already processed the payments on Thursday :eek:. I'll let you know when we get them back!

Re: How Long For NZ Citizenship Application Processing?
 

Aww thanks for that Vitalstatistix ........ a few weeks til I get my documents back I can handle. Seven months was just scary.

Good luck with your application too - I just read on another post in here that you are in the same boat!

Re: How Long For NZ Citizenship Application Processing?
 

Many thanks.