BEVS

Yup. The end of that particular long and winding road for us.

Pixis thread prompted my conscience to share our news here on our little NZ forum. I s'pose I've been a bit pre-occupied with family matters of late.

On March 5th 2009 at 10a.m. we became NZ Citizens & have the certificates & two kowhai trees to prove it.

I arrived back from the UK just in time, with around a week to spare.

We received our letters from internal affairs telling us we would be granted citizenship before I had to return to the UK. Himself received the letters from internal affairs ,whilst I was away , stating what the citizenship ceremony date would be and asking us to let them know how many guests we might be bringing along. It also stated that a high standard of dress was required.

We, along with a few other families , met at the council offices. We were taken into the room where council meetings are held . Everyone sat down and the Mayor made a speech welcoming us as NZ citizens. We then had to go up in family groups and each swear our allegience one by one, in front of the Mayor , who then handed us our Citizen certificates.
After everyone had done that, the national anthem was sung in English and Maori. There was a local school choir there to help with that. The Mayor then read a letter from the Minister of Internal Affairs.
During and after the ceremony there was a photographer there to take everyone's photos with the Mayor and also with the NZ flag. It was then tea and cakes all round as we chatted with the Mayor and other local councillors.

That's us done and dusted then. Final step is to apply for the NZ passports.

waynepfry

That's great news. Congratulations!

sparkie down under

well done - Aussie beckons then

sparkie down under

Have some good on you karma as well

hazeandsteve

Congrats mate.

I kind of get the idea that Sparkie rather fancies heading over the ditch....

sparkie down under

I can't think why you think that cobber, just off to me billybong for another tinnie of the amber necter, like what us kiwi's do, aye.

luvwelly

Congratulations

JAJ

Congratulations.

You'll probably still get the blue New Zealand passport rather than the new black design:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_passport
(existing design)

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10530268
(new design)

nick333

Congratulations.

For all the support and invaluable knowledge you provide others on this site, it is the very least you deserve.

Hope you had a wonderful day!

southerner

Congratulations to you and him. Guess you'll be off down the tavern to celebrate.

pixi-dust

Congratulations you two! That's lovely.
Now I'm freaking out a bit about the 'smart dress'! I don't have anything smart

Genesis

Bloody hell!! You get your money's worth then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great to hear you are now part of the fixtures and fittings.....Kate and I had a joint 40-50th this year...the citizenship is yet another good reason for a blinding piss up (with the final stalwarts of the party ending up in the spa in very little but their merry smiles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Roll on the ceremony AND another knees up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations Bev and Mr Bev!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SLH

Congratulations.

Not sure if we will get round to doing ours, may do it for our daughter some day. How long did it all take?

Persephone

Congratulations Bevs,

I second that! A drink to Mr and Mrs Bevs
Sue

cappuccino

That's great news - congratulations to you both.