NZ citizenship: an 18-month wait from hell

It's a long wait for the New Zealand passport. (Image: Getty)

Mon, 21 Oct 2024

Gaining New Zealand citizenship is not unlike being a child waiting for Christmas. You spend an entire year adhering to the rules and being good, and at Christmastime, you are rewarded.To become an NZ citizen by grant, one must undergo a rollercoaster of medical and police checks, visa renewals and stress. Hence, you need to be good (in character at least).But unlike my Christmas analogy, NZ citizenship takes almost two years to be granted.I find this surprising and infuriating.Case officersFull disclosure: my family and I are six months into w...

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