BirthNZ-BTH-05
Indigenous Birthright — Wai 3513 Tikanga Pathway (Tribunal recommendation; Te Tiriti o Waitangi 1840)
Citizenship in New Zealand
- Eligibility
- Under §6(4) of the Citizenship Act 1977 (substituted 18 November 1992 by §4(1) of the Citizenship Amendment Act 1992; further amended by Acts including the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Act 2003 an
- Timeline
- constitutional
- Renunciation
- Not required
Example scenarios
eligible at birth
Born in NZ post-2006-01-01 with PR parent — automatic NZ citizen per §6(1)(b) Citizenship Act 1977 (as substituted by Citizenship Amendment Act 2005).
eligible at birth
Born in NZ pre-2006-01-01 — pure jus soli under original §6(1)(b). NZ citizen regardless of parent status.
Informational summary compiled from primary legal sources — not legal advice. Citizenship law changes; verify with the competent authority before acting. Last verified 2026-05-18.
Track changes to this route
Descent and naturalization rules change. We'll email you in plain English when anything affecting New Zealand updates — no spam.