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NZ citizenship guide

NZ citizenship good character requirement

How the New Zealand citizenship character requirement works, including convictions, pending charges and common traffic issues.

Citizenship by grant normally requires you to be of good character. The Citizenship Office checks information you declare and may also consider police or other official information.

Traffic matters

Govt.nz says ordinary parking tickets and speed-camera fines are not something you need to worry about. However, the Citizenship Office may talk to you if you have 100 or more demerit points or a recent pattern of fines or infringements.

Criminal matters can be much more serious

The official guidance says citizenship is very unlikely in situations including pending charges, a conviction in the last three years, prison time in the last seven years, a prison sentence longer than five years at any time, or an undischarged protection order.

Declare what the form asks

Do not try to decide for yourself that something is too minor to mention if the application asks for it. Incomplete or misleading information can create a larger problem than the underlying event.

Individual circumstances matter: this guide cannot assess whether a particular conviction, investigation or order meets the legal test. Use the official character page and contact the Citizenship Office if your history is complex.

Use the free tools

Turn the guidance into a practical next step

Check your presence estimate, test a future trip, or work through the application checklist.

Presence calculatorTravel simulator

Official sources

Independent information: This guide summarises public information and is not legal or immigration advice. Check current official sources before acting on it.

Use it like an app

Add NZ Citizenship Check to your phone

Keep the calculator one tap away from your Home Screen. No App Store or Google Play download is required. Installation adapts to the browser and device you are using.

Installs as a web app with its own Home Screen icon and standalone window.

Android

Install from your browser

  1. Open your browser menu.
  2. Look for Install app, Install or Add to Home screen.
  3. If no install option is available, open this page in Chrome, Firefox or Samsung Internet and try again.

Install wording varies between Android browsers.