Govt.nz says you can apply for a New Zealand passport after you have received your citizenship certificate. For most citizenship-by-grant applicants who must attend a ceremony, the certificate is received at the ceremony.
Approval is not the same as having completed citizenship
The ceremony page states that you are not a citizen until you have made the oath or affirmation at the ceremony, unless you are in a category that does not need to attend. That is why planning a passport application around an estimated approval date can be premature.
The passport application is separate
A New Zealand passport is not automatically issued with citizenship. Once you are a citizen and have the required evidence, you submit a separate passport application and pay the applicable passport fee.
Keep your existing passport valid while citizenship is processing
DIA's after-you-apply guidance says to keep your current passport or travel document valid while the citizenship application is in process, especially if it may expire within the next year and you could need urgent travel.
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.