New Zealand is the kingdom of the British Commonwealth, so the monarch is recognized as the head of state, and the governor-general controls the parliament. The political course of the country is largely consistent with the decisions taken in London. And if obtaining British citizenship for Russians (however, as well as for people of other nationalities) is rather difficult, then in New Zealand the situation is no better. The Pacific state has an even more complicated procedure and conditions for obtaining citizenship. For citizens of the Russian Federation, in fact, there is one option of legalization, which is carried out through naturalization.
How to get New Zealand citizenship?
Becoming a citizen of the Crown at the legislative level is permitted in three ways:
- "By the law of the soil."
- "By the right of blood."
- By natural naturalization.
Conditions for obtaining citizenship for various categories of persons
Only those born before 2006 are eligible to obtain New Zealand citizenship. Persons who were born on the first of January of the specified year and later can become legal representatives of the state only by birth right, that is, if one of the parents or both are citizens of New Zealand.
For citizenship of the Pacific state by right of origin can count:
- Persons born between the forty-ninth and seventy-seventh years of the twentieth century, one parent of which is not a New Zealander by birth.
- Those who were born outside the islands after the beginning of 1978, while one of the parents became a citizen of a country not of origin.
According to the current legislation of the country, citizenship holders cannot transfer the status of a citizen to their children, but there are exceptions:
- If the child is not issued with an identity document, he will remain stateless.
- If the child arrives on the island and subsequently issued an identity card to the state.
By naturalization, individuals who have the following requirements have the right to acquire citizenship:
- A person lives on the territory of the state for five years, and during the calendar year it is necessary to stay on the islands for at least two hundred and forty days.
- A foreigner must have a permanent residence in New Zealand.
How to get New Zealand citizenship to a Russian citizen?
Emigration to New Zealand is especially popular among Russians and Ukrainians. New Zealand is a very beautiful, economically developed state, ready to provide its residents with the best social protection of the population and a stable standard of living, which is quite high. There is practically no corruption in the country, a very strong demographic institution of power, and high activity of citizens in the elections.
In order to be able to obtain a permanent residence, a foreigner must pass a language proficiency test, have no previous criminal record and serious chronic illnesses, and also have a sufficiently large amount of money to purchase real estate and provide for his own needs until the citizen gets a job .
Obtaining a residence permit is the first step on the long road to obtaining citizenship. It is followed by citizenship itself.
Options for obtaining permanent residence
To obtain the right to permanent residence in the kingdom, immigrants from the Russian Federation, Ukraine and other countries can use the following methods:
- immigration for employment by profession;
- immigration to study at universities or courses;
- participation in the program for attracting qualified personnel - representatives of the professions most in demand in the state;
- immigration in order to open one's own enterprise;
- participation in a special immigration program designed for investors (suitable for cases when a foreigner has a significant amount of financial resources and expresses a desire to invest in the state economy);
- immigration for family reunion (is the most suitable option for those Russians and Ukrainians who have relatives among New Zealanders);
- obtaining refugee status (for persons who have been persecuted at home for ethnic, political, religious and other affiliation).
The first visit to the state by persons from Russia, Ukraine or another country is possible only with a visa. The document can be obtained through visa centers in the country of permanent residence.
The main advantages of obtaining a residence permit in New Zealand
The presence of citizenship of this state carries many positive aspects for legal representatives who have obtained citizenship by legalizing their presence in the kingdom. Firstly, the children of a foreigner who has received a residence permit and has become a full-fledged citizen of this country, can receive free general education and have the opportunity to study at universities using the preferential system. Students can count on a special loan at a reduced rate to be able to pay for tuition.
The state is implementing a program to support families with children under the age of eighteen. Parents are entitled to receive benefits, which depend on the number of children: the more children, the greater the social payment. Such assistance enjoys great sympathy among citizens coming from countries of the former Soviet Union.
After two years after receiving a residence permit, a foreigner can apply for unemployment benefits. Social services will also help with employment in the specialty. The first years of emigration are the most difficult, so New Zealand, if necessary, provides financial assistance to people who do not yet have sufficient income. If high-tech medical care is needed, it will also be provided free of charge.
Benefits
What gives citizenship of New Zealand? Many immigrants from other countries, including citizens of the Russian Federation, have been legally in the Pacific for a long time and are in no hurry to obtain citizenship. But whatever the New Zealand citizenship for the Russians, temporary or permanent, it does not give full rights on a par with the locals. The main advantages of obtaining a permanent New Zealand passport:
- the opportunity to stay in the kingdom for life, without the risk of a ban on entry into the country or deportation;
- the right to participate in elections at various levels;
- full access to the educational system, including receiving discounts on tuition, grants, scholarships and grants on a competitive basis on an equal basis with other citizens of New Zealand;
- economic, social and other privileges provided exclusively for citizens of New Zealand (for example, the opportunity to take a job in the general government sector);
- Visa-free visits to a large number of countries, a guarantee of protection from New Zealand on foreign trips.
Citizenship through economic support
In some cases, New Zealand offers an expedited (greatly simplified) procedure for considering immigrants applying for citizenship. The process can be accelerated by those who are ready to invest financial resources in the development of the state economy.At the same time, investments in New Zealand (obtaining citizenship through investments) are ready to be accepted both in monetary terms and in the entrepreneurial experience of a foreigner.
True, the amount of investment is quite large. Owners of significant capital can obtain New Zealand citizenship for investments in return for investing in the business of at least one and a half million New Zealand dollars over four years. An investor who invests his own funds in the state’s economy must not be older than sixty-five years and reside in the country for at least one hundred forty-six days in each of the last three years. There are more favorable conditions, but another option for obtaining citizenship through investment requires investments in the country's economy of at least ten million New Zealand dollars.
Citizenship Procedure
Immigrant individuals who are in the territory of the Pacific state according to relevant standards are issued a certificate of citizenship. Such an event takes place at a ceremony in which officials participate. New subjects take the oath and perform the hymn. After those who take the oath of office become citizens of the state, they are entitled to obtain a passport, for which it is necessary to provide the number of the issued certificate, fill out a special application form and pay 140 dollars. After a week and a half, a citizen will receive his New Zealand document by mail.
A citizen of the Russian Federation who wants to obtain New Zealand citizenship has the right not to renounce his initial citizenship, since the Pacific kingdom permits dual citizenship. Moreover, the presence of many legal statuses of representatives of different countries is not prohibited in the country.