Australian citizenship
Citizenship for New Zealanders
New Zealanders on a Special Category visa can now go straight to citizenship, with no permanent visa in between.
Eligibility
What the New Zealand pathway asks of you.
The deeming rule does the work: time on the SCV counts as permanent residence from your first grant, or from 1 July 2022 if you arrived before then, which is why many New Zealanders already meet the requirement.
Deemed a permanent resident
New Zealand citizens holding a Special Category visa are treated as permanent residents from the date their first SCV was granted, or from 1 July 2022 if it was granted before then. If you previously held an SCV and are now overseas, the pathway can still apply, provided you were not removed or deported.
The same calendar rules
Four years of lawful residence immediately before applying, no more than twelve months outside Australia in that time, and no more than 90 days in the final year. Your first SCV must generally have been granted at least twelve months before you apply.
The 189 New Zealand stream cohort
The subclass 189 New Zealand stream also leads here: holders are treated as permanent residents from 1 January 2022 for visas granted during 2022, or from the grant date for later grants, with the same remaining criteria.
Character, test and ceremony
Good character applies from age 18, most applicants aged 18 to 59 sit the citizenship test, and citizenship completes at a ceremony with the pledge. Diplomatic and consular representatives of New Zealand, and their dependants, sit outside this pathway.
The pathway
How we run the New Zealand pathway.
SCV history
Your first SCV grant date and travel history are confirmed; they set the deemed permanent residence date.
Calendar audit
The four-year residence and absence limits are checked to the day.
Lodgement
The application goes in decision-ready with identity, residence and character evidence.
Test and pledge
The appointment, the test, and the ceremony where citizenship completes.
General information only, not immigration advice. Your circumstances matter. Visa requirements, fees and processing times change regularly. Facts on this page last reviewed 15 July 2026. Check current details with the Department of Home Affairs , or speak with us for advice on your situation. Website terms.
Begin with a conversation.
Speak with a MARA-registered migration agent in Melbourne about your pathway. Book a time that suits you.