New Zealand to start testing migrants for responsibility, privileges before citizenship
Internal affairs minister Brooke van Velden. (Supplied photo)
Topics are expected to include the Bill of Rights Act, human rights and democratic principles among others.
Migrants applying for New Zealand citizenship will have to sit a formal test to demonstrate their knowledge of civic rights and responsibilities, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden announced on Wednesday.
The test, due to be in place in the second half of 2027, will be conducted in person and use a multi-choice format. Applicants will need to score at least 75 per cent to pass.
Announcing the policy on May 6, 2026, the minister said the move was aimed at strengthening the existing requirement under the Citizenship Act that applicants have sufficient understanding of the “responsibilities and privileges” of being a New Zealand citizen.
“Citizenship is a commitment to our shared responsibilities and privileges. By ensuring applicants understand these, we strengthen what it means to be a citizen of New Zealand,” she said.
Currently, applicants meet that requirement by signing a declaration.
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Under the new system, applicants will instead need to demonstrate their knowledge through testing.
Topics are expected to include the Bill of Rights Act, human rights, democratic principles, the structure of government, voting rights, and rules around travel to and from New Zealand, as well as certain criminal offences.
Van Velden said the test would ensure applicants understood core values, such as freedom of speech and the principle that no individual or group is above the law.
The Department of Internal Affairs is developing the test and will release guidance and preparation materials ahead of its rollout, she said.
Citizenship by grant is one of three pathways to New Zealand citizenship, alongside citizenship by birth and by descent.
It typically applies to people born outside New Zealand who have met residency requirements.
Further details on the test, including its format and implementation, are still being finalised.
In a separate statement, ACT leader David Seymour claimed the announcement as a victory for his party.
"It's not a new idea. Since 2016, I've argued new migrants should understand a simple proposition: in New Zealand, regardless of your gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or religion, you have the same legal rights as everybody else.
"Nearly a decade later, ACT has got it over the line."
