New Zealand — Citizenship (1,350 Days in 5 Years)
Summary
- Threshold
- ≥1,350 days
- Window
- The 5 years before applying
- Per-year floor
- ≥240 days in each of the 5 years
- Qualifying days
- Days with residence status only
- Legal basis
- Citizenship Act 1977, s 8
New Zealand citizenship by grant requires at least 1,350 days physically present in New Zealand during the 5 years immediately before applying — and, within that, at least 240 days in each of those 5 years. Only days on which you held residence status (the right to remain indefinitely) count. Both the total and the per-year floor must be satisfied.
Who it applies to
This matters most if you are:
- A resident-visa holder working toward citizenship who travels often for work or family.
- A new resident planning the earliest date a qualifying 5-year window will exist.
- Someone whose early years in NZ were on work or student visas — those days don't count.
- A frequent traveller at risk of dipping under 240 days in a single year and resetting the wait.
The rule — and why it exists
Section 8(2) of the Citizenship Act 1977 sets the presence requirement for citizenship by grant:
- The total: at least 1,350 days in New Zealand during the 5 years immediately preceding the application — roughly 270 days a year on average.
- The floor: at least 240 days in each of those 5 years — you cannot bank a heavy year against a light one.
- The status condition: only days on which you were entitled to remain indefinitely — residence status — count toward either number.
Why it exists: citizenship is meant for people whose life is genuinely in New Zealand. The per-year floor stops long absences being papered over by one intensive year, and the status condition ensures the qualifying time was spent as a settled resident, not a visitor.
Counting the days
- 1Fix the window: the 5 years immediately before your intended application date.
- 2Count only days on which you held residence status - days on temporary visas are excluded.
- 3Check the total: at least 1,350 qualifying days across the window.
- 4Check the floor: at least 240 qualifying days in each of the five 12-month blocks.
- 5If a year falls short, slide the application date until a 5-year window exists where both prongs pass.
Examples
Example 1 — comfortably qualified
You've held residence for six years and spend about 300 days a year in NZ. Any recent 5-year window shows ~1,500 total days with every year above 240 — you meet the presence requirement.
Example 2 — the light-year trap
Four years of 320 days, then one year abroad with only 150 days in NZ: the total (1,430) passes, but the 150-day year breaks the 240-day floor. You must wait until that year rolls out of the window.
Example 3 — pre-residence days don't count
You lived in NZ on a work visa for three years, then got residence two years ago. Only the last two years count — you need roughly three more years of qualifying presence before a valid window exists.
Exceptions & edge cases
- Crown service. The Minister may treat as time in New Zealand any time you were in Crown service for the New Zealand Government, or were overseas accompanying a spouse, civil union or de facto partner who is a New Zealand citizen in that service.
- Ministerial discretion. Under section 8(7) the Minister may accept at least 450 days of presence as a resident in the 20 months before applying, but only for exceptional circumstances — not a planning tool.
- Travel days. The Act does not say how travel days count. In the worked examples of DIA's presence-calculator specification (OIA 2122-0423), only the days between departure and return are counted as days outside New Zealand; treat that as a guide, not a rule, and keep a margin. Presence is checked against Immigration New Zealand's movement records, so verify your travel history before applying.
- Presence is not the whole test. You must also be 16 or older and of full capacity, intend to continue residing in NZ, be of good character, and have sufficient knowledge of the responsibilities and privileges of NZ citizenship and of English.
- Different rules for other routes. Citizenship by descent and by birth have their own criteria — the 1,350-day rule is specific to citizenship by grant.
Common misconceptions
- "1,350 days is all I need." The per-year floor matters just as much — one year under 240 days blocks the application regardless of the total.
- "All my time in NZ counts." Only days with residence status count — years on work or student visas add nothing.
- "It's five calendar years." The window is the 5 years immediately before your application date, measured backwards from it.
- "A short dip below the floor can be waived." Discretion exists only for genuinely exceptional circumstances — plan against the strict counts.
Frequently asked questions
At least 1,350 days of physical presence during the 5 years immediately before your application — and within that, at least 240 days in each of those 5 years. Both prongs must be met.
No. Only days on which you held the right to remain indefinitely — residence status (a resident or permanent resident visa) — count toward the requirement. Days spent on work, student, or visitor visas don't.
Backwards from the day you apply: the Department of Internal Affairs counts your presence during the 5 years immediately preceding the application date, and checks the 240-day floor in each of the five 12-month blocks.
You don't qualify yet, even with 1,350 total days — every one of the 5 years needs at least 240 days. In practice you wait until a rolling 5-year window exists in which both prongs are satisfied.
A little. The Minister may treat time on Crown service for the New Zealand Government as time in New Zealand. Beyond that, under section 8(7) the Minister can accept a shorter period — at least 450 days in the 20 months before applying, as a resident — only where there are exceptional circumstances. For ordinary applicants, plan against the strict counts.
Beyond presence: being 16 or older and of full capacity, residence status, intention to continue residing in NZ, good character, sufficient knowledge of the responsibilities and privileges of NZ citizenship, and sufficient English. The day counts are only the trackable part of the test.
This rule is tracked automaticallyin
Bounded
- Automatically tracks your days for this rule
- Tracks your progress toward the required days
- Records border-crossing days in both countries
- Runs alongside your other visa, tax, and residency rules
Sources
Related rules
For information only. This page is a plain-English summary of publicly available rules, not tax, legal, or immigration advice. Rules change and depend on your personal circumstances — always confirm with the official source above and a qualified professional before acting.