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
- Ministerial discretion. In limited cases (e.g. Crown service abroad) time outside NZ can be treated as presence — exceptional, not a planning tool.
- Partial days. Arrival and departure days spent partly in NZ are counted as days present — but verify your travel history against airline records before applying.
- Presence is not the whole test. You must also intend to continue residing in NZ, be of good character, and have sufficient 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.
The Minister has limited discretion in exceptional circumstances — for example, treating some time abroad as presence for Crown service. For ordinary applicants, plan against the strict counts.
Beyond presence: residence status, intention to continue residing in NZ, good character, 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
- Counts arrival and departure days correctly
- Runs alongside your other visa, tax, and residency rules
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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.