Many foreign citizens with 2 or more nationalities often wonder if it is possible to travel to New Zealand with dual citizenship. What’s more, these travellers are often unsure which passport to use to submit a visa or travel authorization application and pass through NZ immigration.
This complete guide helps travellers understand whether the country accepts dual citizenship. We also clarify which passport you should use when submitting an application form for a New Zealand eTA, and whether it is possible to use separate passports for entry and departure.
Which passport do you use to travel to NZ if you have dual citizenship?
Current New Zealand immigration requirements state that all visitors to the country must use the same passport for both arrival and departure so that NZ immigration records are updated correctly.
Therefore, it does not matter which passport dual citizens use to travel to New Zealand as long as it’s the same one they present to NZ immigration authorities for both legs of their journey. The document must also be valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival.
Another consideration to take into account is whether the passport permits visa-free travel to New Zealand. This allows you to enter the country with an approved NZeTA visa waiver. If you don’t have a visa-exempt passport, you will be required to obtain a visa.
If you possess a New Zealand passport in addition to one from another territory, we strongly advise you to use this to enter the country. This will remove the need to obtain either an electronic document or a visa.
Visitors who possess a New Zealand passport in addition to one from another territory are strongly advised to use this travel document to enter the country, as this will remove the need to obtain either an electronic document or a visa.
Otherwise, they will need to have a New Zealand Citizen Endorsement in their foreign passport to be granted the same privilege.
Applying for a NZeTA with dual citzenship
In order to apply for and successfully obtain an electronic travel authority for New Zealand, it is first necessary to meet the NZeTA requirements to see if your nationality is eligible.
If none of your passports appear on the list of visa-exempt nationalities for New Zealand:
- You will not be able to enter the country with an eTA
- You must instead obtain an NZ visa from an embassy or consulate.
However, if at least one of a dual citizen’s passports appears on this list, then they can proceed with the application for the eTA.
Applicants are also strongly advised to ensure that all the passport data matches the information provided on the form. If the details of the travel document do not match those on the approved eTA, you may be refused entry upon arrival in New Zealand.
Passport validity required for a NZ eTA for dual citizens
As an approved New Zealand eTA expires exactly 2 years after the date of issue. However, if the passport to which it is linked expires before this, so does the eTA.
Therefore, we advise dual nationals to use the travel document they have that is valid for the longest period while still being eligible for the electronic authority.
However, the passport used must have a minimum validity of at least 6 months from the first intended date of arrival in New Zealand.
If the traveller’s eTA-linked passport expires before the end of the travel authority’s validity, then they will be required to submit a new eTA application once they obtain a new passport for the same nationality to continue to be able to travel to New Zealand.
Does New Zealand accept dual citizenship?
The government of New Zealand allows its citizens to hold either dual or multiple citizenship. This means that it is possible to be an NZ national and a citizen of another country at the same time.
To apply for citizenship of New Zealand as a passport holder of another country, you first need to:
- Check the kind of citizenship option available to you (whether by birth, descent, or grant)
- Ensure you meet the requirements necessary for that citizenship type
- Prepare supporting ID documents such as a birth certificate or birth record, and passport or travel documents
- Appoint an identity referee or witness to support the application
- Submit the application, either online, by post, or at an embassy or consulate of New Zealand.
NZ citizenship for a child is granted automatically if they were born in New Zealand or if at least one parent was an NZ citizen or permanent resident at the time of the child’s birth.
It may be possible to obtain dual NZ citizenship for a child with another country (if the government of the other territory permits this). In such cases, the parents must submit a citizenship application to authorities in their home county in addition to those of New Zealand.
