4 November 2024
45 Pipitea Street, Wellington 6011
Phone +64 4 495 7200
dia.govt.nz
Kulwinder Singh
fyi-request-28648-
[email address]
Tēnā koe Kulwinder
Correction to: OIA 24/25 0322 Request for Grant Citizenship Application Process
Thank you for your information request dated 4 October 2024, about citizenship processing
times.
You requested –
there are over 26,000 residents waiting to become New Zealanders. Even when an
application has been submitted correctly, the Citizenship Office's online citizenship
timeframes webpage currently states 94% of applicants are granted citizenship within 19
months
Soo poor system of assessment 😢
Few of applications get result with in 2 to 6weeks but most of application's waiting time
around 1 to 2 years that very frustration for Applicants.
Requesting you for improve assessment system please. So people would get less waiting for
assessment.apologise if any thing wrong with my (request)comment. What it's sound of
common(immigrants)public who's completed all requirements for become New Zealander
but still waiting.
2 year ago process time just 2 to 6 months time 2 year ago. I am worried about when
RV2021 ( 1,65,000 immigrants all together get residency by labour government in covid)
holders will start apply for citizenship by next year then time frame would be 4 to 5 years as
per current situation. Please through light on it..
Do some effect to reduce process time.
Frustrated applicants while calling to DIA about processing there application than they got
just one answer 18 to 20 months waiting..
Is there department doing something for reduce process time? (Requested)
On 10 October 2024, you were advised that your request does not specify due particularity as
per the Ombudsman guidelines here:
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/. You were invited to
clarify your request.
On 15 October 2024, you were advised that as no response had been received for clarification,
the request would be closed.
We have since identified that your initial request did infact contain a question which was
missed.
You requested –
•
Is there department doing something for reduce process time?
My apologies the question was missed and in response, I can provide you with the following
information.
I can advise that this information will be available on the Department’s website in the coming
weeks, via an Official Information Act response. This response is due to be proactively released
her
e www.dia.govt.nz/Official-Information-Act-Requests-2 with the reference numbers 2425-
0330.
The information you requested is therefore refused pursuant to section 18(d) of the Act; as the
information requested is or will soon be publicly available.
It may also be of interest that there is a lot of publicly available information online about
citizenship and the timeframes for processing citizenship applications. This information is
published on the Department website via proactively released Official Information Act
responses here:
www.dia.govt.nz/Official-Information-Act-Requests-2. You can search the
responses by using ‘ctrl’ + ‘f’ and typing ‘citizenship’ in the search field.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, the Department has
decided to proactively release a copy of this response on the DIA website. All requestor data,
including your name and contact details, will be removed prior to release. The released
response will be made available here:
https://www.dia.govt.nz/Official-Information-Act-
Requests-2.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi
Julia Taylor
Manager Operational Policy and Official Correspondence (Acting)
Service Delivery and Operations
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