Slow progress of Citizenship application from March 2025

Seenivasan Ramasubbu made this Official Information request to Department of Internal Affairs

Currently waiting for a response from Department of Internal Affairs, they must respond promptly and normally no later than (details and exceptions).

From: Seenivasan Ramasubbu

Dear Department of Internal Affairs,

I would like to raise a question on slow progress on approving Citizenship applications from March 2025.

From the data provided in DIA website, until February 2025 on average over 2000 application approved for the past 12 months and suddenly from March 2025 the approved applications number is declined to 423 in March, 190 in April, and very few in May.

What is the reason of decline trend in Citizenship application approval?
What is the reason of increase trend in Unassigned application status?
Does Automated checks has anything to do with this latest trend?

Much appreciate your response to above questions.

Yours faithfully,

Seenivasan Ramasubbu

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From: RIS Official Correspondence
Department of Internal Affairs

Tçnâ koe Seenivasan,

Thank you for your OIA request to the Department of Internal Affairs.

The Department will provide its response to your request as soon as practicable and within twenty working days. The 20th working day is 2 July 2025.

Please note that in cases where the Department’s response provides information that is identified to be of general public interest, the response may also be published on the Department of Internal Affairs website. If the Department publishes its response to your OIA request, all personal information, including your name and contact details, will be removed.

Ngâ mihi,

Ekta Raturi (ia/she/her)| Official Correspondence Coordinator
Te Pâhekoheko|Operations Regulatory and Identity Services
The Department of Internal Affairs|Te Tari Taiwhenua

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From: RIS Official Correspondence
Department of Internal Affairs

Kia ora Seenivasan,

I'm contacting you regarding your request for information.

Please could you clarify that your request is as follows:

1. What is the reason of decline in Citizenship application approvals?
2. What is the reason of increase in Unassigned application status?
3. Does Automated checks have anything to do with this?

Ngā mihi

Linda

Linda Anderson | Advisor Official Correspondence Regulatory and Identity Services The Department of Internal Affairs | Te Tari Taiwhenua http://www.dia.govt.nz/

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From: Seenivasan Ramasubbu

Dear RIS Official Correspondence,

Thanks for your message and I can confirm that the followings are my questions.

1. What is the reason of decline in Citizenship application approvals?
2. What is the reason of increase in Unassigned application status?
3. Does Automated checks have anything to do with this?

Yours sincerely,
Seenivasan Ramasubbu

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