Citizenship Amendment Regulations 2025
2025/261
Citizenship Amendment Regulations 2025
Rt Hon Dame Helen Winkelmann, Administrator of the Government
Order in Council
At Wellington this 17th day of November 2025
Present:
Her Excellency the Administrator of the Government in Council
These regulations are made under section 28 of the Citizenship Act 1977 on the advice and with the consent of the Executive Council.
Contents
Regulations
1 Title
These regulations are the Citizenship Amendment Regulations 2025.
2 Commencement
These regulations come into force on 21 November 2025.
3 Principal regulations
These regulations amend the Citizenship Regulations 2002.
4 New regulation 3A inserted (Transitional, savings, and related provisions)
After regulation 3, insert:
3A Transitional, savings, and related provisions
The transitional, savings, and related provisions set out in Schedule 1 have effect according to their terms.
5 Regulation 17 amended (Fees)
(1)
In regulation 17(1), replace “the Schedule”
with “Schedule 2”
.
(2)
In regulation 17(2), replace “inclusive”
with “exclusive”
.
6 Regulation 17A amended (Fee for application under section 7A of Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982)
In regulation 17A(1), replace “$177.78”
with “$211.30”
.
7 Regulation 18A amended (Refund for withdrawal of application for grant of citizenship in certain cases)
Replace regulation 18A(1) with:
(1)
This clause applies to a person who—
(a)
has applied for a grant of citizenship; and
(b)
has paid the fee set out in regulation 17A or item 1, 2, 3, or 4 of Schedule 2; and
(c)
withdraws the application before its initial processing is completed.
(1A)
The person is entitled to a refund of 67 % of the fee paid.
8 Schedule amended
(1)
In the Schedule heading, replace “Schedule”
with “Schedule 2”
.
(2)
In the Schedule, item 1, replace “460”
with “486.96”
.
(3)
In the Schedule, item 2, replace “230”
with “243.48”
.
(4)
In the Schedule, item 3, replace “460”
with “486.96”
.
(5)
In the Schedule, item 4, replace “230”
with “243.48”
.
(6)
In the Schedule, item 5(a), replace “110”
with “116.52”
.
(7)
In the Schedule, item 5(b), replace “200”
with “211.30”
.
(8)
In the Schedule, items 6 and 6A, replace “110”
with “116.52”
.
(9)
In the Schedule, items 7 and 8, replace “200”
with “211.30”
.
(10)
In the Schedule, item 9, replace “110”
with “116.52”
.
(11)
In the Schedule, item 10, replace “390”
with “412.17”
.
(12)
In the Schedule, item 11, replace “26”
with “27.83”
.
9 New Schedule 1 inserted
Insert the Schedule 1 set out in the Schedule of these regulations as the first schedule to appear after the last regulation of the principal regulations.
Schedule New Schedule 1 inserted
Schedule 1 Transitional, savings, and related provisions
r 3A
Part 1 Provisions relating to Citizenship Amendment Regulations 2025
1 Interpretation
In this Part,—
amendment regulations means the Citizenship Amendment Regulations 2025
commencement date means the date on which the amendment regulations come into force.
2 Refunds relating to certain applications made before commencement
(1)
This clause applies to a person who—
(a)
has applied for a grant of citizenship before the commencement date; and
(b)
has paid the fee (whether before, on, or after the commencement date)—
(i)
set out in regulation 17A (as it read immediately before the commencement date); or
(ii)
that applied immediately before the commencement date in relation to item 1, 2, 3, or 4 of Schedule 2; and
(c)
withdraws the application before its initial processing is completed on or after the commencement date.
(2)
The person is entitled to a refund of—
(a)
$136.30, if the person paid the fee set out in regulation 17A (as it read immediately before the commencement date):
(b)
$310, if the person paid the fee that applied immediately before the commencement date in relation to item 1 or 3 of Schedule 2:
(c)
$155, if the person paid the fee that applied immediately before the commencement date in relation to item 2 or 4 of Schedule 2.
Rachel Hayward,
Clerk of the Executive Council.
Explanatory note
This note is not part of the regulations but is intended to indicate their general effect.
These regulations, which come into force on 21 November 2025, amend the Citizenship Regulations 2002 (the principal regulations). The principal regulations set out fees that are payable for applications for grant of citizenship under the Citizenship Act 1977 and the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982, as well as for other citizenship services.
The amendments—
increase the fee amounts by 19%; and
specify fee amounts that are exclusive rather than inclusive of goods and services tax; and
specify refund amounts in percentages rather than dollar amounts if certain applications are withdrawn before initial processing.
Regulatory impact statement
The Department of Internal Affairs produced a regulatory impact statement on 3 September 2025 to help inform the decisions taken by the Government relating to the contents of this instrument.
A copy of this regulatory impact statement can be found at—
Date of notification in Gazette: 20 November 2025.
These regulations are administered by the Department of Internal Affairs.