How people become New Zealand citizens

Citizenship by grant

Applicants who are Samoan citizens

Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982, ss 2, 7, 7ACitizenship Guidance, June 2024

Samoan citizens can apply to be granted New Zealand citizenship without needing to meet many of the normal requirements.

As a Samoan citizen, you are entitled to an immediate grant of New Zealand if the Minister of Internal Affairs if satisfied that:

• you entered New Zealand (excluding the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau) lawfully after 14 September 1982 and are entitled to remain in New Zealand indefinitely (for example, by having been granted a residence class visa or being an Australian citizen or permanent resident), or
• you were in New Zealand (excluding the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau) as a Samoan citizen on 14 September 1982 (you will generally need to be able to prove this, for example, by having an old passport or a letter from your employer confirming you were at work on that day).

Certain people born in Western Samoa between 13 May 1924 and 31 December 1948, any of their descendants born before 1 January 1949, and women who were married to them are also entitled to be granted New Zealand citizenship. People granted citizenship on this basis cannot pass on citizenship by descent and are not entitled to subsequently apply for a grant of citizenship on the basis of being a Samoan citizen who entered New Zealand lawfully and is entitled to remain indefinitely in New Zealand.