Kia ora Joyce,

Thank you for your enquiry.

Under Covid-19 related health restrictions, the requirement to attend a ceremony was waived to ensure that people could still become citizens and did not have to wait indefinitely until ceremonies could resume. During the period that ceremonies were waived, citizenship certificates were sent out via mail.

Now that ceremonies have resumed, certificates will no longer be sent via mail, and applicants will need to attend a ceremony to finalise their citizenship.

If you have received your certificate via mail, your citizenship has already been finalised, and you will not be retrospectively invited to a ceremony.

As you have noted, some local authorities have chosen to hold celebratory events to welcome new citizens who were unable to attend a ceremony and instead received their certificate via mail. The format of these events is at the discretion of the local authority, and we would recommend you speak with your council if you wish for the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance to be included.

Ngā mihi,
Erin
Service Advice & Support Team
Mauri o te Tangata | Services and Access
Te Tari Taiwhenua | Department of Internal Affairs

-----Original Message-----
From: Joyce <[FOI #20572 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 15 September 2022 3:42 pm
To: OIA <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Citizenship Ceremony 2022

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Dear Department of Internal Affairs,

Why is it that DIA only send invitations for the citizenship ceremony to those who have not received their citizenship certificates via mail or who have been approved after 1st August?

For those who have been approved before 1st of August and recieved the certificate via mail will NOT be receiving any invites from DIA and will NOT be taking the oath of allegiance.

I was informed that auckland council only do 'celebration' for those who have been granted the citizenship before 1 August and that they wont be doing the oath of allegiance, which I think is unfair because i think taking the oath of allegiance is the most important part of the citizenship ceremony or 'celebration'.

Why this has to be the case? Why cant we have opportunity to attend and do the oath of allegiance? same with the others who have been granted after 1st August...

Yours faithfully,
Joyce

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