Guidance for Citizenship Ceremonies

This page was created by the Department of Internal Affairs as a resource to help local authorities to host New Zealand citizenship ceremonies.

To provide feedback contact CitizenshipCeremonies@dia.govt.nz

Planning guide

The New Zealand Citizenship Ceremonies Planning Guide provides an overview of the citizenship application process and helps with the planning and conducting or ceremonies.

New Zealand citizenship ceremonies planning guide (PDF, 1.8MB)

Example ceremony

A short video has been created to communicate what usually happens at a citizenship ceremony. It features clips from a real ceremony that took place at Auckland Council’s Henderson Service Centre and includes captions that talk through each aspect, from the Kaumātua greeting, to photo taking and refreshments at the end.

Procedure for hosting a New Zealand Citizenship ceremony video (YouTube, external link, 1' 56")

Oath and affirmation

New Zealand citizenship oath and affirmation in te reo Māori and English (PDF, 114KB)

To listen in te reo Māori to the oath, or the affirmation, visit Citizenship ceremonies (Govt.nz website)

Choice Whiriwhiria video

A special video has been developed for councils to welcome new citizens. The five-minute video celebrates the people and the sights and sounds of New Zealand.

The video is available for streaming and downloading below:

Watch 'Choice' (Whiriwhiria) - The New Zealand Citizenship story (YouTube, external link)

Download 'Choice' (Whiriwhiria) - The New Zealand citizenship story (MP4, 467MB)

Choice Whiriwhiria book

Choice (Whiriwhiria) is a commemorative book which acknowledges the commitment that new citizens make to New Zealand. The book features the stories of people who have chosen to become New Zealand citizens and includes information on New Zealand citizenship. The book is only available in a digital format. It was last updated to include information about the Matariki holiday.

Link to complete 'Choice (Whiriwhiria) - The New Zealand citizenship story' (PDF, 4MB)

Choice Whiriwhiria newsletter

The newsletter enables the Department of Internal Affairs to inform local authorities and to showcase ceremonies throughout New Zealand. To be added as a subscriber email CitizenshipCeremonies@dia.govt.nz

Link to 12 September 2025 Choice newsletter (external link)

Link to 11 February 2025 Choice newsletter (external link)

Link to 6 December 2024 Choice newsletter (external link)

Link to 16 October 2023 Choice newsletter (external link)

Link to 31 March 2023 Choice newsletter (external link)

Link to 22 February 2023 Choice newsletter) (external link)

Link to 2 November 2022 Choice newsletter (external link)

Link to 12 September 2022 Choice newsletter (external link)

Link to August 2022 Choice newsletter (external link)

Link to 13 June 2022 Choice newsletter (external link)

Link to 17 March 2022 Choice newsletter (external link)

Link to 7 December 2021 Choice newsletter (external link)