8 March 2024
45 Pipitea Street, Wel ington 6011
Phone +64 4 495 7200
dia.govt.nz
Dave Thomas via FYI
fyi-request-25645-
[email address]
Tēnā koe Dave
OIA request 23/24 0578 Request for Citizenship ceremony dates 2024
Thank you for your Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) request
received by Christchurch City Council on 7 February 2024.
You requested in regards to Christchurch citizenship ceremonies –
1. The currently scheduled citizenship ceremony date and capacities of each ceremony
2. The number of people currently on the citizenship ceremony waitlist
As previously advised via email on 9 February 2024, your request was transferred to the
Department of Internal Affairs (Department) in accordance with section 12 of the LGOIMA.
Section 12 of the LGOIMA provides that the information, or some of the information, to which
the request relates is believed by the person dealing with the request to be held by, or more
closely connected with the function of another local Authority, Minister, or organisation.
In response to your request I can provide you with the fol owing information under the Official
Information Act (Act).
Question one
The next public citizenship ceremony currently for Christchurch is scheduled for 29 April 2024.
As of 21 February 2024, there are no other ceremonies scheduled and the Christchurch City
Council wil confirm further dates in due course.
I can advise that each ceremony is al ocated on average between 300 to 320 people depending
on the waitlist.
After New Zealand citizenship is approved, a ceremony wil usual y take place within 2 to 5
months. Candidates are usual y advised 4 weeks before their ceremony. More information
about ceremonies can be found at: www.govt.nz using the search ‘citizenship ceremonies’.
Question two
There are currently 595 candidates on the Christchurch ceremony waitlist.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, the Department has
decided to proactively release a copy of this response on its website. Al requestor data,
including your name and contact details, wil be removed prior to release. The released
response wil be made available here: https://www.dia.govt.nz/Official-Information-Act-
Requests-2.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi
Julia Taylor
Manager Operational Policy and Official Correspondence
Service Delivery and Operations
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