New Zealand sees significant increase in completed applications.
The Department of Internal Affairs has reported a 54 per cent surge in the number of citizenship applications completed in December 2024, with 5,661 successful outcomes. This marks the highest monthly figure for 2024.
According to Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden, this growth is attributed to efforts made by the Department to cross-skill staff and adapt to fluctuations in demand. As a result, productivity has increased, allowing more applicants to receive their citizenship grants in a timely manner. The number of outstanding applications dropped by 34 per cent in January 2025, from 28,544 to 18,749.
The Minister stated that reducing wait times for citizenship is a top priority and expressed appreciation for the progress made so far. To enhance transparency and accountability, the Department launched a public dashboard in December 2024, providing metrics on output and processing time across various life and identity products, including citizenship.