Te Kirirarautanga

Citizenship

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From 1840 until 1 January 1949 most people in New Zealand (including Māori) were British subjects and citizens. Non-British were ‘aliens’. Through naturalisation aliens could become citizens.

Until 1948, naturalisation gave applicants British citizenship. From 1949, naturalisation gave New Zealand citizenship.

Māori were guaranteed British citizenship by the Treaty of Waitangi, confirmed by the Native Rights Act 1865 (though this Act was primarily concerned with bringing Māori under British law).

Check different spellings of a surname as these were often changed or incorrectly copied.

Registers are not always in exact alphabetical order.

Most physical items are held at our Wellington archive. Learn more about accessing physical items in the Browse the archives section of this guide.

To protect personal privacy, access to some files and records is restricted.

• Alien files are restricted 100 years from the date of birth of the person documented or until the death of the person documented. Contact us for access.

• Some naturalisation files are restricted until 100 years after the birth of the person documented or 40 years after death — whichever is sooner. Contact Births, Deaths, Marriages and Citizenship for access.

Some offices have files and registers that are over 100 years old but still restricted. Contact us to find out more.

Requesting access to restricted files

This is how you can request access to restricted records.

Contact us — Contact us and we will refer you to the relevant government agency.

Contact them — Get in touch with the relevant government agency to request written permission to access the records.

Access the record — When you have obtained written permission, there are 2 ways to access the record:

• the government agency you’ve obtained permission from will organise access to the record, or

• you will need to contact us again with your permission letter, and we will enable access to the record.

Permission to access restricted naturalisation files can be obtained in writing from:

Director Births, Deaths, Marriages and Citizenship

Department of Internal Affairs

Email: citizenship@dia.govt.nz

Most of our citizenship records date from the 1840s to the early 1980s. These archives are grouped under 3 topics:

• naturalisation

• aliens

• Chinese New Zealanders.

There are varied categories of citizenship records such as:

• registers of naturalisations, aliens and people granted New Zealand citizenship

• applications and correspondence about citizenship applications

• certificates and letters of naturalisation

• reports, correspondence and the personal files of ‘enemy aliens’, prisoners of war and foreign nationals from the First and Second World War periods

• Chinese migration records such as the ‘poll tax’ books.

Different offices have different records. For more details see the list of records shown under each archive topic listed below.

When you use our research guidance, you might find a string of letters and numbers — for example ACGO 8376 IA52 14/26 — next to a title. These are our archival codes or references. You can search the letters or numbers separately on Collections search. They can also be useful if you visit our reading rooms or contact us to access a record, as they help our archivists find records quickly.

The numbers and letters in the codes can represent the records:

• agency code

• series number or accession number

• record number

• R-number.

For help with searching — including how to use advanced searching and filtering— read our tips on how to use Collections search or ask an archivist for advice. For more information on referencing the archives, check out the Copying and citing archives page.

Glossary and terminology

To familiarise yourself with the records terminology, check out our Definition of archival terms guide.

• Aliens — the term used to describe people who were not citizens.

• Naturalisation — refers to the process of becoming a citizen.

• Poll tax — a levy or entry tax (per head) applied to Chinese migrants when they arrived in New Zealand.

Go to Collections search for all open-access records. Restricted records are also listed, and the access authority will appear either under the record description or the series tab.

We’ve included links throughout this guide that will take you directly to the item or series on Collections search. Scroll to the bottom of that page and click on ‘Record hierarchy’ for individual R-numbers (item codes). These are useful for ordering items to view at the relevant reading room.

You might not be able to access everything online. Many records have been digitised, but if they aren’t, you’ll need to visit the reading room they’re held in to access them.

Many records are listed by name, such as naturalisation, alien, poll tax. If something can’t be found or is restricted, then check with us.

If you still can’t find what you are looking for, contact us.

Here you can search our archives by topic under naturalisation, aliens, or Chinese New Zealanders.

Each group lists what’s available in the archive, and how to request access to restricted records.

Naturalisation is the process by which a non-citizen becomes a citizen of a country. Our naturalisation records date from the early 1840s. Later naturalisation records — notably from 1939 records — are often closely linked to alien records.

Access to naturalisation files is restricted until 100 years after the person’s birth, or 40 years after death — whichever is sooner.

To give you access to a restricted record, we need to see either:

• proof confirming a date of birth or death of the person outside the restriction period, or

• written permission from the agency responsible for the restriction.

You can obtain written permission to access restricted naturalisation files and records from:

Director Births, Deaths, Marriages and Citizenship

Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) Email: citizenship@dia.govt.nz.

From 1840 to 1866 there was little formal requirement for naturalisation. An Internal Affairs Department register includes all naturalisations 1840 to 1866.

• Register of Persons Naturalised before 1949 [ACGO 8376 IA52 14/26] — digitised.

• It’s important to check different spellings of a surname since many people altered the spelling of their names — or clerks made errors of transcription. The register is not always in strict alphabetical order.

Correspondence about these applications for naturalisation (1844 to 1853) may be found in Colonial Secretary records:

• inwards correspondence to the Colonial Secretary [ACFP 8217 NM8 1-63] — fully listed on Collections search

• Internal Affairs central Filing System Inwards Correspondence [ACGO 8333 IA1] — records for 1866 to 1913 are fully listed on Collections search — in advanced search, filter by keyword ‘naturalisation’ and Former Archives ‘IA1’.

Canterbury Provincial Government Archives

Records relating to naturalisation in Canterbury are found in the records of the Provincial Secretary and Secretary for Public Works. Names are searchable through Collections search. These records are held in our Christchurch archive:

• inwards correspondence to the Provincial Secretary (ICPS) 1853 to 1877 [CBCM 19936]

• inwards correspondence of the Secretary for Public Works (ICPW) 1864 to 1877 [CBCM 19946].

Find out more about the Canterbury Provincial Government Archives

The Aliens Act 1866 required applicants to submit a ‘memorial’ or application for naturalisation. This usually included:

• name

• age

• birthplace

• residence

• occupation

• length of residence in New Zealand.

From 1880, a ‘statement of desire to stay in New Zealand’, and a statement certifying ‘good repute’ from a magistrate or JP (Justice of the Peace) was also required. These officials often relied on a police report.

From 1914, the application also included the name of the ship on which a person arrived.

Naturalisation virtually ceased during both World War 1 and World War 2 to help control suspected ‘enemy aliens’.

• The Register of Aliens AAAC 6159 W1566/1, REPRO 1658] compiled and published by the Department of Statistics in 1917 — digitised record.

• For other references to naturalisation, before, during and after World War 2 [ACGO 8333 IA1, records starting 115, 116, 117, 118 — see staff for more assistance in locating these files].

• After the war, naturalisation continued as before 1939.

From 13 May 1924, children born before the date of their parents’ naturalisation could be included in their parents’ certificate. Before then, children were regarded as naturalised if they were living in New Zealand with a naturalised parent.

The British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Act 1946 allowed married women citizenship in their own right instead of automatically taking their husband's citizenship as previously.

From 1 January 1949 when New Zealand citizenship was officially established, an ‘alien’ was defined as someone who was not a New Zealand citizen, and not British, British protected, or Irish. British nationals did not have to go through the full naturalisation process, but they are recorded in the naturalisation registers from 1949.

From 1938 to 1966 the Registers of Persons Naturalised gave references in the format ‘115/number’. But in the register, many numbers do not have the prefix 115. The actual file reference is ‘IA1 115/number’ (for example ACGO 8333 IA1 2333 115/1679 R24594571).

Between 1966 and 1967 a new filing system for naturalisation files was phased in. From what was called Register 174, the files are held in a different series [ACGO 8375 IA51].

These files have a different sort of numbering as well. So a file for a naturalisation in 1969 might be, for example, in the register as 186/181. The actual file reference IA51 R186, P1 (where R = Register and P = Page) on Collections search is ACGO 8375 W3465 IA51 147 R186, P1-32.

We have copies of ‘Registers of Naturalisation’ (from Internal Affairs Department records), which are the main index to naturalisation files held in Wellington.

• Register of Persons Naturalised before 1949 [ACGO 8376 IA52 14/26] — digitised record.

• Register of Persons granted New Zealand Citizenship 1949 to 1968(in Register Room, Wellington) [ACGO 8376 IA52 16/28 R20964595].

• Register of Persons granted New Zealand Citizenship 1969 to 1977 A to L (in Register Room, Wellington) [ACGO 8376 IA52 17/29 R20964598].

• Register of Persons granted New Zealand Citizenship 1969 to 1977 M to Z (in Register Room, Wellington) [ACGO 8376 IA52 18/30 R20964599].

• Register of Persons granted New Zealand Citizenship 1978 to 1981 A to L [ACGO 8376 IA52 19/31 R20964600].

• Register of Persons granted New Zealand Citizenship 1978 to 1981 M to Z [ACGO 8376 IA52 20/32 R20964601] — digitised record.

• Copies of the naturalisation registers in Auckland—series 4495 [AAYQ 4495].

Duplicate copies of actual Letters of Naturalisation or Certificates of Citizenship for the period 1867 to 1979 [8377 IA53 volumes 1 to 368]. The certificates, which include the name of the person and date of naturalisation, are in bound books.

Passport applications are normally destroyed. But there are some records for well-known New Zealanders, such as:

• Walter Nash [ACGO 8392 IA 69/2/8 R20836264]

• Keith Holyoake [ACGO 8392 IA 69/2/9 R20836265]

• Jean Batten 1986 to 87 [AAAC 6859 W4593/1 R6616771].

Passport applications for notable politicians, sports players and their spouses in ACGO 8333. You can find these in Collections search using a keyword search for 'passport files'.

An alien in New Zealand before 1914 was simply someone who did not have British citizenship. There was little restriction on aliens at the time.

During World War 1 attention was mostly focused on people from Germany and Austria-Hungary, the main ‘enemy nations’. ‘Enemy aliens’ were regarded with considerable suspicion in wartime. Regulations allowed aliens (non-citizens) to be detained and have their activities monitored and restricted. All aliens had to report to and register at the nearest police station and might be interned.

Alien regulation was suspended in 1923 but reimposed at the start of World War 2 in 1939. As in World War 1 some aliens were interned.

After World War 2 the number of aliens in New Zealand increased initially when New Zealand citizenship was created on 1 January 1949. Registration of aliens continued until it was repealed by the Citizenship Act 1977.

An Alien Enemies Commission was established on 8 June 1915 to hear aliens’ objections to their designated status (such as ‘disloyal’ or ‘enemy’ aliens) and their claims for exemption from internment. Many of the records listed below were under the control of the Alien Enemies Commission.

• Register of Aliens 1917[AAAC 6159/1; REPRO 1658 R24217550] compiled and published by the Department of Statistics in 1917 includes: name, sex, age, conjugal condition (marital status), birthplace, years in New Zealand, allegiance (BN–British Naturalised, or F–Foreign), occupation, address, file number. Note: The files themselves do not exist.

• 2 files entitled ‘War – Passports’ include the names of alien seamen who arrived on ships to New Zealand during World War 1 [ACGO 8333 IA1 1659 31/5/9 R12333652 and ACGO 833 IA1 1659 31/5/18 R12333653].

Personal files of 687 ‘enemy aliens’ 1914 to 1922 [AAAB 482 W291 /1-70]. These files, which come from other series such as series [AAAB W291 449], are listed on Collections search by name.

General files relating to aliens, which may mention individuals, such as:

• Tongan Deportees [AAAB 449 W291 2a 29/18 R21370673]

• police reports on enemy aliens in the Hamilton district [AAAB 449 W291 2h 29/39 R21370680]

• enemy Aliens in Samoa [AAAB 449 W291 2j 29/49 R21370682]

• enemy Aliens Featherston and Somes Island camps [AAAB 449 W291 2k 29/51 R21370683] — digitised

• treatment of prisoners of war on Somes Island [AAAB 449 W291 3a 29/55 R21370684].

Numerical subject files on aliens 1915 to 1918 [AAAR 472]

A few general files and 58 files on specific aliens — cases investigated by the Alien Enemies Commission 1915 to 1918. Often the files on people consist mainly of police reports. Also includes schedules of cases referred to the Alien Enemies Commission, with some notes about decisions [AAAR 490].

Personal and subject files relating to aliens 1914 to 1921 [AAAB 478/1a-12z]

These include both files on individuals investigated and more general files. The files are restricted until 100 years after the birth of the person documented or 40 years after death, whichever is sooner. The 586 files may be found through name searches on Collections search.

Copies of reports to Alien Enemies Commission 1915

Files concerning 5 individuals only — name search on Collections search [AAAB 479].

These Army Department files include general and specific files [AAYS 8638 sub series 59].

To find sub series within series 8638, complete an Advanced Search on Collections search. Add the field 'Former Archives Reference' and enter 'AD1'. Add a new condition and select the 'Record number' field. Enter the sub series number 59* to see files starting with that number. A few files refer to individuals, others may have specific details on individuals, for example:

• prisoners from Samoa 1914 to 1917 [AAYS 8638 AD 1 1027 59/35 R22434261]

• reparation – Germans for Samoa 1919 [AAYS 8638 AD 1 1027 59/35/1 R22434262]

• nominal roll prisoners of war interned at Motuihi Island [AAYS 8638 AD 1 1027 59/40 R22434266]

• prisoners of war, Somes Island 1917 [AAYS 8638 AD 1 1027 59/42 R22434267]

• register of applications by aliens for land 1919 to 1920 [ACGT 18478 LS36 18/23 R20413804] — a Lands & Survey Department register recording applicant name, date, nature of application, file number and decision.

During World War 1 there was some official doubt about the suitability of ‘Yugoslavs’ for the armed forces or Home Service. In December 1917 a scheme started to investigate, register and supervise ‘Jugo-Slavs’ (as it was often spelt) — naturalised or not. The records related to this topic include:

• correspondence with private employers of Yugoslavs

• correspondence on and profiles of Yugoslavs in Dargaville

• correspondence about notices of service for Yugoslavs, by region [AAAB 488].

Other relevant files from the Justice and Statistics departments include:

• enemy aliens – Jugo Slavs [AAAB 449 W291 3c 29/59 R21370686] — restricted until 100 years after the birth of the person documented or 40 years after death, whichever is sooner

• Jugo Slavs [AAAB 449 W291 4a 29/61 R21370687] — restricted until 100 years after the birth of the person documented or 40 years after death, whichever is sooner

• Registration of Aliens – list of Yugo-Slavs and Austrians registered as aliens 1917 to 1918 [ADTO 18998 STATS1 32 24/1/37 R18874784] — restricted.

From the Registration of Aliens various lists of aliens were created late in World War 1 and after by the Census and Statistics Department. Access restrictions apply. Permission requests should be sent to:

The Records Officer

Statistics New Zealand

PO Box 2922

Wellington

These files, which are all restricted, include:

• list of French subjects registered as aliens 1918 to 1920 [ADTO 18998 STATS1 32 24/1/31 R18874778]

• list of Italian subjects registered as aliens 1918 to 1922 [ADTO 18998 STATS1 32 24/1/32 R18874779]

• list of Turkish subjects registered as aliens 1918 [ADTO 18998 STATS1 32 24/1/33 R18874780]

• list of Persians registered as aliens 1918 to 1922 [ADTO 18998 STATS1 32 24/1/34 R18874781]

• list of Swiss subjects registered as aliens 1918 to 1922 [ADTO 18998 STATS1 32 24/1/35]

• list of United States subjects registered as aliens 1918 [ADTO 18998 STATS1 32 24/1/36 R18874782]

• list of public servants registered as aliens 1918 [ADTO 18998 STATS1 32 24/1/39 R18874786]

• list of Chinese unregistered or without registration of Alien Certificates in Wellington at 1921 Census [ADTO 18998 STATS1 33 24/1/52 R18874794].

Regulation of aliens ceased in 1923 but resumed again under the Aliens Control Emergency Regulations 1939.

In July 1940 an Aliens Tribunal was established to investigate whether aliens should be interned and, if so, at what stage of the war. Records include:

• Aliens Tribunal classification register 1939 to 1940 [AAAC 495 W1566 1 R21921737]

• Aliens Tribunal for Western Samoa (general files and some individual case files) [ADSB 17613].

Individual case files are restricted for 100 years from the date of birth of the person documented in the file. Applications for privileged access to files within the restricted period should be made to the Chief Archivist, Archives New Zealand.

In October 1940 the Aliens Tribunal was replaced by regional Aliens Authorities. Authorities were private individuals, so few records were archived. What does exist includes:

• Aliens Authority Case Files 1941 to 1945 (664 files on Collections search listed by name) — R100/40 [ABGU W3777 7191]. Request permission from the Chief Archivist, Archives New Zealand.

• Indexes by Nationality c1939 to 1940 [ABGU W3777 7192] — Italian, Czechoslovakian, Russian nationals, Belgian, French and Luxembourg nationals, Swiss, Yugoslavian nationals, Polish, Dutch and Finnish nationals, Hungarian, German.

It also includes these records, all held in our Auckland archive:

• Aliens Authority Index Book 1940 to 1942 [BBAE 5652 1a R826709]

• reports on individual aliens [AFIV A217 13812]

• aliens register, Auckland 1939 to 1952 [BADW 24628].

By July 1942 some 4,000 people were identified for internment if invasion occurred. But only about 180 aliens were interned — mostly on Matiu/Somes Island, also in Pahīatua 1943 to 1944. Files are held for most aliens either registered or interned.

• Index to Alien Registrations [AAAC 959] — digitised records listed by name. Dates of birth recorded in this series may help in gaining access to individual files in series 489 and 493 if the birth date is more than 100 years ago.

• Personal files of aliens, enemy aliens and internees c1940 to 1947 [AAAR 493]. Access is restricted 100 years from the date of birth of the person documented or until the death of the person.

• Alien registration files created under the regulations of 1939 and not reregistered into the new system established after 1948. There are 7,758 files — 38 in Auckland, the rest in Wellington [

  AAAC 489].

Register of aliens 1939 to 1949 [CAHS 18307 R3535753] — held in our Christchurch archive.

Some departmental records include information on individual aliens, internees and prisoners of war. Others give context and background.

Army Department

• Files about aliens and foreign prisoners of war and internment [AAYS 8638 AD1 sub series 336/1, 336/2 and 336/3].

• This material includes a general file — Civilian Internees – Interned from Samoa [AAYS 8638 AD1 1379 336/1/37 R22439345].

External Affairs Department

ACIE 8798 EA1 sub series 89 covers a range of topics:

• general [ACIE 8798 EA1 sub-series 89/1]

• aliens [ACIE 8798 EA1 sub-series 89/2]

• internees [ACIE 8798 EA1 sub-series 89/3]

• prisoners of war in New Zealand [ACIE 8798 EA1 sub-series 89/4]

• female evacuee aliens [ACIE 8798 EA1 sub-series 89/5].

Health Department

• Somes Island – internment of enemy aliens 1939 to 1944 [ADBZ 16163 H1 1456 296 R20960813].

War Department (various files)

• Prisoner of War Camp, Featherston 1942 to 46 [WAII 2 (Boxes 22 to 26)].

• Internment Camp, Somes Island 1939 to 1945 [WAII 2 (Boxes 27 to 33)].

Registration of aliens continued after World War 2, initially under the same legislation and regulations as during the war.

The registration of aliens continued until the Citizenship Act 1977 when the term ‘alien’ was discarded and the focus placed on citizenship and residency.

Our Wellington archive holds files for individuals required to register as aliens under the Aliens Act 1948. A separate sequence of files was transferred to our Auckland archive in 2012. Some individuals will have files in both archives. Both are found in Series 504 and all are listed individually by name in Collections search. Access is restricted 100 years from the date of birth of the person documented or until the death of the person.

• [AAAC 504] for files held in Wellington.

• [BADW 504] for files held in Auckland.

A card index in 2 series — of all those deemed alien 1949 to 1977 — gives access to these alien files:

• all registered as aliens 1949 to 1977, but who were no longer recorded as aliens when the term was discarded in 1977 [AAAC 960]

• all still registered as aliens when the term was discarded in 1977 [AAAC 961].

In our Christchurch archive, we have the following.

• Indexes to registers of aliens 1949 to 1957 [CAHS 18306].

• Registers of aliens 1939 to 1957 [CAHZ 18307]. This series also includes the index of applications for registration of aliens [CAHX 18307 754 R22655051] and indexes for notifications of change of abode of alien [CAHX 18307 755 R22655052, CAHX 18307 756 R22655053]. These indexes contain names and reference numbers only.

• Ashburton Magistrate's Court index of applications under the Aliens Act 1948 to 1962 to 1966 [CBBI 24372 R23448327]. This index contains names and reference numbers only.

Other alien records

• Translations of letters and documents in European languages 1951 to 1967 [

  AAAC 990].

• Return of Aliens Convicted of Offences 1953 to 1959 [

  AAAB 434]. These files include records of convictions for all offences, not just those under the Aliens Act. Access is restricted until 100 years after the birth of the person documented or 40 years after death — whichever is sooner .

• Alien Index c1958 to c1966 [AAAB 988]. This index appears to record (alphabetically) the names and addresses of aliens working on the Roxburgh and Benmore hydro-electric schemes.

• Aliens Index (Hastings) 1961 to 1966 (names only) [AAMW W3155/15 R20176688].

Our records for Chinese are mainly alien and naturalisation files, and immigration records from Labour Department archives. There are usually no immigration records for Chinese labourers, first arriving in 1866, as they were not ‘assisted’ immigrants.

The Chinese Immigrants Act 1881 levied a £10 entry or poll (head) tax on Chinese newcomers. The Act limited each ship to one Chinese passenger per 10 tons of the ship’s weight.

Poll tax payment allowed Chinese to land and gain permanent residency. They were classed as aliens apart from a few who were naturalised — often people who already spoke English before arrival.

Many further Acts restricted Chinese immigration to New Zealand, such as the raising of the poll tax to £100 in 1896. The ability of Chinese to become British citizens in New Zealand through naturalisation was removed in 1908.

The poll tax was abolished in 1944. In 1951 the government permitted the naturalisation of Chinese in New Zealand again.

Read more about Chinese poll tax certificates at Archives New Zealand

Some records were destroyed in the Hope Gibbons fire in 1952. The following existing records are specifically concerned with Chinese.

Labour Department records [ACGV Series 8836, 8837, 8838, 8839, 8840, 8841, 8842, 8843 (former record groups L24 to 31)] can provide information on Chinese migration. Access may be restricted.

The most useful records from this series are:

• Wellington alien entry and re-entry certificates and registers, sometimes called ‘poll-tax books’. 35 unindexed volumes cover May 1888 to December 1930 in chronological order of arrival [ACGV 8836 L24] — digitised

• Auckland re-entry certificates for the years 1906 to 1930, 1932 to 1934, 1939 — held at our Wellington archive and searchable by name on Collections search [ACGV 8840 L28] — digitised

• alien re-entry certificate index books give access to Auckland re-entry certificates above [ACGV 8842 L30]

• alien re-entry certificate registers are linked to the above [8840 & 8842] for 1932 to 1955, but also include some information on Wellington departures and arrivals of Chinese 1900 to 1955 [ACGV 8841 L29].

• Auckland Registration Certificates (indexed), with photographs and fingerprints, of Chinese people who were required to pay the poll tax 1902 to 1918 [BBAO 5575]— digitised

• Auckland Chinese poll tax certificate butts, some include fingerprints, for 1882 to 1928 [AANK 24728] — digitised.

The Christchurch District Office of the Department of Labour, Immigration Division [CH6] and [CH551] hold alien and immigration records. Many of these records relate to Chinese – check for the person's name on Collections search.

• Certificates of Registration under the Immigration Restriction Acts, for 1900 to 1957 [CAHJ 28620], used to grant re-entry into New Zealand for immigrants travelling outside of the country.

• Permanent Entry Files 1974 to 1976 [CAHJ CH551 1 R1360417 and CAHJ CH551 2 R1360418]. These files are not indexed.

• Records from the Customs Department, Greymouth District Office [CH61] cover applications for residency permits, certificates of registration and naturalisation.

• Chinese immigration 1928 to 1952 [CAHT CH61 22/1/1 R16953792]. This file includes certificates of registration.

• Immigration: other than Chinese 1926 to 1954 [CAHT CH61 22/1/2 R16953793]. This file includes certificates of registration.

The Department of Customs, Dunedin District Office, archives hold alien records which include many Chinese (and some others who were not British). Names can be found on Collections search.

• Certificates of Registration of Aliens, 1904 to 1955 [DADF 19064] — digitised records.

• Customs Service files 1887 to 1972 include many Chinese and others — often students — from overseas [DADF 19039] — restricted 60 years from date of closure.

• Wardens’ Court records also include information on Chinese in the goldfields.