In order to become a NZ resident/citizen, your child must be adopted by you through a process recognised by NZ law.
Therefore, before the process of adoption begins, the adoptive parents must contact Child Youth and Family Services and Department of Internal Affairs to ensure the process complies with all relevant New Zealand laws.
By doing this, you can avoid any legal issues with your documentation, and ensure a smoother process for your child.
Once the adoption process is completed, the child can then apply to become a resident or a citizen of NZ, based on the following:
If the adoptive parent is a NZ citizen, please contact Department of Internal Affairs, for details on obtaining NZ citizenship by descent
If the adoptive parent is a NZ resident, please refer to the policy and process for obtaining residence as a Dependent Child
If you wish to bring your child to NZ before their residence is granted, the visitor or student visa instructions will apply to the child.
Children aged under 14 years of age, adopted by New Zealand citizens, must be approved NZ citizenship before they can travel to New Zealand.
The Department of Internal Affairs handles all citizenship application and can be contacted for forms and country specific information and timeframes.
This answer was last updated on 17 December, 2012.