# find a nz passport for a nz citizen



## richardkate

Please , if anyone can help me before i move to Christchurch with my familly. I need to find some help to complete the trip of my life.
Tks guys
Richard


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## topcat83

richardkate said:


> Please , if anyone can help me before i move to Christchurch with my familly. I need to find some help to complete the trip of my life.
> Tks guys
> Richard


That's a bit of a general statement.
And I don't understand the title of your post either. 
Do you have any specific questions?


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## richardkate

Yes i am a nz citizen born in France and before to come for live in christchurch with my familly i have to find a witness in order to complete my nz passport application.
Unfortunatly, i do not know anyone who can act as a witness because i lived all my life in france until now, so i am looking for one person who can understand me. 
Tks


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## Liam(at)Large

So, you are a NZ citizen by descent? Your witness does not have to be from New Zealand. How is the test of your family travelling to NZ (what visa)?


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## richardkate

Hi, yes i am a nz citizen by descent, my mother was born in Christchurch, 
I have everything but i miss the witness to get my passport from London nz ambassy and they told me by phone the witness has to get a nz passport ( new law i beleive from 2012)


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## richardkate

My wife will get a spouse visa and i will don't need visa cause i am nz citizen


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## Liam(at)Large

Has your citizenship by descent already been applied for?

I guess you will have to supply a statutory declaration signed by an authorized witness explaining that.

You don't need to get your NZ passport to travel there if you are citizen by descent.


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## escapedtonz

richardkate said:


> Hi, yes i am a nz citizen by descent, my mother was born in Christchurch,
> I have everything but i miss the witness to get my passport from London nz ambassy and they told me by phone the witness has to get a nz passport ( new law i beleive from 2012)


Yes you are quite right. Your witness for your application for a new adult NZ passport must hold a valid NZ passport, amongst other criteria. They must also :-

be 16 years of age or older.
have known you for 1 year or more.
have a daytime telephone number in case The Department Of Internal Affairs need to call them.
be prepared to provide details such as their date of birth and home address.

Your witness cannot be a relative, spouse/partner or live at the same address as you.

If you don't know anyone who meets the criteria then I fear you are ineligible to apply - which appears to be where you are, at the moment.
What about friends of your Mum who may still be in NZ, local priest/clergy etc who may have known you as a child.
The criteria states your witness needs to have known you for a year or more, but what it doesnt say is it must have been the last year - could have been the year between you being aged 2 to 3 for example ???


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## Liam(at)Large

OP does not need a NZ passport to travel to or live in NZ, only proof of NZ citizenship (there's a citizenship by descent certificate), you can also apply to get a travel advice put in your current passport so you don't have issues with airlines and immigration if traveling on a one way ticket.


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