23 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Internal Affairs

23 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Internal Affairs: Does the Minister consider that a time frame of more than three years is delivering “good service” to Citizenship by Grant applicants?

Hon Brooke van Velden: I consider that the decision-making process should, in most cases, take considerably less than three years, and under this Government wait times have reached a new low. I am advised by the Department of Internal Affairs (Department) that average turnaround times are 55 days, down from 180 days in October 2023. I am also advised by the (Department) that, in rare cases, some applications may take longer. This generally occurs when an applicant does not meet the standard requirements for a grant of citizenship, when the Department is required to wait for the results of external checks, when further information is needed from the applicant, or when a report must be prepared for me to exercise a discretion. I have been closely monitoring progress in reducing the average wait times for applicants for citizenship by grant and asked the Department to focus on the oldest applications. This sustained focus on delivering efficient government services has produced the shortest citizenship wait times in five years.