How to Count Your NZ Presence Days for Citizenship
A step-by-step guide to calculating your physical presence days for the NZ citizenship application — including what counts, what does not, and how to use your travel records.
The Presence Requirement
To be eligible for NZ citizenship by grant, you must have been physically present in New Zealand for:
- At least 1,260 days in the 5 years immediately before your application
- At least 240 days in each of the last 3 years
Both requirements must be met.
What Counts as a "Day"
- Any day you were physically present in New Zealand at any point counts as a full day
- The day you depart New Zealand does not count
- The day you arrive back in New Zealand does count
Example: If you leave NZ on Monday and return on Friday, you lose Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Friday counts. You lose 4 days total.
What Does NOT Count
- Days spent outside New Zealand — including short holidays
- Days before you held a permanent resident visa
- Days during which your visa was not valid
How to Get Your Travel Records
DIA uses Immigration New Zealand's arrival/departure records to verify your presence. You can request your own records from Immigration NZ to check your count.
Go to: immigration.govt.nz → Manage your visa → Request travel history
Tips for Calculating Your Days
- Request your full travel history from Immigration NZ
- List every departure and return date
- For each overseas trip, count the days away (excluding the return day)
- Subtract total overseas days from the 5-year total
- Check that each of the last 3 calendar years meets the 240-day minimum
Use our Presence Calculator tool on this site to do this automatically.
Common Mistakes
- Counting the departure day — it does not count
- Forgetting short trips — even a 3-day trip to Australia reduces your count
- Not checking the 3-year rule — you must meet 240 days every year for the last 3 years, not just the 5-year total
When to Apply
Apply as soon as you meet the requirements. Do not wait to accumulate extra days — they do not carry forward and processing takes months.
This guide is for educational purposes. DIA's official calculation may differ. Always verify at dia.govt.nz.
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