Citizenship ceremony, 1977

Citizenship ceremony, 1977

This image shows new citizens at a ceremony in Wellington in 1977. After an immigration policy review in 1974 British migrants had to apply for a permit like all other people intending to enter New Zealand. And in 1977 a new citizenship act removed the long-standing distinction between people from Commonwealth and other countries who wanted to become citizens of New Zealand. From that time all those who applied for citizenship had to meet the same requirements regarding length of residence in New Zealand, character, and knowledge of the English language.