An in-person citizenship test is being implemented from late 2027. Photo / 123RF
People will get six attempts to pass a new citizenship test before having to withdraw their application, or have it go before the Minister of Internal Affairs, new documents show.
The Government plans to impose the test from late next year, with applicants having to get 15 out of 20 multiple-choice questions correct on New Zealand history, politics and laws.
Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden said the citizenship test “ensures people have sufficient knowledge of their responsibilities and privileges”.
Documents attached as part of a Request For Information for the new test give more details about how the policy is expected to be implemented.
Papers prepared by the Department of Internal Affairs, for interested companies and providers, state the 20 multiple-choice questions will be randomly selected from a wider pool.
Applicants will be given 45 minutes to complete their answers, and need to score at least 75% to pass.
Testing is also planned to be administered in person, with exemptions in some specific cases.
The main RFI document also confirms applicants will be given three attempts to pass before a blackout period of 30 working days before their next attempt.
After the waiting period, applicants will have a further three attempts.
“Applicants who continued to not pass the test on the sixth attempt would be referred back to the Department, to either withdraw their citizenship application, or have their application considered directly by the Minister of Internal Affairs,” the document said.
Officials wrote data from comparable countries, with similar tests, report overall passing rates being above 90%, with at least 80% of applicants passing the test on their first try.
“Those who do not pass on the first attempt can take up to four attempts to successfully pass,” the document said, and confirmed the DIA was “planning for similar pass rates”.
The document said an in-person testing model was intended to ensure confidence in the identity of the person taking the test, strong controls over test conditions, and assurance that applicants are demonstrating their own knowledge.
The Government agency stated it was interested in hearing from organisations that deliver in-person testing at scale, operate in environments requiring identity verification, and can meet Government-grade security and privacy requirements.
A table was also prepared as part of the document, showing expectations of roughly how many people would take the test, based on regions around the country.
It showed the Auckland region was expected to have the most tests – and predicted more tests in the first financial year, 2027-28, of the policy.
In a statement, the Department of Internal Affairs said the RFI reflects the Cabinet paper where test settings were outlined – and said that document would be released in due course.
“The department advised the Minister of Internal Affairs on design settings for the test, which were agreed by the minister,” DIA said.
The agency added it looked at approaches used in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada, and examined the number of questions, passing rates, exemption categories, and delivery.
“In terms of finality, Cabinet agreed to introduce the test and was informed of the test settings, including the matters in the RFI.”
Van Velden said she asked officials to begin working on the test last year, and added they provided advice on how it could be done.
“The design we’ve landed on is what I approved.”
The Department of Internal Affairs has previously said the cost of implementing and administering the test will be covered by fees, with the test fee likely to be separate from the application fee.
The agency also said it was “likely” an external provider would be contracted.
Azaria Howell is a multimedia reporter working from Parliament’s press gallery. She joined NZME in 2022 and became a Newstalk ZB political reporter in late 2024, with a keen interest in public service agency reform and government spending.