Australia to fast track citizenship for New Zealanders

Australia has announced plans to marque it easier for hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders surviving successful the state to go Australian citizens.

From 1 July, they tin use for citizenship arsenic agelong arsenic they person lived successful Australia for 4 years oregon much and arrived aft 2001.

They volition besides nary longer request to use for imperishable residency archetypal to beryllium eligible for citizenship.

New Zealand has campaigned for betterment since visa rules toughened successful 2001.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the announcement connected Saturday, a time up of a sojourn by his New Zealand counterpart Chris Hipkins.

"We cognize galore New Zealanders are present connected a peculiar class visa portion raising families, moving and gathering their lives successful Australia. So I americium arrogant to connection the benefits that citizenship provides," Mr Albanese said successful a statement.

It is expected to impact up to 350,000 New Zealanders presently residing successful Australia.

New Zealand's Chris Hipkins, who is owed to sojourn Brisbane connected Sunday, hailed the changes arsenic "the biggest betterment successful the rights of New Zealanders surviving successful Australia successful a generation".

It besides "restores the rights Kiwis had successful Australia earlier they were revoked successful 2001," helium said successful a statement.

New Zealand has agelong been calling for these changes since visa rules for their nationals surviving successful Australia were toughened much than 2 decades ago.

In 2001, a peculiar class visa was introduced restricting New Zealanders' entree to definite wellness and payment support.

It besides required them to use for imperishable residency earlier seeking citizenship - an often lengthy and costly process.

New Zealander Scott Bowley says helium and his Swedish wife, who unrecorded successful Melbourne with their 2 children, were blessed to perceive the quality overnight. The changes mean helium and his household would person entree to authorities assistance - specified arsenic unemployment benefits - aft becoming citizens.

"It takes distant a level of uncertainty and if you bash autumn connected hard times, you tin thin connected the authorities a spot more," helium tells the BBC.

He says his 2nd child, who was calved past December, volition present besides automatically beryllium entitled to Australian citizenship.

Fellow New Zealander Nicole Westrupp, who works astatine a children's infirmary successful Melbourne, says she had fixed up trying to get imperishable residency owed to her aesculapian relation being considered excessively niche and the thousands of dollars it outgo to apply.

"There was nary way for maine until now," she tells the BBC. The changes mean she tin present get entree to other enactment if needed, specified arsenic lodging grants, but it besides means she is eligible to vote.

"Up until present I haven't been capable to ballot and I consciousness passionately astir voting - I unrecorded present and wage taxes but can't person a accidental implicit who runs the country."

Authorities successful Australia accidental the changes present enactment the rights of New Zealanders surviving successful Australia connected a level playing tract with Australians surviving successful New Zealand.

About 670,000 New Zealanders presently unrecorded successful Australia, with astir 70,000 Australians successful New Zealand.