3 September 2021 | Read a plain text version of this newsletter

Monitoring of COVID-19 alert levels

COVID-19 is in the community again and alert levels will continue to change regionally across NZ. We ask that you continue to monitor the situation and follow public health guidance on how to proceed safely. 

Based on current alert levels:

• Alert Level 3 or 4: ceremonies are cancelled.
• Alert Level 2: ceremonies can go ahead if your council considers it safe and will follow public health guidance.
• Alert Level 1: ceremonies can go ahead.

Decision to cancel a ceremony

Councils can cancel (or if unable to schedule) ceremonies due to public health, safety or operational capability reasons (for example, due to COVID-19 restrictions).

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) will cancel ceremonies nationally or regionally in response to the information provided by the Ministry of Health. If DIA cancels the ceremony (rather than postponing it), the candidates become citizens (can get a passport etc.) and could be invited by the council to a celebratory ceremony at a later date.

When a ceremony is cancelled

We will liaise with you to confirm the cancellation and we will send emails to all candidates that say:

As you are aware  New Zealand is currently at Alert Level 4 and as such the Council have decided to cancel the ceremony.

Where ceremonies are cancelled due to COVID,  candidates will become citizens on the date their ceremony was due to take place with no requirement to attend a ceremony.

Once the Council can return to their office they will send your Citizenship Certificate to us and we will courier this to you.

This could take up to 4 weeks from when we receive it.

If your mailing address has changed could you please let us know.

Some councils are choosing to:

• retain the certificates and ask the candidates to pick them up when it is safe to do so.
• are phoning candidates.

What if a Customer needs the certificate for a Passport

We can provide the Citizenship number from the certificate for those needing it to apply for a Passport.

Payments

If we have invited candidates to a ceremony which is cancelled we will pay the normal fees.

Celebratory Ceremonies

Some councils have been hosting celebratory events for candidates whose certificates have been couriered to them.

Councils need to invite the candidates themselves. DIA is not involved other than supplying their contact details.  This could be as part of the next ceremony or a special ceremony just for them.

DIA pays the normal fee for these events for candidates who attended unless we have already made a payment based on them being invited to a cancelled ceremony. Councils need to email CitizenshipCeremonies@dia.govt.nz a list of names for those who attended to get the payment.

Busy places and events

All workplaces and businesses legally must display an NZ COVID Tracer QR code for each location. This applies at all Alert Levels.

On 22 August, the Government announced that recording keeping will become a requirement for people aged 12 and over at all Alert Levels for busy places and events. This is so contact tracing can happen quickly and may help prevent Alert Level changes.

For more information refer to https://covid19.govt.nz/business-and-money/

New Governor-General in October

Dame Cindy Kiro will take up the role as the next Governor-General of New Zealand in October.

The Choice Whiriwhiria video, which councils can play at citizenship ceremonies, features commentary from Her Excellency the Governor-General and the Minister of Internal Affairs. The video highlights the value that new citizens bring to New Zealand, and encourages people to not only retain pride in their origins, but also to commit to their new country.

A transitional version of the video will be made available that only includes commentary from the Minister of Internal Affairs until a message can be recorded from the new Governor-General.

The Choice Whiriwhiria video is available to download from the Public Sector Intranet at www.psi.govt.nz/home/guidance/guidance-for-citizenship-ceremonies/.

We will let you know when the transitional video is available to download via this newsletter.

Oath cards

We are no longer printing oath or affirmation cards.

While we have already run out of affirmation cards, we do have some oath cards left. If your council would like to receive some of our remaining stock of oath cards email CitizenshipCeremonies@dia.govt.nz

The oath or affirmation can be downloaded from the Public Sector Intranet at www.psi.govt.nz/home/guidance/guidance-for-citizenship-ceremonies/