Residents » Certificates & Licences » Birth Certificate & Registration

A child born in New Zealand automatically becomes a citizen if either parent is a citizen or permanent resident. Otherwise a child is not eligible for citizenship. Once your baby is born you have two months to register the birth. A 'notification of birth registration' form is typically provided to parents shortly after birth at the hospital where the child was born. This has to be be completed and return to Births, Deaths and Marriages (address available at www.dia.govt.nz). This registration is free, but you pay $26 for a birth certificate, which you can order on the registration form. The Department of Internal Affairs keeps all the birth, death, marriage and civil union details, so you can ask for duplicate copies of the birth certificate at any stage. There are no specific religious laws regarding childbirth and parents do not have to be married.