Using NZ Realm countries to meet residence criteria for NZ Super and Veteran's Pension

Being resident in a realm country means you permanently made your home in the realm country. In most cases, you'll be resident in a realm country if you lived there on a permanent basis for the required number of years.

In other cases, we may need to consider other things to work out if you've been resident in a realm country. To do this, we'll look at your involvement in the realm country's society, e.g. your:

• employment
• community activities
• club memberships, and
• local churches.

To work this out, we'll look at if you were physically in the realm country for the required number of years. If you left the realm country, you weren't physically present in that realm country for that period of time.

For example, if you went on holiday for:

• 25 days, you weren't physically present in the realm country for 25 days. This means you would need to have lived in the realm country for an extra 25 days to make up what is required
• 14 days every year for 10 years, that's 140 days in total. This means you weren't physically present in the realm country for 140 days. So you would need to have lived in the realm country for an extra 140 days to make up what is required.

Moved to the Cook Island at 25

You were born in NZ on 12 May 1978. At age 25 you moved to the Cook Islands and you still live there. You apply for NZ Super (from the Cook Islands) when you turn 65.

Based on your date of birth, you must have lived in NZ for at least 20 years from age 20. The 20 years must include 5 years from age 50. To meet the residence criteria, you can use the time you've lived in the Cook Islands.

Of the 20 years, you must have lived:

• at least 10 years in NZ, and
• the rest of the years in NZ or the Cook Islands.

In this example, you have:

• 5 years living in NZ from age 20-25
• 40 years living in the Cook Islands from age 25-65.

You would not meet the residence criteria as you have only lived in NZ for 5 years from age 20.

Moved to Tokelau at 30

You were born in NZ on 12 May 1963. You moved to Tokelau at age 30. You move back to NZ at age 65 and apply for NZ Super.

Based on your date of birth, you must have lived in NZ for at least 12 years from age 20. The 12 years must include 5 years from age 50. To meet the residence criteria, you can use the time you've lived in Tokelau.

Of the 12 years you must have lived:

• at least 10 years in NZ
• the rest of the years in NZ or Tokelau.

In this example, you have:

• 10 years living in NZ from age 20-30, and
• 35 years living in Tokelau from age 30-65.

This means you meet the residence criteria for NZ Super because you have:

• 10 years living in NZ and
• the rest of the years living in Tokelau. This includes the 5 years over 50.

Moved to Niue at 60

You were born in NZ on 1 February 1979. You moved to Niue at age 60. You apply for NZ Super from Niue when you turn 65.

Based on your date of birth, you must have lived in NZ for at least 20 years from age 20. The 20 years must include 5 years from age 50. To meet the residence criteria, you can use the time you've lived in Niue.

These 20 years must be made up of:

• at least 10 years living in NZ
• the other 10 years living in NZ or Niue.

In this example, you have:

• 40 years living in NZ from age 20-60, and
• 5 years living in Niue from age 60-65.

This means you meet the residence criteria for NZ Super because you have:

• 10 years living in NZ and
• the rest of the years living in NZ and Niue. This includes the 5 years over 50.