Work opportunities, education and family are some of the reasons people choose to leave the Pacific Islands and start a new life in New Zealand, and many have found New Zealand a great place to live, work and raise families.

We welcome a number of citizens of Kiribati, Tuvalu and Tonga (including their partners and dependent children) to settle in New Zealand each year under the Pacific Access Category.

How to apply

The Pacific Access Category is run by ballot. You can only apply for residence under this category if your registration is drawn from the ballot.

Registration for the ballot

To be eligible to make an application for residence under the Pacific Access Category, you must lodge a registration during the official registration period each year. The 2011 registration period is from 4 April to 30 April 2011.

Who can register for the Pacific Access Category?

To register for the Pacific Access Category (PAC) the principal registrant (the person who signs the registration form and who would be the principal applicant if invited to apply for residence) must:

• be a citizen of one of the PAC countries – Kiribati, Tuvalu or Tonga; and
• have been born in their PAC country, or born overseas to a PAC country citizen who was born in that PAC country; and
• register for the ballot for their PAC country’s quota within the official registration period; and
• be aged 18 to 45 years at the registration closing date.

Please note: If you are in New Zealand you must be in New Zealand lawfully to register.