Permanent Resident Criteria

1. A person applying for permanent residence under regulation 10 must––
   1. be aged 18 years or older at the time the application is made; and
   2. provide evidence, acceptable to the principal immigration officer, that the person has a valid permit or is otherwise lawfully entitled to live in the Cook Islands; and
   3. provide evidence, acceptable to the principal immigration officer, of having lived continuously in the Cook Islands,––
      1. in the case of an applicant who is not a New Zealand citizen, for at least 10 years: and
      2. in the case of a New Zealand citizen, for at least 5 years; and
   4. provide evidence, acceptable to the principal immigration officer, of having completed the Kia Orana Values programme (or any similar programme offered by a government education provider or registered primary school, recommended by the Department):
   5. provide at least 4 statutory declarations in support of the application, including at least 1 from each of the following persons:
      1. an Aronga-mana in the person’s village of primary residence:
      2. an official from a community organisation for which the applicant has completed voluntary service:
      3. a member of the Cook Islands community who is not an immediate family member or a business associate of the applicant:
   6. provide evidence, acceptable to the principal immigration officer, of having completed at least 312 hours of community service in the 5-year period before lodging the application for permanent residence:
   7. comply with the requirements in these regulations to––
      1. provide original or certified copies of all documents; and
      2. translate documents not in English into English; and
      3. provide acceptable evidence of identity; and
      4. provide acceptable evidence that the person is of good character.
2. In subclause (1)(f), community service means voluntary service to a community organisation, acceptable to the chief immigration officer (for example, being an officer-holder in a church, community, or sports group, or a non-governmental organisation).

A person applying for permanent residence under regulation 20 must––

1. be married to, or in a de facto relationship with, a Cook Islander or permanent resident; and
2. provide evidence, acceptable to the principal immigration officer, that the person has a valid permit or is otherwise lawfully entitled to live in the Cook Islands; and
3. provide evidence acceptable to the principal immigration officer of having lived continuously in the Cook Islands,––
   1. in the case of an applicant who is not a New Zealand citizen, for at least 10 years; and
   2. in the case of an applicant who is a New Zealand citizen, for at least 5 years; and
4. provide evidence acceptable to the principal immigration officer that––
   1. the applicant is married to or in a de facto relationship with a Cook Islander or permanent resident; and
   2. the relationship is genuine and stable; and
5. provide evidence acceptable to the principal immigration officer that the marriage or de facto relationship is of at least 5 years duration; and
6. provide evidence acceptable to the principal immigration officer of the applicant having completed the Kia Orana Values programme (or any similar programme offered by a government education provider or registered primary school, recommended by the Department); and
7. comply with the requirements in these regulations to––
   1. provide original or certified copies of all documents; and
   2. translate documents not in English into English; and
   3. provide acceptable evidence of identity; and
   4. provide acceptable evidence that the person is of good character

1. A person applying for the grant of permanent residence under regulation 25 must—
   1. be under the age of 18 years at the date of application; and
   2. provide evidence, acceptable to the principal immigration officer, that the person has a valid permit or is otherwise lawfully entitled to live in the Cook Islands; and
   3. be single (that is, not married or in a de facto relationship); and
   4. provide evidence, acceptable to the principal immigration officer, that the applicant is a dependent child of a Cook Islander or permanent resident; and
   5. have lived continuously in the Cook Islands for the past 5 years with a parent or guardian; and
   6. provide––
      1. an original or certified copy of a birth certificate showing the names of 1 or both of the child’s parents; or
      2. an original or certified copy of adoption papers showing that the child has been legally adopted by a parent or guardian; or
      3. an original or certified copy of a parenting order that has force in the Cook Islands; and
   7. comply with the requirements in these regulations to––
      1. provide original or certified copies of all documents; and
      2. translate documents not in English into English; and
      3. provide acceptable evidence of identity.

29. Application for recognition as permanent resident by descent
    1. A person may apply, at any time, to the principal immigration officer to be recognised for official purposes as a permanent resident by descent.
    2. An applicant under this regulation must––
       1. complete an application form approved by the principal immigration officer; and
       2. provide documents (for example, adoption papers) that satisfy the principal immigration officer that the applicant should be recognised as a permanent resident by descent (see Article 76A of the Constitution (amended by the Constitution Amendment (No. 29) Act 2021); and
       3. comply with the requirements in these regulations to––
          1. provide original or certified copies of all documents; and
          2. translate documents not in English into English;
          3. provide acceptable evidence of identity
             Please contact us to request an application.