In 2025, we welcomed 376 new kiwi citizens to our Tasman community.
This is a much higher number than previous years, and as a result, we held nine events, as opposed to the usual four. And this is no flash in the pan – we have already booked six citizenship ceremonies for 2026!
Citizenship ceremonies are managed by the Mayor’s office and are held at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church Hall in Richmond.
Some of those to take the oath are recent arrivals, but we also have many who have called New Zealand home for a number of years already.
Originally from the Canadian city of Vancouver, Helen Lane has lived in Tasman for 19 years now, after being taken by New Zealand’s charm on a previous visit to our shores.
“It just seemed a really nice place to live and raise a family – that relaxed lifestyle and connection to nature.”
The August 2025 ceremony, she said, was super touching and quite an emotional day.
It’s not only friends and family who come to support our new citizens. Elected Members, kaumātua, a kapa haka performance from local schools, the Police, and Multicultural Nelson Tasman are on hand to show that there’s a friendly wider network of people behind them in their community.
These are occasions that we love being a part of – not just to share in a special moment but also because it demonstrates that Tasman is a place that people will come from all parts of the world – be it Germany, South Africa, United Kingdom, India, Australia, USA, Sri Lanka, or Chile – to live, work, and play.