General Information
- The awarding of permanent residence (PR) can be made every 3 years as outlined in the Cook Islands Immigration Act 2021.
- The most recent PR applications process closed on Monday 4th July 2022.
- Review the criteria below to determine which category is best suited to you.
- For more immigration information, please visit our Immigration page.
Criteria for grant of permanent residence in own right
- A person applying for permanent residence under regulation 10 must––
- be aged 18 years or older at the time the application is made; and
- 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
- provide evidence, acceptable to the principal immigration officer, of having lived continuously in the Cook Islands,––
- in the case of an applicant who is not a New Zealand citizen, for at least 10 years: and
- in the case of a New Zealand citizen, for at least 5 years; and
- 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):
- provide at least 4 statutory declarations in support of the application, including at least 1 from each of the following persons:
- an Aronga-mana in the person’s village of primary residence:
- an official from a community organisation for which the applicant has completed voluntary service:
- a member of the Cook Islands community who is not an immediate family member or a business associate of the applicant:
- 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:
- comply with the requirements in these regulations to––
- provide original or certified copies of all documents; and
- translate documents not in English into English; and
- provide acceptable evidence of identity; and
- provide acceptable evidence that the person is of good character.
- 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).
Criteria for grant of permanent residence on spouse ground
A person applying for permanent residence under regulation 20 must––
- be married to, or in a de facto relationship with, a Cook Islander or permanent resident; and
- 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
- provide evidence acceptable to the principal immigration officer of having lived continuously in the Cook Islands,––
- in the case of an applicant who is not a New Zealand citizen, for at least 10 years; and
- in the case of an applicant who is a New Zealand citizen, for at least 5 years; and
- provide evidence acceptable to the principal immigration officer that––
- the applicant is married to or in a de facto relationship with a Cook Islander or permanent resident; and
- the relationship is genuine and stable; and
- provide evidence acceptable to the principal immigration officer that the marriage or de facto relationship is of at least 5 years duration; and
- 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
- comply with the requirements in these regulations to––
- provide original or certified copies of all documents; and
- translate documents not in English into English; and
- provide acceptable evidence of identity; and
- provide acceptable evidence that the person is of good character
Criteria for permanent residence by eligible children
- A person applying for the grant of permanent residence under regulation 25 must—
- be under the age of 18 years at the date of application; and
- 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
- be single (that is, not married or in a de facto relationship); and
- provide evidence, acceptable to the principal immigration officer, that the applicant is a dependent child of a Cook Islander or permanent resident; and
- have lived continuously in the Cook Islands for the past 5 years with a parent or guardian; and
- provide––
- an original or certified copy of a birth certificate showing the names of 1 or both of the child’s parents; or
- an original or certified copy of adoption papers showing that the child has been legally adopted by a parent or guardian; or
- an original or certified copy of a parenting order that has force in the Cook Islands; and
- comply with the requirements in these regulations to––
- provide original or certified copies of all documents; and
- translate documents not in English into English; and
- provide acceptable evidence of identity.
Permanent resident by descent
- Application for recognition as permanent resident by descent
- A person may apply, at any time, to the principal immigration officer to be recognised for official purposes as a permanent resident by descent.
- An applicant under this regulation must––
- complete an application form approved by the principal immigration officer; and
- 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
-
comply with the requirements in these regulations to––
- provide original or certified copies of all documents; and
- translate documents not in English into English;
- provide acceptable evidence of identity
Please contact us to request an application.