Refugees and protected persons

A refugee or a protected person who first became resident and present in New Zealand before the age of 45 will need to meet the standard residence and presence requirement for their date of birth.

Refugees or protected persons who first became resident and present in New Zealand from the age of 45 may have a different residence requirement to other New Zealanders.

This will depend on their date of birth and the age they first became resident and present in New Zealand.

Refugees and protected persons may be able to use periods of residence and presence and/or contributions to a social security scheme in a Reciprocal Agreement country to meet the residence and presence requirement.

For a refugee or protected person who first became resident and present in New Zealand from the age of 45 to 54 years (inclusive), the total time they will need to meet the residential requirement is determined by the relevant date that applies to them.

The relevant date means:

• the date the client first became both resident and present in New Zealand, regardless of when they became a recognised refugee or protected person

Dual calculations need to be completed to determine the residency requirement that applies. These are:

• the difference in days from the relevant date to the date the client turns 65 (both dates inclusive) and
• the number of years a client needs to meet the standard residence and presence requirement in New Zealand based on their date of birth

The lesser of these 2 calculations will be the total time needed by this client to meet the residence and presence requirement.

Kira, aged 48 years and 2 months, arrives in New Zealand on 1 June 2025, seeking asylum on arrival.

Her date of birth is 1 April 1977 and she became a recognised protected person on 1 June 2026.

A refugee or protected person who first became resident and present in New Zealand from 55 years old or over (inclusive) must:

• have been resident and present in New Zealand for 10 years from the age of 20

and

• have been resident and present in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau or a combination of these, for at least 5 years from the age of 50

and

• be a New Zealand citizen or have a residence class visa under the Immigration Act 2009 or
• be deemed to hold a residence class visa in New Zealand under the Immigration Act 2009

and

• be ordinarily resident in New Zealand on the date of application (except when the client is applying from the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau under Special Portability)

If a refugee or a protected person does not meet the residency qualifications for New Zealand Superannuation or has not been granted New Zealand residence, they may be able to get a main benefit.

If a refugee or a protected person is not able to get another main benefit, an Emergency Benefit may be considered on the grounds of hardship.