Citizenship for sale?

Two high-profile cases have raised questions about the exceptional circumstances provisions allowing foreigners who fail citizenship criteria to become Kiwis anyway.

Peter Thiel

The American tech billionaire became a New Zealand resident in 2006 and was granted citizenship in 2011 under the ‘‘exceptional circumstances’’ provision. The citizenship only came to light this year after journalist Matt Nippert questioned how he had bought a Lake Wanaka estate without Overseas Investment Office approval. Thiel failed all citizenship residency criteria, having spent just 12 days here over five years (compared with the standard minimum 1350 days) and having no intention to live here in the future. Then Minister of Internal Affairs, Nathan Guy, granted citizenship in the ‘‘public interest’’, based on his investments in New Zealand ventures and a $1 million donation to the Canterbury rebuild.

Bill Liu/Yong Ming Yan/Yang Liu/William Yan

This Chinese millionaire used four different names and several birth dates came to New Zealand in 2001 and was granted permanent residency in 2002. Known to his MP mates as Bill Liu, he donated $5000 to both Labour and National during the 2005 election. By May 2005 he had applied for citizenship, but a month later Chinese authorities accused him of embezzlement. His Australian bank accounts were frozen and $4 million sent to the Chinese Government. The allegations spurred New Zealand immigration officials to suggest revoking his permanent residency. Instead, in 2008 he was granted citizenship, after then Labour Party minister Shane Jones overruled Internal Affairs officials, who said he did not meet the good character test