He’s descended from a Treaty signatory, an All Black and the ‘Voice of New Zealand’, but John Bryers Ruddock can't get his kids New Zealand citizenship - so he's taking legal action.

John himself was born overseas and was dismayed to discover there was no easy way to secure Kiwi citizenship for his US-born children, in part because he was born offshore.

He says it would have been easier to get approved if he was coming in as a migrant - and it feels 'unconstitutional'.

"Because I'm not on a visa or applying for a visa myself, they all get charged individually. So normally, say, if I had 20 kids and I was here on a visa or applying for my residence visa, it would cost me $3200 for being all my dependent children. But because I'm a citizen and not on a visa, they charge them individually."

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He’s descended from a Treaty signatory, an All Black and the ‘Voice of New Zealand’, but John Bryers Ruddock can't get his kids New Zealand citizenship - so he's taking legal action.
John himself was born overseas and was dismayed to discover there was no easy way to secure Kiwi citizenship for his US-born children, in part because he was born offshore.
He says it would have been easier to get approved if he was coming in as a migrant - and it feels 'unconstitutional'.
"Because I'm not on a visa or applying for a visa myself, they all get charged individually. So normally, say, if I had 20 kids and I was here on a visa or applying for my residence visa, it would cost me $3200 for being all my dependent children. But because I'm a citizen and not on a visa, they charge them individually."
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

John Bryers Ruddock: Kiwi dad born overseas on the process of getting his kids citizenship

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b83f417e-5f1f-45e7-985d-b3390053965c/transcript