Cook Islands wants its own passport. New Zealand says no

Cook Islanders are citizens of New Zealand, which oversees the island's foreign affairs and defence.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersCook Islands wants its own passport. New Zealand says noGetty ImagesA separate passport and citizenship is only available to fully independent countries, Wellington saysNew Zealand has rejected a proposal by the Cook Islands to introduce a separate passport for its citizens while allowing them to retain New Zealand citizenship.

Cook Islands, a self-governing Pacific nation, is in "free association" with New Zealand, which is responsible for the former's foreign affairs and defence.

Cook Islanders can also live, work and access healthcare in New Zealand.

Prime Minister Mark Brown had asked for Cook Islanders to have their own passports "to recognise our own people" - but New Zealand has said that is not possible unless the Cook Islands becomes fully independent.

Documents first released to local broadcaster 1News and seen by Reuters reportedly showed that for months Brown has been pushing for a separate passport and citizenship for those in the Cook Islands, while hoping to maintain its relationship as a realm country of New Zealand.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c623ng6wnweo

---