At the Dunedin Town Hall, 68 people recited the oath of affirmation to officially become New Zealand citizens.
Two of those were Marvin and Geua Mola, originally of Papua New Guinea, who first came to New Zealand 16 years ago.
"A job at Oceania Gold brought my wife here first, and then a year later I followed her over," Mr Mola said.
In 2010, two years after arriving, the couple, who have been together since 1997, decided it was time to make their way down the aisle and get married — coincidentally, that day was December 4, the same day their citizenship ceremony would be held 14 years later.
"We were shocked when we got the invitation [to the citizenship ceremony] and saw the date. We were just like ‘seriously?’ ... so it’s a double celebration today," Ms Mola said.
Both their children are New Zealand citizens, and the motivation for the Molas to also become citizens was just in case they decided they wanted to go on an international holiday.
They did not want to have to leave their children fending for themselves in a Customs line, Ms Mola said.
For now, and the foreseeable future, Waikouaiti would be their home, roots were firmly set down and the children loved it, Mr Mola said.
To celebrate their wedding anniversary and their citizenship, the couple and their children, as well as Ms Mola’s mother, headed to Lone Star for dinner.
New citizens: Nisreen Mohammad Khalid Abuzahra (Iraq), Rami Yacoub Yousef Altay (Iraq), Yousef Yacoub Yousef Altay (Iraq), Yacoub Yousef Latif Altay (Iraq), Abdallah Yacoub Yousef Altay (Iraq), Maximiliano Carlos Baldoni (Argentina), Jarlon Brix Javillonar Beltejar (Philippines), Kieran Oliver Broadfield (England), Samuel George Brunt (England), Thi Thanh Phuong Cao (Vietnam), Tuong Minh Nguyen (Vietnam), Tuong Lam Nguyen (Vietnam), Kirsty Anne Cooper (United Kingdom), Joey Ivan Fajardo Cristobal (Philippines), Mary Natalie Velasco Cristobal (Philippines), Bernice Karen Dudley (England), Curtis Colin Dudley (England), Patrick Alan Dudley (England), Austin Doug Dudley (England), Jhess Cidrick Medel Ebron (Philippines), Shaina Ysabel Medel Ebron (Philippines), Coleen Bianca Marie Medel Ebron (Philippines), Joselito Barraquio Ebron (Philippines), Lorina Medel Ebron (Philippines), Daniel Fridberg (Lithuania), Yasmin Segal Fridberg (Israel), Tamar Segal Fridberg (Israel), Keren Segal (Israel), David Charles Furzeman (United Kingdom), Nicola Ann Furzeman (United Kingdom), Conor James Furzeman (United Kingdom), Shelley Anne Gorman (United Kingdom), Mirko Harnisch (German Democratic Republic), Duncan Thomson Harvie (Scotland), Jana Althea Heise Elvy (Mexico), Daniel John Hill (United Kingdom), Rosu James (India), Emma Linda Signe Johansson (Sweden), Jacqueline Anna Marie Jubel (Germany), Mari Jung (South Korea), Alexander Scott Justice (South Africa), Megan Tabo Madambi (Zimbabwe), Michael Talavou Sia Matalavea (Samoa), Marvin Michael Mola (Papua New Guinea), Geua Ruth Mola (Papua New Guinea), Rafael Rodrigo Moser (Brazil), Isaak Jakob Soedergren-Moser (New Zealand), Lan Ngoc Hoang Nguyen (Vietnam), Minh Thi Thuy Nguyen (Vietnam), Minh Hanh Pham (Singapore), Olesia Ocheretiana (Ukraine), Mariya Bogdanivna Ocheretyana (Ukraine), Ralf Stefan Ohlemueller (Federal Republic of Germany), Wesley Postma (Netherlands), Malarvizhi Ramesh (India), Anna-Lena Rowe (German Democratic Republic), Ann-Kathrin Verena Schlesselmann (Germany), Aaditya Shrivastava (India), Marcelo Patricio Silva Rodriguez (Chile), Abirame Sivashanker (Sri Lanka), Hoi Ying Sui (China), Jonathan Abuan Taan (Philippines), Valerie Tze Yeen Tan (Malaysia), Anna Treesa Cheriyakku (India), Anna Elizabeth Jane Venables (United Kingdom), Mathias Otto Werner (Germany), Ingrith Cristina Werner Burgos (Chile), Svea Mara Wolkenhauer (Germany).
