Gabriel (12) and Katherine (10) Fountaine were two of 21 new citizens sworn in by Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher at a citizenship ceremony at the Oamaru Opera House yesterday afternoon.
Mr Kircher congratulated the group on making it through the often long and difficult process of gaining New Zealand citizenship, and spoke of those lucky enough to be born in New Zealand.
But it turns out, sometimes even that is not enough.
Gabriel and Katherine were joined by their parents Loretta and Gary Fountaine and brother Daniel, who also gained New Zealand citizenship.
After moving from Utah in the United States, Mr and Mrs Fountaine have spent the past 14 years in New Zealand raising their four children — they have another daughter, Elizabeth, who is studying at Massey University in Wellington.
Gabriel and Katherine were both born in New Zealand, but were not granted citizenship at the time.
Mr Fountaine said they were born after a new policy was introduced that did not make citizenship a birth right, so the two spent the first three months of their lives ‘‘stateless’’.
The children were initially granted American citizenship, but after the tumultuous year of 2020 the Fountaines decided to make their life here more permanent.
Other new citizens: Sharen Lynette Coade (Australia), Fatusa Fatoasami (Tuvalu), Anirban Ganguly (India), Alexander William Houston (18, Ireland), Peter Graham Johnson (England), Franz Bermyle Gabiana Lauglaug (14, Philippines), Frenzy Babes Gabiana Lauglaug (Philippines), Bernard Papellero Lauglaug (Philippines), Merlyn Gabiana Lauglaug (Philippines), Fatele Lolesi (Tuvalu), Juliet Alesenia Lolesi (13, Fiji), Seti Talalelei (Samoa), Patelise Edwin Talalelei (Samoa) and Amelia Fakaholoimounga Vea (Tonga).
