At the citizenship ceremony held at the Central Otago District Council chambers, attendees shared stories of starting a world trip where New Zealand ended up being the first, last and only destination, of calling Aotearoa home for decades before finally making it official, and crossing the globe for love.
Central Otago District Mayor Tim Cadogan told those gathered "it’s almost like we have our own little Love Actually going on".
Maniototo dairy farmer Imran, of Pakistan, donned his best red bands as he was made a New Zealand citizen alongside wife Zehra Nasser and New Zealand-born son Musa Ismail, 7.
Youngest son Essa Ismail, 6, is already a citizen.
Imran’s parents originally had wanted him to become a doctor but there were limited options for him to study at home.
He moved to China to study for two years which "did not work out", so moved to New Zealand to be closer to his brother.
While in Christchurch he was introduced to farming, fell in love with it and worked his way through different roles, and is now contract milking near Patearoa.
In 2013 he met Zehra and she moved to New Zealand.
She was never an "animal person" but quickly fell in love with farm life and New Zealand.
The couple said their citizenship was important to them.
"I feel very proud because New Zealand has given me so much. I don't know if in any other country I would have achieved what I've achieved here," Imran said.
One of the ways he was giving back to his new home was to volunteer with Welcoming Communities, helping people who had moved from other countries to Central Otago.
"This country has given me a lot and I think it's time for me now to give back to the country."
