Individuals born within the Realm receive New Zealand citizenship at birth if at least one parent is a New Zealand citizen or otherwise entitled to be in New Zealand indefinitely. All persons born in the Realm before 2006 automatically received citizenship at birth regardless of the nationalities of their parents. Children born overseas are New Zealand citizens "by descent" if either parent is a citizen "otherwise than by descent". Adopted children are treated as if they were naturally born to the adopting parents at the time of adoption and are subject to the same regulations regarding descent.