APPLYING FOR CITIZENSHIP IN AUSTRALIA
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Immigration Downunder Migration Services’ team of registered migration agents can assist to determine if you are eligible to apply for Australian citizenship and apply on your behalf.
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We can help answer any questions you may have regarding your eligibility.
Australian Citizenship is the final step in becoming an Australian.
There are several ways to become an Australian citizen:
- By Birth – if you are born in Australia and one or both of your parents is an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia.
- By Conferral – if you are a permanent resident and meet certain residency and character criteria before you can apply.
- By Descent – If you are the child of an Australian citizen but you are born overseas, you will generally be granted Australian citizenship.
- By Adoption – if you were adopted by an Australian citizen under the full Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.
- New Zealand Citizens – if you were in Australia prior to 26 February 2001, you can apply directly for Australian citizenship. If you were in Australia after this date, you must become an Australian permanent resident before applying for Australian citizenship.
You may be eligible to apply for Australian citizenship if you are a:
- Migrant with permanent residence
- New Zealand citizen living in Australia
- Child of a former Australian citizen
- Commonwealth Child Migration Scheme arrival
- Refugee or humanitarian entrant
- Person born in Papua before independence in 1975.
As an Australian citizen there are a number of privileges, which include:
- Voting in Federal and State or territory elections and in a referendum
- Applying for work in the Australian Public Service or in the Australian Defence Force
- Seeking election to parliament
- Applying for an Australian passport and re-entering Australia freely
- Obtaining help from an Australian official while overseas
- Registering children born overseas as Australian citizens by descent.
The time and information required to apply for and be granted Australian citizenship varies, and the application process will typically involve a citizenship test or interview to determine your eligibility.
- I was born in Australia and at least one of my parents was an Australian citizen/permanent resident at the time of my birth
- I am a permanent resident of Australia OR a New Zealand citizen who arrived in Australia before 26 February 2001
- I have lived in Australia for the last 4 years and I have been a permanent resident for at least the last 12 months
- I have not spent more than 12 months outside Australia in total in the past 4 years, including no more than 90 days overseas in total in the past 12 months
- I am of good character
- I understand what it means to be an Australian citizen
- I intend to live in Australia or maintain a close and continuing association with Australia while overseas.
- One or both of my parents were Australian citizens at the time of my birth
- My Australian citizen parent/s spent at least 2 years lawfully in Australia before I applied (if they became an Australian citizen by descent or adoption)
- I am of good character.
- One or both of my parents were Australian citizens at the time of my adoption
- I was fully and permanently adopted either under the Hague Convention or a bilateral arrangement
- I have an adoption compliance certificate
- I am of good character
I am a New Zealand Citizen – Am I eligible to become an Australian citizen?
- I am a New Zealand Citizen and arrived in Australia on my New Zealand passport
- I was here on or before 26 February 2001 or
- I was here for 12 months in the 2 years before 26 February 2001 or
- I was assessed as a protected Special Category visa (SCV) holder and was issued a Centrelink certificate that states I was living here at a particular time.
If I arrived in Australia after 26 February 2001, I would need to become an Australian permanent resident first before being able to apply for Australian citizenship. My options for this may be:
- Applying for a Skilled Independent visa (sc189) NZ Stream
- Applying for an Employer Sponsored Visa if I have an eligible employer willing to sponsor me
- Applying for a Partner visa if I am in a relationship with an Australian citizen/permanent resident
- Applying for a Parent Visa
Immigration Downunder Migration Services’ team of registered migration agents can assist to determine if you are eligible to apply for Australian citizenship and apply on your behalf. We can help answer any questions you may have regarding your eligibility.
