9. Citizenship

Obtaining Australian Citizenship is a 4 step process;

1. Application
2. Interview
3. Test
4. Ceremony

There are various ways of applying for Australian Citizenship. They are listed below.

• Child adopted outside Australia by an Australian citizen
• Child aged 15 years or under or an unaccompanied minor
• Child aged 16 or 17
• Child born outside Australia to an Australian citizen
• Child of a former Australian citizen
• Commonwealth Child Migration scheme arrival
• Migrant with permanent residence
• New Zealand citizen living in Australia
• Person born in Papua before independence in 1975
• Resume Australian citizenship
• Spouse or partner of an Australian citizen
• Refugee and humanitarian entrants

You can also apply:

• for evidence of Australian citizenship
• to renounce Australian citizenship
• for confirmation of the Australian citizenship status of a deceased person

The most common Australian Citizenship application is for new migrants AND eligible New Zealand citizens residing in Australia [‘Migrant with permanent residence]
To be eligible you must be;

• be a permanent resident
• meet the residence requirements
• be of good character
• intend to live or maintain a close and continuing association with Australia

Step 1 – Eligibility

General eligibility criteria for Australian citizenship, that is, you:

are a migrant who is a permanent resident
• satisfy the residence requirement (see Step 2)
• are likely to reside, or to continue to reside, in Australia or to maintain a close and continuing association with Australia, and
• are of good character.

Step 2 – Residence requirement

The residence requirement is based on the time you have lived in Australia and the time you have spent outside Australia
General residence requirement
Permanent residents must:

• have been living in Australia on a valid Australian visa for 4 years immediately before applying which must include the last 12 months as a permanent resident, and
• not have been absent from Australia for more than one year in the past 4 years, including no more than 90 days in the year before applying.

Special residence requirements
Special residence requirements may apply to you if:

• you are seeking to undertake activities that are supported by particular organisations, such as the Australian Olympic Committee, or
• you have been engaged in particular kinds of work for a total of 2 in the past 4 years, that required you to travel outside Australia.

Defence service requirement
You meet the residence requirement if you have completed relevant defence service, which is if you:

• were appointed, enlisted or transferred into any of the permanent forces or reserves of the Commonwealth of Australia, and
• have served 90 days in the permanent forces, or
• have served a total of 90 paid service days in the navy, army or air force reserve, or
• were discharged from defence service as medically unfit for service as a result of that service.

For more detailed information please contact us.