Australian Citizenship by Conferral Visa
Australian citizenship may be conferred upon permanent residents of Australia who have resided in Australia for the required period of time, and meet all other criteria. Those who have been conferred citizenship have the same rights and privileges as any other Australian citizen, including the right to vote, to work for the Australian Public Service or Defence Force, and to obtain and use an Australian passport. Citizens by conferral are also subject to the same responsibilities as other Australian citizens, including the responsibility to serve on a jury and to defend Australia should the need arise.
AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP BY CONFERRAL
EACH applicant for citizenship by conferral must:
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be a permanent resident of Australia (and have been a permanent resident for at least the last 12 months, unless a concession applies)
NOTE: If you are a New Zealand citizen who holds (or previously held, if currently overseas) a subclass 444 Special Category Visa (SCV), you are deemed to have become a permanent resident on the date that your first SCV was granted (or on 1 July 2022, if you were first granted a SCV before that date).
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have lawfully resided in Australia for at least the last 4 years (unless a concession applies)
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not have been outside Australia for more than a total of 1 year in the last 4 years (and no more than 90 days during the last 12 months)
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be likely to reside in, or maintain a close and continuing connection with, Australia
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if aged 18 years or older, be of good character
NOTE: As part of its assessment of your eligibility for citizenship, the Department of Home Affairs requires you to provide details of ALL overseas travel you have undertaken since you turned 18 years old.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Stage 1: Lodgement of Application >
Once you have provided the required information and supporting documents, we will prepare and lodge your citizenship application, with the Department of Home Affairs (the DOHA). The main criterion is that you meet the requirements referred to above.
Stage 2: Citizenship Test >
Once the DOHA has determined that you are eligible for the conferral of citizenship, you will be asked to attend an appointment with a case officer. At this appointment, you will present your original documents. If you are aged 18 or older, you must also sit the citizenship test. This contains questions regarding the rights and responsibilities of Australian citizenship, life in Australia and what it means to be an Australian citizen. The test questions are based on information contained in the Australian citizenship test resource booklet, which you can study before your test.
Stage 3: Citizenship Ceremony >
After you have passed your citizenship test and the DOHA has approved your application, you must attend a citizenship ceremony. This usually takes place within 3 months of the date that your application is approved, although this depends on your location. At the ceremony, you must take the Australian Citizenship Pledge to become an Australian citizen. All eligible applicants aged 16 or older must attend a citizenship ceremony; there are very few exceptions to this requirement.
This Fact Sheet contains general information only. We strongly recommend that you seek specific guidance from us that is relevant to your circumstances before taking any further action.
Do you have additional questions regarding CIT - Citizenship by Conferral? Please feel free to contact us by email at admin@dojolegal.com.au, or by phone on ++61 02 9138 0688 to arrange a paid consultation.