Australian Citizenship

Why should I become an Australian Citizen?

Australian citizenship is an important step in your migration journey. Becoming an Australian citizen gives you the right to:

• Vote in federal and state or territory elections, and in a referendum
• Apply for work in the Australian Public Service or in the Australian Defence Force
• Seek election to parliament
• Apply for an Australian passport and re-enter Australia freely
• Receive help from an Australian official while overseas
• Register children born overseas as Australian citizens by descent.

Who can become an Australian Citizen?

You may be eligible for Australian Citizenship if you are a:

1. Migrant with permanent residence;
2. Spouse or partner of an Australian citizen;
3. New Zealand citizen living in Australia;
4. Child of a former Australian Citizen;
5. Child aged 16 or 17 years;
6. Child aged 15 years or under or an unaccompanied minor;
7. Commonwealth Child Migration Scheme arrival;
8. Refugee or humanitarian entrant;
9. Person born in Papua before independence in 1975.

You may also apply for Australian citizenship by descent or via adoption. Depending on the category that you are eligible for, different requirements apply.

How do I become an Australian Citizen?

Generally, to be eligible for citizenship you need to:

1. Be a permanent resident;
2. Be able to satisfy the residence requirement;
3. Be likely to reside, or continue to reside, in Australia or to maintain a close and continuing association with Australia;
4. Be of good character if you are 18 years of age or over.

To satisfy the residence requirement, you need to:

a) Have been lawfully living in Australia for a period of four years immediately before applying;
b) Be a permanent resident for at least 12 months prior to applying for the citizenship application;
c) Not have been absent from Australia for more than 1 year in total in the last 4 years; and
d) Not have been absent for more than 90 days in the last 12 months prior to the application.

Once you have applied for the citizenship application, you will be required to attend an interview and sit a citizenship test. If you are successful, you will be invited to attend a Citizenship Ceremony.

Need Assistance?

If you do not meet the requirements above, don’t panic, as there are some exceptions. If you would like us to assess your eligibility for Australian citizenship or to assist you with your citizenship application, please feel welcome to contact us.