Australian Citizenship Application
After becoming a citizen you can call yourself an “Australian” in the full sense of the word. You have the same rights and privileges as an Australian born in the country, including voting rights.
This is a privilege that allows you to become part of a very prosperous country with considerable economic and social opportunities.
An important part of becoming a citizen of Australia is the understanding and commitment to the values of this unique community of people.
Do you qualify for a visa?
Free AssessmentWho is an Australian citizen?
People born in Australia to parents who are Australian or permanent residents automatically become Australian citizens. The other alternative is to apply and become accepted to be an Australian citizen by Department of Home Affairs.
Also there are some specific additional circumstances outlined by Department of Home Affairs where people can gain Australian citizenship.
The Department states:
“There are a number of circumstances where you could have automatically gained citizenship even though your parent or parents were not Australian citizens”.
If you were born in Australia on or after:
- 20 August 1986 to an Australian citizen or permanent resident parent, you became an Australian citizen at birth.
- 20 August 1986 to parents who were not permanent residents or Australian citizens, you may have become an Australian citizen automatically on your 10th birthday.
If you were born in Australia between:
- 22 November 1984 and 19 August 1986 you became an Australian citizen at birth unless one parent was entitled to diplomatic privileges or was a consular officer.
- 26 January 1949 and 21 November 1984 you became an Australian citizen at birth unless your father was entitled to diplomatic privileges or was a consular officer.”
Australian citizenship for New Zealanders
In 2023, the Government announced a new citizenship pathway for eligible New Zealanders living in Australia.
New Zealanders who have been living in Australia longer than 4 years will be able to apply directly for Australian citizenship without needing permanent residency first. This change is effective from 1 July 2023.
People from New Zealand who settled in Australia prior to 26 February 2001 may already be eligible. Those falling into this group are not required to wait until 1 July 2023 to apply.
Citizenship test
An important part of the application process is the Citizenship Test. Introduced in 2007, this compulsory test must be passed in order to gain citizenship.
The test consists of multiple choice questions.
How do I study for the Australian citizenship test?
Everything you need in order to prepare for your citizenship test can be found in Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, which can be downloaded in 38 languages.
Is the Australian citizenship test I English?
Although the test revision booklet is available in other languages, the test itself will be conducted in English.
What topics does the Australian citizenship test cover?
You’ll be asked questions about the Australian Government and legal system, Australian people and culture, and Australian rights and beliefs.
Practice tests are available online and the citizenship test pass rate is relatively high.
Contact us today for a free citizenship eligibility check.
How can I become an Australian citizen?
You must make a valid application for Australian citizenship.
If you currently hold a permanent residency visa and wish to apply via that pathway, you’ll need to meet the general residency requirement associated with a citizenship application.
To meet the requirement, you must have been living here for at least four years on a valid visa (a minimum of one year as a PR). Additionally, you must not have spent more than 12 months outside Australia during the last four years and you must not have spent longer than 90 days outside the country in the year preceding your application.
New Zealanders who have been living in Australia for more than 4 years have the opportunity to apply for citizenship directly, without first having to secure permanent residency.
We can help you calculate whether you meet the citizenship residence requirement.