Citizenship in Australia

To be a permanent resident of Australia provides one with the chance to enjoy a democratic and liberated society. Also, when making the decision to be an Australian citizen, one commits themselves to the Australian values while becoming a part of the Australian democracy.

Note that gaining citizenship is a lot more than just being an Australian. It is about making the country your home and being a part of not just its privileges but also the responsibilities that come along with that. So, if you are making plans to move to Australia and want to get citizenship, the below-mentioned content is for you. Keep reading ahead to know more, and remember, if you face any concerns, there are immigration consultants or the authorised professionals available to help you out along the way.

Citizenship in Australia- eligibility criteria

For anyone who is above the age of 18 and is planning to make an application for the Australian citizenship, they must,

• Pass the citizenship test unless, otherwise, they are above the age of 60.
• Be a permanent resident while making an application and also when the decision is passed.
• Satisfy the requirement of residence.
• Reside or plan to continue to reside in the country and maintain the close and the continuing association with Australia.
• Be of the good character.
• Have complete knowledge about the privileges and responsibilities of being the Australian citizen.

Even the Australian Citizenship application can be made for kids, but therein the application requirements are different.

Apart from the above, applicants above the age of 18, they are required to fulfil certain residence requirements including,

• To be a permanent resident for 12 months.
• To be in Australia for a time period that is no less than 4 years with any absences that have been made from Australia and are not more than 12 months.
• To live in the country for the past 12 months being a permanent visa holder. The absence that has been made from Australia must not be of more than three months or 90 days in the last 12 months before application.

Special Considerations/Discretions

There are certain special considerations or discretions that vary from the general requirements as discussed above while obtaining the citizenship. It means one must,

• Be born in the country and must have spent their first 10 years of life in Australia.
• Be the partner or the spouse of the Australian citizen while one resides overseas.
• Be holding a specific visa or having any special skills that can help in benefiting Australia.
• To work within specific employment that requires one to travel outside the country or Australia.

In case if one is a permanent visa holder and they are unable to meet up with the general requirements for the citizenship in the upcoming future because of any kind of personal circumstances, it is not right to give up. Instead, connect with the authorities to determine the eligibility for the citizenship.

Australian Citizens Responsibilities

With the citizenship, there will come in responsibilities, and the citizens will be required to,

• Obey the Australian law.
• Serve on the jury if they get called for the same.
• Vote in the elections.
• Enrol on federal and the state or territory electoral registers.
• Defend Australia in case if any need arises.

Australian Citizenship- Privileges

To be an Australian citizen, it entitles one to have the right for,

• Living in Australia.
• Making an application for an Australian passport. Apart from it, re-entering and leaving Australia without having to make an application for a Resident return visa.
• Serve within the armed forces.
• Work for the public service.
• If needed, seek the assistance from the end of the Australian diplomatic representative when a concerned individual is overseas.
• Make the registration as an Australian citizen by descent for any of the kids who are born overseas after the applicant becomes or gains the Australian citizenship.
• Vote for electing the parliament members and stand for the parliament.

Citizenship Australia- Documentation Requirement

The applicant who is born to the parents having the Australian citizenship, they will not be required to provide the citizenship documents, but they will need some documents to get the Australian passports. Some of such documents which will be required are,

• Documents serving ID proof, including driving licence, etc.
• Birth certificate, which can show the birth in Australia of the applicant to at least one of the parents having permanent residency or Australian citizenship.
• Proof that either one of the parents is a permanent Australian resident or a citizen. The document can include the certified copy of the parent’s passport or the pages which can show the permanent resident visa.
• Marriage certificate or any of the other document that can prove the change of name of the applicant if it remains applicable.
• For the application for the citizenship by grant, the applicant must be able to bring the ID proof documents that are to be submitted together with the valid passport indicating permanent residency status in Australia.
• Police certificate that can prove that the given applicant by no chance has any kind of criminal record within Australia.
• Documents that can prove that amount of time the applicant spends in Australia.

Test of Citizenship

In case if the applicant can satisfy the eligibility criteria, they are required to pass a test before making an application for Australian citizenship. In this given case, anyone who is aged below the age of 18 or above the age of 60 or anyone who is suffering from this substantial impairment or sight, speech or hearing loss, they wouldn’t be required to sit for this test.

Remember that the Australian citizenship test, it has been designed for helping the future Australian citizen to gain an understanding of traditions, values, national symbols and the history of Australia. The test is quite important to ensure that the applicant has the capacity to participate fully within the Australian community, being a citizen of Australia, and the capacity to maximise opportunities that are available for them in the Australian economy. This will promote the social cohesion and also the successful integration within the community.

In order to sit for the given test, the applicant must be,

• The Australian permanent resident.
• Able to satisfy the given department about the identity during the registration process for the test.
• Allow the requisite department for taking the photograph of the applicant or just provide one on their own.

Australian Citizenship- How to get it?

To have the Australian citizenship is a huge step in the migration journey. To apply for the Australian citizenship, it allows the applicant to make an ongoing commitment towards Australia as well as its shared values. For extending Australian citizenship to the applicant and their family, it allows the Australian community for making an ongoing commitment towards you that is permanent. It is a perfect privilege that offers different rewards, and in most of the cases, one also gets the right to become a dual citizen.

There exist 3 different ways to become an Australian citizen or to gain the Australian citizenship. A discussion of the same has been made below.

1. Citizenship by Conferral

In case if one is a permanent resident, they can make an application for the Australian citizenship after they have lived in Australia for at least four years while they held a visa of any type, after living within Australia for the last 12 months being a permanent resident.
There exists certain flexibility within the period, and one can go outside the country for at least 12 months in the time period of 4 years and can remain outside the country for up to 90 days within 12 months period before the application for the Citizenship has been provided.
However, the applicant will be required to remain in Australia when the application gets made or approved.

Attending Conferral Ceremony
Once the application gets approved, the applicant will be required to arrange for attending the citizenship Conferral ceremony. This is to be done within 12 months after the application approval.
When one attends this ceremony, they become the Australian citizen. For making an application for the citizenship through Conferral, the applicant must attend Citizenship Conferral Ceremony and must be able to satisfy all the eligibility requirements that have been discussed above.

The applicant below the age of 16 years, they can be included within the parents’ application. However, for the kids who are aged in between 16 to 18, they must make separate applications.

Apart from the above, the citizenship test is to be satisfied, and the cost of making the citizenship application is to be paid. The cost to make an application is AUD285. For the kids who are aged 15 or below, no cost is applicable. For any kind of other concessions and exemptions, make an application.

2. Citizenship by Birth

If one is born in Australia and either one of the parents either is or was an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen during the time when the applicant was born, then they remain to be an Australian citizen by their birth.

If one is born in Australia, but the parents are holding a provisional or temporary visa, in that case, the same visa is provided to the child as the parents hold.

One wouldn’t automatically become an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident just because they get born in Australia.

The exception here is when the child is born in Australia, but the parents hold temporary or professional visas, and they have lived in the country for the last 10 years. In this given case, one can make an application for the declaration of the Australian citizenship.

Any child who is born to permanent residents who live outside the country, they do not automatically get this visa, and they will be required to make an application for the same.

One must carefully think about it, if they are permanent residents and they plan for travelling back to the country just to give birth.

3. Citizenship by Descent

Any child who is born to an Australian citizen who lives overseas, they can register for the Australian citizenship by descent. This remains applicable if the child does not get granted the Australian citizenship at birth. In this case, they will have to apply and get their registration confirmed by the end of the Australian government.

Application for the citizenship by the descent, it is a completely formal process, including the need to confirm the parentage. It might even involve the DNA testing. The citizenship gets confirmed when the name gets entered in the registered in this case.

Application for the Australian Citizenship

In order to get the Australian citizenship, it is required to fulfil all the essential requirements that will make your application a successful one. To become an Australian citizen, one must begin by lodging the completed application form along with all the needed documents and then make the payment for the application fee to the DOHA. In general, the applicants are required to be present for the interview and also to pass the test before the approval of the application. The citizenship test assesses the knowledge of the applicant about the history of Australia and the society and all the privileges and responsibilities that are available to the Australian citizen.

The application can be made by following the below-mentioned five steps,

• Complete the online form.
• Receive the citizenship eligibility advice.
• Have the full representation and management, which remains optional.
• Lodging the citizenship application where some additional fees of the government are applicable.
• Taking the citizenship test & then attending the ceremony.

Conclusion

If you are ready for taking the first step towards getting the citizenship in Australia, remember that the process is not at all difficult, and all one needs to do is abide by the guidelines as well as the regulations. One can check the needed information available above to make a successful application for the citizenship. Even refer to the official portals of the immigration department before making the application, and if you feel you are stuck at any place, connect with the immigration consultant or any representative who is professional and authorised to help you to make a move towards the Australian citizenship. With all their knowledge, they will make the process completely straightforward and help you all throughout.

Do not wait. Just make the application today yourself or appoint an authorised representative who can guide you along.