Australia is a diverse country with people originating from all over the world! Whether you have moved to Australia in recent times or have grown up here as a permanent resident, there will be times that it may be beneficial to receive Australian Citizenship.
We want to try and highlight what those reasons might be, and we want to give you a little insight into the process.
If you’re currently an Australian permanent resident and wish to apply for citizenship, a few steps need to be taken. The internet is full of information on the process and requirements but it can be difficult finding reliable sources that you trust. We have listed everything you need to know to apply for Australian citizenship the right way!
How to become an Australian citizen?
First, you will need to obtain Australian permanent residency – normally, no application for citizenship can be made without first being a resident of Australia.
Citizenship can be obtained via:
- conferral ( you need to be a permanent resident and meet certain criteria before you can apply) or;
- descent if you were born outside Australia and one (or both) of your parents at the time of your birth was also an Australian citizen at that time
Are you a New Zealand Citizen?
New Zealand Citizens do not need to apply for a visa when entering Australia as they are automatically given a Special Category Visa (SCV) (given they meet the entry requirements) which allows New Zealand Citizens to live, work and apply for permanent residency as long as they remain a New Zealand Citizen.
You can apply for citizenship by conferral without first obtaining permanent residency if you were in Australia with a New Zealand citizen on February 26, 2001, spent at least 12 months in Australia on an SCV in the two years before that date, or if you have a Centrelink certificate from before February 26, 2004, which attests to your presence in Australia.
Citizenship by conferral
There are four (4) ways to find yourself eligible to apply for citizenship by conferral. They are:
- you must have been a permanent resident of Australia for at least 4 years at the time of application
- no more than 90 days have been spent away from Australia in the previous year, or more than 12 months in total over the previous four years.
- must be in Australia when the application is made
- a permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen for the past 12 months
The application of a parent cannot include a child who is 16 or 17. They must submit their applications separately.
Also, since having permanent residency is one of the requirements, we’ve included the link below to the Department’s website where you can get a brief overview of what visas are permanent and what the eligibility requirements are.
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/permanent-resident
Citizenship by descent
Suppose you were a child born overseas or born outside of Australia and one or both of your parents were Australian citizens at the time of your birth. In that case, you might be eligible for Australian citizenship.
If one of your parents has become an Australian citizen, then they must have lived in Australia for at least 2 years before you can apply as their child.
Benefits of having Australian citizenship
Becoming an Australian citizen has several benefits. Firstly, you are eligible to vote in elections and referendums which will help shape the future of our country. Secondly, you can also apply for a range of government jobs, not to mention being able to start working towards your Australian dream to own your own home. Losing your original citizenship is not an issue as dual citizenship is permitted in Australia providing certain criteria are met.
We hope you have found this information useful. We believe it can be a fairly straightforward process when we manage the case, however, there is a high chance of rejection if you do decide to go it alone.
Why go with us?
We understand that the prospect of getting rejected can be extremely frustrating; however, you can appeal against the decision.
Australian citizenship will enhance your experience in Australia by giving you access to certain benefits and rights that permanent residents currently can’t access. For more details about becoming an Australian citizen and for Australian citizenship application and its costs and citizenship test information, visit https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/become-a-citizen
Or, if you need instant help, contact us by email at info@mirandamigration.com.au to be able to talk to one of our migration experts.
