Citizenship by Conferral

Permanent Residents or New Zealand Citizens

• You can include a dependent child (permanent resident) aged 15 years or younger in your application at no additional cost.
• If a responsible parent is not applying to become an Australian citizen, a child 15 years or younger can apply by their own and must pay the associated fee.
• You cannot include a dependent child aged 16 or 17 on your application. They must apply on their own by following the process outlined on this page. The child must be a permanent resident.

Eligibility Criteria

• When you apply, you must be either a permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand Citizen.
• Residence Requirement: At the time you apply you must have been:
• living in Australia on a valid visa for the past 4 years
• a permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen for the past 12 months
• away from Australia for no more than 12 months in total in the past 4 years, including no more than 90 days in total in the past 12 months

Permanent residence calculations

• granted the permanent visa when you were in Australia, or
• you first entered Australia on a permanent visa

General Exemptions

• are under 16 years
• were born to a former Australian citizen who lost their citizenship before 4 April 2002
• were born in Papua before 16 September 1975 and one of your parents was born in Australia and is an Australian citizen when you were born.
• Character requirement: You must be of good character if you are 18 years or over. When department assess good character, they consider whether you are likely to:
• uphold and obey the laws of Australia
• meet the other commitments made through the citizenship pledge
• Knowledge of Australia

• Australia and its people
• Australia’s democratic beliefs, rights and liberties, and
• Government and the law in Australia

• Close and continuing link to Australia

• a child who is an Australian citizen
• a partner who is an Australian citizen and your time together
• extended family in Australia
• spent time in Australia
• a bank account in Australia
• a job in Australia
• Paid income tax in Australia
• Property in Australia.

Cost

• No cost for a child 15 years or younger applying with a parent.
• Disapproval of Application:
• Citizenship application will be disapproved if
• Australian Government is not satisfied by your Identity.
• In case of Criminal Offences.
• If you pose a risk to National Security of Australia.
• If you ceased to be the Former citizen.
• if you are outside Australia at the time of decision of your application.