Australian Citizenship by Conferral Descent
Become an Australian citizen (By Conferral)
Permanent Residents or New Zealand Citizens
Note
Eligibility Criteria
For children 16 or 17 years old, if meeting this requirement would cause significant hardship or disadvantage, you will need to provide proof. Children under 16 need not to meet the general residence requirement but must be permanent residents.
Permanent residence calculations
Your residency starts on the date:
General exemptions
You need not to meet our residence requirement if you:
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:
You must intend to live in Australia or maintain a close and continuing association with Australia while overseas. You will be considered if you have:
Knowledge of Australia
You must understand what it means to be an Australian citizen. At the time you have an appointment, you must know about:
If you score 75% or more on citizenship test, then you meet knowledge requirement.
You need to have a basic knowledge of the English language to become an Australian citizen. If you score 75% or more on citizenship test, then you meet the language requirement.
Close and continuing link to Australia
You must intend to live in Australia or maintain a close and continuing association with Australia while overseas. You will be considered if you have:
Cost
Cost is AUD285; No cost for a child 15 years or younger applying with a parent.
Processing Times
Below table shows timeframe it is currently taking to process citizenship applications. A ‘decision’ includes applications that have been approved, refused, withdrawn, and those that cannot be considered (invalid).
| Type of Application | Duration | Time for 75% of applications |
Time for 90% of applications |
| Australian citizenship by conferral (general eligibility and other situations)** |
From date of application to decision | 15 months | 21 months |
| From date of approval to ceremony | 8 months | 10 months | |
| From date of application to ceremony | 24 months | 30 months | |
| Australian citizenship by descent | From date of application to decision* | 4 months | 7 months |
| Evidence of Australian citizenship | From date of application to decision* | 6 days | 19 days |
*Allow an extra 10 days after approval of your application for printing and postage of your citizenship document. If you applied from outside Australia, postage will take longer.
*The processing times presented for the citizenship by conferral process include applications for which, in the reporting month, either:
Circumstances affecting processing times
Factors that can affect the processing time of your application include:
Disapproval of Application
Citizenship application will be disapproved if
Location at time of application approval
We must not approve your citizenship application if you are outside Australia at the time we decide your application, except under few circumstances. This is for:
Eligibility criteria
For children 16 or 17 years old, if meeting this requirement would cause significant hardship or disadvantage, you will need to provide proof. Children under 16 need not to meet the general residence requirement but must be permanent residents.
Permanent residence calculations
Your residency starts on the date:
General exemptions
You do not need to meet our residence requirement if you:
Requirement of Age
You must be aged 60 or older to apply without sitting a citizenship test
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:
Knowledge of Australia
You must intend to live in Australia or maintain a close and continuing association with Australia while overseas. You will be considered if you have:
Cost
Processing Times
Below table shows timeframe it is currently taking to process citizenship applications. A ‘decision’ includes applications that have been approved, refused, withdrawn, and those that cannot be considered (invalid).
| Type of Application | Duration | Time for 75% of applications |
Time for 90% of applications |
| Australian citizenship by conferral (general eligibility and other situations)** |
From date of application to decision | 15 months | 21 months |
| From date of approval to ceremony | 8 months | 10 months | |
| From date of application to ceremony | 24 months | 30 months | |
| Australian citizenship by descent | From date of application to decision* | 4 months | 7 months |
| Evidence of Australian citizenship | From date of application to decision* | 6 days | 19 days |
*Allow an extra 10 days after approval of your application for printing and postage of your citizenship document. If you applied from outside Australia, postage will take longer.
*The processing times presented for the citizenship by conferral process include applications for which, in the reporting month, either:
- a decision outcome was reached; or,
- person/s who were included in the application acquired Australian citizenship by conferral by attending a citizenship ceremony and making the pledge of commitment.
Circumstances affecting processing times
Factors that can affect the processing time of your application include:
Australian Citizenship by Descent
Your Parents (one or both) were an Australian Citizen when you were born overseas. It is for:
Note
Character requirement
You must be of good character if you are 18 years or over. When department assess good character, we consider whether you are likely to:
Department will consider:
- any recorded criminal convictions
- obligations you may have to a court in Australia or overseas
- your association with people of concern
- incidents of reported domestic violence
- whether you have been honest in your dealings with the Australian community, including providing false or misleading information in relation to a visa or citizenship application
Circumstances affecting processing times
*How can we assist you? Please call our number mentioned on the website.
