Do you want to be the part of the “land of opportunity”, Find out if you’re eligible.
Australian citizenship may be granted to permanent residents of Australia who have lived in Australia for the required period of time and meet all other criteria. Citizens have the same rights and privileges as all other Australian citizens, including the right to vote, the right to work in public services or the Australian National Guard, and the right to obtain and use an Australian passport. A citizen by appointment also has the same responsibilities as any other Australian citizen, including serving on a jury and defending Australia when needed.
Step by Step process
| Step 1 | Lodgment of application The first step is to submit your naturalization application, along with all necessary supporting documents to prove that you meet the required conditions. |
| Step 2 | Citizenship test Once DOHA determines that you are eligible for citizenship, they will ask you to make an appointment with a caseworker. At this meeting, you will take a citizenship test. This includes questions regarding the rights and responsibilities of Australian citizenship, as well as questions related to life in Australia and what it means to be an Australian citizen. Every qualified adult candidate must take this test. The questions are based on verifiable information in the Australian Citizenship Test Resource Book, which you can study before taking your test. |
| Step 3 | Citizenship ceremony After you have passed the citizenship test and the DOHA has approved your application, you must attend a naturalization ceremony. This is usually within 3 months of the application being approved, although waiting times vary between different local councils. During the citizenship ceremony, you must make the Australian Citizenship Pledge to complete the Australian citizenship process. All eligible adult applicants must attend a naturalization ceremony – there are very few exceptions to this requirement. |
Entitlements
As an Australian citizen, you may also be entitled to certain rights.
You can:
- apply for an Australian passport
- leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you like
- seek help from the Australian consulate in case of problems abroad
- vote in federal, state or territory elections
- to vote in a constitutional referendum
- apply for a seat in parliament, if you are 18 years of age or older and do not hold dual citizenship
- Register your child’s birth in another country as an Australian citizen
Responsibilities and privileges
As an Australian citizen, you have new responsibilities:
- to conduct yourself in accordance with Australia’s democratic beliefs
- respect Australia’s rights and freedoms
- obey and obey the law
- to vote in federal, state or territory elections and in referendums
- protect Australia if necessary
- serve as a juror if summoned
Reasons citizenship can be refused
The Immigration Service may refuse an application for naturalization based on the following unmet criteria:
- Your identity cannot be established;
- You pose a risk to national security;
- You cannot meet the general or special residency conditions and you are not eligible for an exemption;
- You have pending criminal cases or you are not in good standing;
You have renounced your Australian citizenship in the last 12 months. However, this does not apply if you are at risk of becoming stateless.