Curious to Know How to Get Citizenship in Australia? – A Quick Guide for Overseas People!

Are you living in Australia as a permanent resident? Have you thought about applying for citizenship in Australia? Well, it’s possible if you meet specific requirements. You can become an Australian citizen by conferral and by descent. So, gear up! We’re going to explain how you can become an Australian Citizen successfully.

Being an Australian citizen is a wonderful experience. It’s a safe country with a multicultural society and dynamic cities. People love to visit Australia to spend vacations or meet their friends/family. The Australian Government offers many visas through which you can live, study and work in Australia.

Being an Australian citizen is a privilege. Australia offers numerous opportunities to its permanent residents and citizens. Getting citizenship in Australia is a significant milestone in your immigration story. Being an Australian citizen means staying committed to Australia and its values. You officially become a part of the Australian community.

By reading this guide, you’ll learn how to become an Australian citizen by descent and conferral.

Table of Contents

3 Ways to Become an Australian Citizen

Australian Citizenship by Conferral for New Zealand citizens
Australian Citizenship by Conferral for People over 60 years of age
Australian Citizenship by Descent

Let’s dig deeper into the details to know how you can become a respectable Australian citizen.

1. Citizenship in Australia by Conferral (New Zealand Citizens and Australian Permanent Residents)

It’s a common way to become an Australian citizen by conferral. You must be a permanent resident of Australia to apply for citizenship. You must meet certain requirements to be eligible to become an Australian citizen.

You’ve to pay AUD 490 to lodge your application. You can pay AUD 300 if you’re 16 or 17 years of age. There’s no application fee for children under 15 who apply on the same form as a parent. Though, if you need help in the application process, you can book a consultation with us.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for Citizenship in Australia by conferral, you must:

Be an Australian permanent resident or an eligible citizen of New Zealand while applying.
Be in Australia when the Department of Home Affairs makes its decision.
Have lived in Australia for at least four years
Be familiar with the Australian culture and society. You must understand the meaning of being an Australian citizen.
Maintain a continuous link with Australia while you’re overseas or intend to live in Australia
Be of a good character

Watch

A Step By Step Guide To Get Australian Citizenship In 2022 | Benefits & More.

Documents

The Department of Home Affairs asks for particular documents to see if you meet the requirements. These documents include:

Original police certificates
If you’re applying online, then provide scans of your original documents
For a paper application, submit the certified copies of all of your other documents
Give us as much information as you can to assist Home Affairs in deciding on your application
You should use each document just once, even if you intend to use it to show more than one thing.
Include all documents requested with your application

2. Australian Citizenship by Conferral (Person 60 Years or Above)

If you’re 60 years of age or above, you can apply for Australian citizenship. It’s one of the most common ways to become an Australian citizen by conferral. You can add a dependent child under 15 years of age or younger in your application. However, if a child is 16 or 17, they’ve to apply on their own. You can’t add them to your application for citizenship.

People who’re eligible to become an Australian citizen under this category include:

Australian permanent residents 60 years of age or above.
Eligible citizens of New Zealand
Migrants of Commonwealth Child Migration Scheme
De facto partners or spouses of an Australian citizen
Humanitarian or refugees migrants

3. Citizenship in Australia by Descent

If you were born outside Australia and one (or both) of your parents were Australian citizens at the time of your birth, you could become an Australian citizen by descent. You must be outside Australia while lodging your application. Each subsequent sibling who applies at the same time has to pay AUD315; AUD130.

You must have been born outside Australia on or after the 26th of January 1949. You must have been born abroad through an International Surrogacy Arrangement. Most importantly, you should be of good character to be eligible for citizenship in Australia.

Final Thoughts!

The Australian Government allows you to apply for citizenship in 3 different ways. We’ve elaborated on the details that will definitely help you make your way to Australia. Whether you’re applying for citizenship through conferral or descent, you must meet the eligibility criteria. In case you need help meeting the criteria for citizenship in Australia, you can book a consultation with us right now.

Nasir Nawaz

I’m Nasir Nawaz. I’m a registered migration consultant in Australia. I am based in Sydney. I’ve studied Master of Laws at the University of New South Wales. I’m providing immigration services for several years.

Consult with me for legal advice on Australian visas to permanently live, study, and work in Australia.