02 9635 5333

02 9635 5333

Join the club.

Enjoy the benefits of one of the world’s most powerful passports.

Helping you obtain Australian citizenship


We’ve fine-tuned the citizenship application process so it’s simple. Whether you want to manage it yourself, or need some help, we can tailor our services to suit your expertise and attitude to risk. And if you want us to take care of everything from woe to go, our fees are competitive too.

How do I become eligible?


Put the wheels in motion with the support of an immigration law specialist.

Over 16

An applicant has to be 16 years and older to apply in their own right. Children under 16 years can be included in their parents application

Permanent residency

You need to have held permanent residency for at least 12 months.

Time limit

You need to have lived in Australia for 4 years or more.

Citizenship test

You will need to pass the citizenship test.

Remember, the immigration minister will also want evidence that:

● you are likely to reside in Australia, or will maintain a close and continuing association with Australia, if the application is approved;
● you are of good character

Residency requirements


“Residency requirements” outlined in section 21(2)(c) stipulate that a person satisfies the general residence requirement if:

● They were in Australia for 4 years immediately before the day they applied for citizenship, and● They weren’t unlawful during that 4 year period, and● They were in Australia as a permanent resident for 12 months immediately before the day they applied for citizenship

  • Power to you


    The Australian passport is the 9th most powerful in the world according to Arton Capital’s 2021 Passport Index.Call our visa and migration law team to find out more.
    02 9635 53339am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, (AEST/AEDT)

  • Need help with a criminal conviction?


    We’ve developed a partnership with criminal lawyers whose clients have had their visa cancelled due to a criminal conviction (Section 501).
    We have successfully had a number of these mandatory cancellations revoked.

Understanding the benefits

Becoming an Australian citizen grants you access to an exclusive club with a number of privileges. Australian Citizenship is one of the most sought after and desired citizenships in the world and is the result of Australia being one of the most multicultural places on Earth. You can stay outside Australia as long as you want. You do not need to apply for a Resident Return Visa to re-enter the country.
You are also entitled to consular and embassy assistance abroad.
Where permanent residents can lose their status if they spend long periods of time outside of the country or if they commit certain crimes, Australian citizenship is not easily revoked once you gain it.
The ability to stay in Australia permanently as well as choosing to leave and return as you wish
Vote – shape the country’s futureAustralian citizenship gives you the right to vote in federal, state or territory elections, as well as council elections and national referendums. In fact, voting is mandatory for Australian citizens.
Defer university feesYou maybe eligible to defer your education fees under the Higher Education Loan Program.
Apply for government jobsMost Australian Defence Force or public service positions require you to be an Australian citizen.
Your children can become citizensAfter becoming an Australian citizen any of your children born overseas can be registered as Australian citizens too, giving them the same rights as children born in Australia.
Become a parliamentarianAs a citizen you can become a member of Federal Parliament, however, you can not hold dual citizenship unless you can show you’ve made every effort to have your other nationality revoked.
Represent AustraliaMany international sporting and cultural events require participants representing Australia to be Australian citizens.
Greater access to New Zealand and US work permitsAs an Australian citizen you have full residence rights in New Zealand without any time limit constraint or risk of losing those rights.Australian citizens with professional jobs have access to a simplified work visa for the United States.
Adopt a childSome states and territories require one or both parents to be Australian citizens to adopt a child.
This notion is clearly shown in the statistics as well, since the time Australian Citizenship was introduced in 1949, over 5 million people have become citizens. According to the Department of Home Affairs, 140,748 people became citizens by conferral in 2020-21 alone, representing over 200 different nationalities demonstrating the large demand for people from all over the world wanting to settle in Australia.

Related content

The number of people who became Australian citizens in the year to June 30, 2014. Click here to find out which countries they came from.

Illustration

Source: Australian Government

The pass rate of people who sit the citizenship test. Vietnamese and Chinese have the highest failure rates by former nationality, at 4.1 per cent and 1.8 per cent respectively.

Illustration

Check your eligibility

The Australian government has an excellent online tool called Citizenship Wizard

Illustration

What are the steps to get citizenship in Australia?

In order to become a Citizen of Australia you must do the following:

1. Assess your eligibility

Prior to completing any application, potential applicants must first determine whether they are eligible to apply. Eligibility requirements will differ depending on the type of Citizenship application you are applying for such as:● Australian Citizenship by conferral● Permanent Residents● New Zealand Citizens● Born in Australia and are stateless ● Australian Citizenship by descent ● Your parent(s) was an Australian Citizen and you were born overseas

2. Prepare your Citizenship documents

Use the information below to gather all required documents for your citizenship application.

3. Submit and Pay for your application

Submit your Citizenship application either:● Online through your Department of Home Affairs ImmiAccount● Via your Immigration Lawyer

4. Attend an Interview and sit your Citizenship Test

After submitting your application, you will be asked to attend an Australian Government office to undertake a Citizenship Interview and Test. The aim of the interview is to confirm your identity and to confirm that you are eligible to sit the citizenship test.

The Australian Citizenship test comprises of 20 Multiple Choice Questions that assess applicants on their knowledge of Australia’s history, values and laws. Applicants must achieve at least 75% and answer all 5 of the Australian values questions correctly in order to pass their test. Applicants are able to study for their test using resources provided by the Department of Home Affairs as well as the practice test found here.

Examples of questions you may be asked in the citizenship test include:● What do we commemorate on Anzac Day?● What are the colours of the Australian Aboriginal Flag?● What happened in Australia on 1 January 1901?
You are able to sit the test as many times as you need to pass for no cost and will not be able to advance further in your application until you have passed the examination.

5. Wait for your decision notification and outcome

After completing your interview and test, you may be asked to provide further information to the Department.
You will be notified in writing to inform that your application has been:● Approved – you may now attend a citizenship ceremony to become an Australia Citizen ● Refusal – you may ask for a review of your application by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. We recommend getting in touch with a migration lawyer if you have notalready done so in order to assist you with this step.

What is required for Australian citizenship Application?

The requirements for an Australian Citizenship application differ depending on the type of application you submit. Generally, applicants will need to provide the Department with the following documents:
Identity Documents: Documents that together will show the Department your:● Birth name, date of birth and gender● Photograph ● Signature● Current residential address
Documents that may be used to show the above include:● A Birth Certificate that shows your parent’s names and date of birth● Photo & Signature: Passport, National Identity Card, Proof of Age Card, Student ID, Drivers Licence● Evidence of Residential Address , Bill, Rental Agreement
In addition to the above, you will need to provide the Department:● Evidence of arrival in Australia ● Submission of Form 1195 (Identity Declaration) ● Passport Sized Photographs for applicants● Character Documents including: A National Police Check from the Australian Federal Police; and International Police Checks from countries you have resided in for the last 10 years● Evidence of any concession or fee waiver eligibility
It is important to note that all documents that are not in English must be translated to English by a NAATI (National Accredited Authority for Translators and Interpreters) certified translator, if applying domestically, or if applying internationally, by a translator approved by your country’s Australian Government Embassy or Consulate.

How Long does it take to get Citizenship in Australia?

Depending on the type of application you submit, citizenship processing times can differ greatly.In addition to this, your visa application can be affected by the following factors:● Whether you have provided the Department with all necessary documents ● How promptly you respond to requests for more information or documents● The time it takes for third parties to process or verify information, such as processing your character checks to meet national security requirements ● The time taken for you to complete and pass your Citizenship interview and test

Processing times for 90% of Citizenship applications are processed in:

TYPE OF APPLICATIONPROCESSING TIME
(from date of application to decision)
Australian Citizenship by conferral – General Eligibility (Form 1300t) 20 months
Australian Citizenship by conferral – Other Situations (Form 1290) 20 months
Australian Citizenship by descent (Form 118)5 months

How much is Australian citizenship fee?

Depending on the type of citizenship stream that you plan on applying for, fees will differ. These fees also differ depending on your concession eligibility, fee waiver eligibility and the number of applications you submit.

These fees are also subject to price increase by the Department of Home Affairs.
Standard fees for Citizenship Applications are:

TYPE OF APPLICATIONFEE
Australian Citizenship by conferral – General Eligibility (Form 1300t) $490
Australian Citizenship by conferral – Other Situations (Form 1290) $300
Australian Citizenship by descent (Form 118) $315
Australian Citizenship for adopted children (Form 1272) $315
Resumption of Australian Citizenship $210

A full list of fees for Australian citizenship, concession eligibility and fee waiver eligibility can be found here.

How can an Immigration Lawyer help?

By using a trusted Immigration Lawyer, you will be ensuring that your application has the strongest chance of being approved with little-to-no delay. An experienced immigration lawyer will be able to submit your citizenship application but will also be available to assist you with court appeals and more complex migration issues including applicant refusals and character issues.
A migration lawyer is also able to assist you should you need to seek review of your application from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), as well as a court of law should you need to.
Our team at Alan Rigas Solicitors are Accredited specialists in Immigration Law and are available to help at every step of your Australian migration journey.

The material included in this article is designed and intended to provide general information on obtaining Australian Citizenship, which is current at the time of publication and is for general informational purposes only.
The contents do not constitute legal advice and are not intended to be a substitute for legal advice and should not be relied upon as such.Migrating to Australia can be overwhelming for some. An experienced migration lawyer can assist and guide you to meet the legal requirements of migrating to Australia.Contact our office to speak with one of our lawyers who can help guide you through the process and assist you with obtaining your work visa and help you maximise the prospects of your visa application.

Our other services

Illustration

Property & conveyancing

Buying or selling a home, investment property or business is one of the most important transactions people will ever make. We coordinate the entire transaction.

Illustration

Employment contracts

We can provide strategic advice in negotiating or drafting your next employment contract. Or, in the event of a breach of contract, we can advise you of your rights.

Illustration

Contest a will

Adam’s carer tricked him into signing away his fortune. Our legal team saved his grandkid’s inheritance.

Illustration

Family law

We offer a comprehensive range of family law and de-facto law services.

  • Find Us

Suite 3, Level 1,9 George StreetParramatta NSW 2150