What is the process to apply for Australian citizenship in 2022?

Citizenship of Australia is what many migrants across the world aspire for. The process of applying for citizenship could seem lengthy and arduous, but it is worth it.

The Land Down Under provides an excellent quality of life, world-class healthcare and educational facilities, and a low crime rate.

When you become an Australian citizen, you can access various rights and benefits, including voting rights. Before that, you should know if you are eligible to apply for Australian citizenship by going through the eligibility criteria.

The common requirements for eligibility are that applicants should be aged above 18, have good health, good character, and have minimum educational qualifications, among others.

*Check your eligibility to Australia with the help of Y-Axis Australia Immigration Points Calculator.

Residence requirements

This includes both the period you have lived in this Oceania country and your time outside of it. The residence requirements mandate that you should have resided on a valid visa in Australia for a minimum of four years before applying; should have lived in Australia for the past last 12 months as a permanent resident (PR); should not have stayed outside Australia for more than a year during these four years; and should have been present in the country for a period exceeding 90 days in the year of applying.

Citizenship test & interview

Applicants must participate in a face-to-face interview before appearing for the citizenship test. You will get an appointment letter providing the details before you appear for the citizenship interview.

In the test, the immigration authorities of Australia will want to ensure that you understand the country's traditions, history, national symbols, and values. They will also evaluate your English language proficiency. If you pass this test, they will be satisfied that you can participate in the Australian community and integrate seamlessly into its society.

Before you take the test, the authorities will verify if your documents are all authentic. Only permanent residents of Australia can take the test. They will also have to prove their identity before they register for the test.

Individuals under the age of 18 and those above 60 years need not take the test. Also exempt from taking the test are differently-abled.

Changes in the citizenship test

Australia modified the citizenship test in September 2020 by including more questions on the values of Australia.

Original documents

Applicants need to submit all required original documents when they apply for the citizenship test. They should have documents to prove their identity and prove that they have no criminal history, apart from other requirements.

Completed application form

Applicants must ensure that they answer all the application form's questions.

Procedure for submitting application forms

Individuals can either apply online or through a paper application form from their nearest locations. You are not required to any original documents along with your application form.

When you attend the citizenship test, you will need to bring all the necessary original documents.

Ensure that you understand all the instructions about the application fees payment before you submit the application form for citizenship.

Compulsorily attend citizenship test and interview

Before you submit your citizenship application, an appointment notification will be sent to you by the immigration department. When you attend the test or interview, a designated officer will go through all the original documents you have submitted and confirm your identity.

Receiving the notification of the decision of the department regarding your application

You will know about the decision taken on your citizen application after you submit a filled-in application form, produce the original documents, and pay the fees. If you have not received any notification in the specified time, contact the department and inform them about the same. It is not required that you be present in Australia when a decision is taken on your citizenship.

After receiving the citizenship 

After you receive a notification that the immigration authorities have approved your application, you will need to be physically present at a citizenship ceremony where you would need to take the Australian Citizenship Pledge.

The citizenship ceremony will take place within six months of your application's approval. If you included children under the age of 15 were in your application form, they would also be issued citizenship after you take the pledge.

According to the Australian Home Affairs website, 140,748 individuals were granted Australian citizenship in 2020-2021. These individuals belonged to around 200 nations across the world. In the year 2022-2023, the government of Australia has decided to grant citizenship to about 160,000 individuals under various schemes.

Australian citizenship processing time

The time taken to process applications for citizenship ranges from around 19 to 25 months. Included in this will be the duration from the application date to the date of the decision and the approval date for the citizenship ceremony. If an individual has applied under the general category, the processing time will range from around 19-24 months.

Due to the increasing number of applications since 2020, Australia's waiting period for citizenship has increased.

In case your application has not been processed in the specified period, it could be due to several reasons: Inability to submit the completed application form or the substantiating documents.

• The immigration department might be pressed for time to verify the individual information applicants have provided them.
• Time is taken to coordinate between different agencies to make available information related to the individuals' characters or national security.

If you are currently a UAE resident and plan to migrate to Australia, contact Y-Axis, the World's No. 1 Immigration Consultant. 

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