As an Australian permanent resident, you would already be used to living in a free and democratic nation. When you become an Australian citizen, you get the right to live and work freely in Australia. A critical component of being an Australian citizen is developing an awareness of and commitment to the country’s and people’s values. Check out citizenshipaustralian to learn more about becoming an Australian citizen.
Living In Australia
The first consideration you should make before applying for citizenship is the quality of life you would enjoy while living there. Not every nation is a good fit for your financial condition, your aspirations, or your family life. Therefore, before we discuss how to get Australian citizenship, you should determine if the lifestyle is a good fit for you.
English Language
While it’s seldom difficult for an English speaker to navigate most major holiday places, traveling to a new country is a different story. Not all governments will provide paperwork in English, and believe me when I say that you do not want to wind up at a remote public hospital in a non-English speaking country. While there are several expat nations where English is spoken, it is not necessarily at the native level.
If you’re looking for a second passport, you may be required to take a language exam in certain countries. Learning a new language takes time and having papers translated into local languages may cost hundreds of dollars, so don’t assume that overcoming a language barrier will be a stress-free experience in Australia.
How to Become a Citizen of Australia?
To become an Australian citizen, you must submit a completed application form to DOHA along with the required cost. After you submit your application, the department will contact you.
If your application is approved, you will be invited to an Australian citizenship ceremony, which will include the taking of the Australian Citizenship Pledge.
There are three routes to citizenship in Australia:
- By birth: If you were born in Australia and one or both parents are Australian citizens or permanent residents.
- By descent: Generally, if you are the child of an Australian citizen but were born abroad, you will be awarded Australian citizenship.
- By grant: If you are not an Australian citizen, you may seek to become one.
Australian citizenship by ancestry
If one of your parents was an Australian citizen at the time of your birth, regardless of your place of birth, you are eligible to claim Australian citizenship. Your birth must have taken place on or after 26 January 1949, or through foreign surrogacy. If you are above the age of 18, you must demonstrate your “good character.”
If your parents subsequently lose their Australian citizenship for whatever reason, you retain your citizenship.
Australian citizenship by adoption
You may qualify for Australian citizenship by adoption if you were born outside of Australia but were adopted by an Australian citizen.
If you choose this option, you must satisfy the following requirements:
- Those who were born to an ex-Australian citizen
- Individuals born in Papua New Guinea before to 1975
- Individuals born in Australia but without a state
- At the time of your adoption, at least one of your adoptive parents must be an Australian citizen.
- If your adoptive parent becomes an Australian citizen by descent or adoption, they must have lived in the nation for a minimum of two years.
- You must provide a current certificate of adoption compliance.
- If you are above the age of 18, you will be required to demonstrate your “good character.”
Obtain citizenship once again
If you were formerly an Australian citizen, you may be entitled to reclaim your citizenship. Whether you are permitted to do so will depend on the basis for your loss of citizenship. If you do not qualify, you must determine if you are eligible for conferred citizenship.
You may reclaim your Australian citizenship if you meet the following criteria:
- You become a citizen of another nation as an adult prior to April 2002.
- You resigned or relinquished your Australian citizenship in order to obtain or retain citizenship in another nation.
- You gave up your Australian citizenship in order to avoid significant hardship or injury.
- When your responsible parent’s citizenship expired as a kid, your Australian citizenship was revoked.
- You were formerly an Australian citizen by registration or naturalization, but your citizenship was revoked because you spent seven continuous years outside of Australia and Papua New Guinea between 26 January 1948 and 8 October 1958.
- If you are above the age of 18, you must demonstrate “excellent character.”
You are not eligible to reclaim your Australian citizenship if you:
- You were born in Papua and automatically lost your Australian citizenship on 16 September 1975 as a result of Papua and New Guinea legislation (when Papua New Guinea achieved independence)
- You lost your Australian citizenship for an unspecified cause.
Final Thought
Applying for citizenship in Australia may be a difficult and time-consuming procedure. We suggest consulting an Australian citizenship specialist to ensure your application has the highest possible chance of success.
