Olympus Migration

Becoming an Australian Citizen (by Conferral) is a common way to become an Australian Citizen, especially for Australian Permanent Residents who were born overseas.

The Applicant needs to be an Australian Permanent Resident or an eligible New Zealand Citizen and meet certain criteria before they can apply.

Once an Applicant has officially become an Australian Citizen, they will be able to get an Australian Passport and vote in elections, among other benefits.

The Citizenship program is very complex with a number of eligibility criteria, so we recommend that you book a complimentary consultation with Andreas Athanasiou by scrolling to the Booking section at the bottom of this page.

You can have everything explained to you so you can make the right decision and not apply for the wrong Citizenship application, which would cost you money, time and the opportunity to re-apply immediately, in some cases.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible to apply for Citizenship by Conferral, the Applicant must:

Be an Australian Permanent Resident or an eligible New Zealand Citizen.
Meet the Residence Requirements.
Meet the Character Requirements.
Show their understanding of what it means to be an Australian Citizen - most Applicants will need to sit a Citizenship Test.
Have a basic knowledge of the English language.
Intend to live in Australia or maintain a close and continuing association with Australia while overseas.

For eligible New Zealand Citizens, there is a dedicated page in this link.

The abovementioned criteria are the bare minimum. More information will need to be provided by the Applicant to confirm eligibility. Please contact our Office for a complimentary consultation to discuss your matter.

GENERAL RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will consider the amount of time the Applicant has lived in Australia in the last 4 years. In certain cases, the DHA may exempt the Applicant from this requirement.

At the time of the lodgement, the Applicant must have been:

Living in Australia on a valid visa for the past 4 years.
A Permanent Resident or eligible New Zealand citizen for the past 12 months.
Away from Australia for no more than 12 months in total in the past 4 years, including no more than 90 days in total in the past 12 months.

For children 16 or 17 years old, if meeting this requirement would cause significant hardship or disadvantage, they will need to provide proof.

Children under 16 do not need to meet the general residence requirement but must be Permanent Residents.

CITIZENSHIP TEST & INTERVIEW

Applicants must understand what it means to be an Australian Citizen. To assess this, most Applicants (between the ages of 18 and 60) will undertake the citizenship test.

At the time Applicants are invited to a DHA Office for an Interview, they must show that they have:

A basic knowledge of the English language.
An understanding of what it means to become an Australian citizen.
An adequate knowledge of Australia and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship.
An understanding and commitment to Australian values based on freedom, respect and equality.

If they score 75% or more on the Citizenship Test and answer all 5 questions on Australian values correctly, then they meet the DHA's knowledge requirement.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Successful Applicants may need a basic knowledge of the English language to become an Australian Citizen.

If they score 75% or more on the Citizenship Test and answer all 5 questions on the Australian values correctly, then they meet the DHA's English Language requirement.

Some Applicants do not have to sit the test but must have an interview to show they:

Understand what it means to become an Australian citizen.
Have an adequate knowledge of the responsibilities and privileges of Australian citizenship.

AFTER THE CITIZENSHIP LODGEMENT

After lodgement, the Applicant will receive an Acknowledgement letter, and they will remain on their current Visa until a decision is made. Bridging Visas are not granted for the Citizenship categories.

Approximate Processing Time for a decision: The DHA’s indication is between 7 months and 13 months between the date of application and the date of the Australian Citizenship ceremony. However, this changes on a monthly basis.

A large number of previous Citizenship applications that Andreas Athanasiou has lodged have been granted in a shorter period, due to the detailed and thorough decision-ready applications he has submitted.

CITIZENSHIP APPLICATION CHARGE

If the Applicant is between 18 years old and 59 years old, the DHA charges $560 (AUD) for a Citizenship (by Conferral) application.

If the Applicant is 16 or 17 years old (or over 60 years old), the DHA charges $345 (AUD) for a Citizenship (by Conferral) application.

Members of the family unit can be included as secondary applicants, in some cases.

There may be other additional costs, such as:

The Professional Fees of the Firm that has been appointed (if applicable).
Criminal History Certificates.
Translations of Documents (if applicable).
Bank Surcharges.

Frequently Asked Questions (Citizenship by Conferral)

Does the Applicant need to undertake a Health Examination?

No. Health Examinations are not required for Citizenship Applications.

Does the Applicant lose their current Citizenship if they become an Australian Citizen?

Australia does not require new Australian Citizenship Applicants to renounce their current Citizenship.

Whether an Applicant loses their current Citizenship when they become an Australian Citizen does not depend upon Australian Citizenship law, but upon the Citizenship laws of the other country.

A number of countries allow their citizens to keep their original Citizenship.

We recommend that all prospective Australian Citizenship Applicants contact their nearest Consulate or Embassy to get the latest information.

Can any issues arise if the Applicant has any Criminal History?

Applicants must be of good character to visit or live in Australia. This means you must pass the character test, and remain of good character.

You must always disclose all of your criminal history when applying for Australian Citizenship (by Conferral) and Australian Citizenship (by Descent) if you are 18 years old or older.

If you fail to disclose anything that may be on your record, and your application is approved, the DHA may cancel this Citizenship when they find out.

The nationals from which countries were the most common in receiving Australian Citizenship (by Conferral) in 2021-2022?

According to the DHA, the most common nationals born overseas from the following countries received Australian Citizenship (by Conferral) between July 2021 and June 2022:

India (30,000+)
United Kingdom (19,000+)
Philippines (11,000+)
New Zealand (6,000+)
Pakistan (6,000+)
Vietnam (6,000+)
China (5,000+)
Iraq (5,000+)
South Africa (4,000+)
Afghanistan (4,000+)
Other (67,000+)

In total, over 167,000 individuals (who were born overseas) received Australian Citizenship (by Conferral) between July 2021 and June 2022.

What are the most common reasons for Citizenship (by Conferral) application refusals?

The 5 most common reasons for Citizenship (by Conferral) application refusals are as follows:

Failure to pass the Citizenship Test.
Failure to meet the General Residence Requirements.
Failure to respond to Requests for More Information (RFIs) from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
Failure to meet the Character Requirements.
Failure to prove the Identity Requirements.

You can find out more in our dedicated video explaining this in our Video Library.

What rights and privileges does a new Australian Citizen get?

Becoming an Australian Citizen entitles you to several rights and privileges, including:

Applying for an Australian Passport.
Once obtaining an Australian Passport; having the ability to enter 100+ countries without a Visa and another 50+ with a Visa on arrival.
Having the freedom to enter and leave Australia without a Visa.
Seeking assistance from Australian diplomatic representatives while overseas.
Working in the Australian Public Service.
Serving in the Australian Defence Force.
Voting in Australian elections and referendums.

How to book a Complimentary Consultation

You can discuss your case and concerns with Andreas Athanasiou either Face-to-Face or via Zoom.

You can book a confidential and complimentary consultation to assess your eligibility using the details below.

Head Office: L10, 440 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Satellite Office: Templestowe VIC 3106

Let’s change the future of your family tree together!

We are open 7 days a week, including on Public Holidays.

Email: andreas@olympusmigration.com.au Call: 1300 804 204 or Message us directly below!

Andreas Athanasiou, Olympus Migration, Australian Visas, Australian Citizenship, Home Affairs

Olympus Migration Pty Ltd

MARA Registration • MARN: 1685134

MIA Membership: 46054

ABN: 40 663 257 127 • ACN: 663 257 127

10/440 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Call Us: 1300 804 204 • Email Us: Link

Code of Conduct • Consumer Guide

Website Navigation (Partner Visas)

• Partner Visas Portal • Partner (820/801) • Partner (309/100) • Prospective Marriage (300) • Family Violence Provisions (FVP) • Sponsorship Limitation Waivers • Schedule 3 Criteria Waivers (SCH3) • NZ Family Relationship (461) • Contact Us •

Website Navigation (Other Family Visas)

• Parent Visas Portal • Sponsored Parent (870) • Contributory Parent (173/143) • Contributory Aged Parent (884/864) • Aged Parent (804) • Parent (103) • Assurance of Support (AoS) • Child (802/101) • Carer (836/116) • Remaining Relative (835/115) • Contact Us •

Website Navigation (Work Visas)

• Work Visas Portal • Temporary Skill Shortage (482) • Employer Nomination Scheme (186) • Employer/Sponsor Portal • Medium to Long Term List (MLTSSL) • Short Term List (STSOL) • Regional List (ROL) • Temporary Activity (408) • Contact Us •

Website Navigation (Skilled Visas)

• Skilled Visas Portal • Skilled Independent (189) • Skilled Nomination (190) • Expression of Interest (EOI) • EOI Calculator • Medium to Long Term List (MLTSSL) • Short Term List (STSOL) • Regional List (ROL) • Contact Us •

Website Navigation (Australian Citizenship)

• Australian Citizenship Portal • Citizenship (by Conferral) • Citizenship (by Descent) • Citizenship (by Birth) • Citizenship (for NZ Citizens) • Citizenship Eligibility • Citizenship Test & Interview • Australian Passports • Medicare • Resident Return (155/157) • Contact Us •

Website Navigation (Other Visas & Portals)

• New Zealand Portal • Greek Portal • European Union Portal • LGBTQIA+ Portal • Other Visas Portal • Protection (866) • Business Innovation & Investment Visa (188/888) • Tribunal (AAT) • Contact Us •

Website Navigation (Additional Services)

• Complex Services Portal • Status Resolution for Unlawful Immigrants (BVE) • No Further Stay Waivers (NFS) • Visa Cancellations (NOICC) • Character Requirements (s501) • Family Violence Provisions (FVP) • Sponsorship Limitation Waivers • Schedule 3 Criteria Waivers (SCH3) • Health Waivers • Work Rights Request • Australian Passports • Contact Us •

Website Navigation (Other Information)

• Home Page • About Us • YouTube Video Portal • Facebook Business Page • Google Business Page • Media Enquiries • Overseas Business Tours • Testimonials & Recent Cases • Client Resources • Contact Us •

Olympus Migration Domains

• olympusmigration.com.au • olympusmigration.au • olympusmigration.com • olympusmigration.eu • olympusmigration.gr • partnervisas.com.au • 820visa.com • 309visa.com • 300visa.com • mycitizenship.com.au • athanasiou.com.au •

Olympus Migration Disclaimer

The information on this website & affiliated Olympus Migration Pty Ltd pages (such as our Google, Facebook & YouTube pages) is intended to provide users with general information on Australian immigration matters, including Visa Subclasses, Citizenship Pathways and Tribunal Appeals. The information contained is not intended to replace or serve as substitute to professional advice you would receive in a consultation with a Registered Migration Agent (RMA), such as our Director, Mr Andreas Athanasiou. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) makes frequent legislative changes in relation to immigration criteria, eligibility, processing times and fees; in some instances, without any prior notice. We endeavour to keep the website as current as possible, but we do not guarantee its accuracy. We strongly recommend that you consult with an experienced RMA for professional advice concerning any Australian immigration matters before making a decision or lodging any immigration-related applications with the DHA or any other relevant bodies.

Australian Citizenship (by Conferral)

Australian Citizenship (by Conferral)

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ELIGIBILITY

GENERAL RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS

CITIZENSHIP TEST & INTERVIEW

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

AFTER THE CITIZENSHIP LODGEMENT

CITIZENSHIP APPLICATION CHARGE

AFTER THE CITIZENSHIP DECISION

Popular Topics for Australian Citizenship Applicants

APPLYING FOR AN AUSTRALIAN PASSPORT

APPLYING AND RECEIVING ACCESS TO MEDICARE

AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP TEST & INTERVIEW

AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP TEST & INTERVIEW

APPLYING AND RECEIVING ACCESS TO MEDICARE

AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP TEST & INTERVIEW

APPLYING AND RECEIVING ACCESS TO MEDICARE

APPLYING AND RECEIVING ACCESS TO MEDICARE

APPLYING AND RECEIVING ACCESS TO MEDICARE

Frequently Asked Questions (Citizenship by Conferral)

How to book a Complimentary Consultation

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