A Comprehensive Guide To Understanding Citizenship

Australia is the home to a diverse and vibrant community. However, navigating the rules to become part of this country is like a maze and a daunting process. Individuals who want to shift their status from ‘’ expat’’ or ‘’permanent resident’’ to a ‘’citizen of Australia’’ have to look at the eligibility criteria. Don’t worry, we have made this process easy for you. In this comprehensive guide, we'll navigate the intricate details of becoming an Australian citizen.

Jus Soli

The Australian government follows the principle of jus soli, which means right of the soil, granting citizenship to those born on Australian territory. Yet, there is a certain limitation to it.

Your Parents Status

Your parent status matters a lot at the time of your birth. If one or both of your parents are Australian citizens or hold the status of a permanent residency visa, then you are in luck and can easily get citizenship. You also do not need to worry, if they obtain dual citizenship after your birth. You can still claim your Aussie Citizenship through them.

If you are born in a foreign country but one of your parents holds Australian Citizenship, then you are still in luck. You are always welcome to apply for Australian citizenship by descent.

If you are born in Australia but none of your parents hold a permanent residency visa or citizenship, then it might be challenging for you to get citizenship. Don’t worry, there are other routes to get citizenship.

Offsprings of Non-Australian Parents

If your parents got citizenship after you were born it means that they lived in Australia legally with a valid visa and passport entry. Yet, not all visa holders automatically qualify for Australian citizenship by descent if their parents were not Australian citizens at the time of their birth. To be eligible, certain visa categories are considered, specifically permanent residency visas like subclass 820 (Partner) and Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme). It also means that if your parents hold a specific permanent residency visa and meet other relevant criteria, it can make you eligible for Australian citizenship by descent.

Permanent Residents

If you become a permanent resident, you need to show your commitment to the country that you want to call home permanently. The Australian government looks for evidence.

You can maintain close ties with your family members who have Australian citizenship. They can be your siblings or spouse. You can own a property or start a small business. These all show that you want to become part of Australia for a longer period of time.

Permanent Residents to Australian Citizenship

If you hold the status of permanent resident for almost four years before applying then you are eligible to apply for Australian Citizenship. You should also demonstrate good character. It means no criminal record even in the past. During the year just before applying, you must not have been out of the country for more than ninety days.

This shows ongoing connection and commitment to Australia as you seek citizenship. However, if you are under the category of defense service personnel, then you can be given flexibility in such matters.

If you have any legal issues pending within Australia or overseas, it is better to solve them before applying. Keep in mind, that honesty plays a huge role because hiding such matters can lead to severe consequences and lead to the rejection of your Australian Citizenship

Official Citizenship Test

One of the most important and crucial steps to become an Aussie is to pass the official Australian Citizenship Test. The test isn’t easy but with adequate preparation and determination, every individual can score well. The minimum passing percentage is 75%. There are various resources available for test preparation. In the end, you can give a free practice citizenship test to evaluate your understanding of topics.

Ceremony

If you have cleared all the steps including passing the test, you will be invited to attend the ceremony within 6 months via mail or email. In the ceremony, you ought to take a pledge that shows the symbolic and legally binding to your new home. You can show your commitment to respect democracy, government, culture and respect of people’s rights and liberties.