Getting the Australian Citizenship by Conferral

Australia is a diverse and vibrant community with beautiful landscape and birthplace of unlimited opportunities. It is the land of success that has attracted many immigrants to travel here. The process of acquiring Australian citizenship, known as citizenship by conferral comes with certain eligibility and criteria that applicant has to meet. In this blog we will break down and elaborate the requirement of citizenship.

Permanent Residency

It is mandatory to have a valid permanent residency visa before applying for citizenship. This visa allows you to work, study and live in Australia indefinitely. Keep in mind to hold the status of permanent residency throughout your application process.

Residency Time

You should have lived in Australia for at least 4 years before you apply for citizenship. This will allow you to retain the status of permanent residents for at least a year. In these 4 years, you shouldn't be absent from Australia for more than 12 months. You can travel overseas for a short duration of time, but extended stay can impact your application process.

The total number of days one can spend outside Australia in the last 12 months barely before applying should not be more than 90 days. If there is any special case, and you are unable to fulfill the eligibility criteria, you can contact the Home Affairs Office.

Good Character Requirement

Good character is mandatory to pass for citizenship criteria. You should have no criminal record. However, if you have any then the Australian Department of Home Affairs will evaluate your case. The cancellation of your application status depends on how grave your case is.

Your application process can also be affected if you have any legal penalty overseas or within Australia. It is better to resolve the legal issues before applying for citizenship.

Citizenship Test

Citizenship is an important step in the application process. It is a computer-based test that evaluates your understanding of Australia culture, history, historical figures, dates, geography, responsibilities and privileges of citizenship and legal system.

There are various resources you can use to prepare for the exam including Common Bond booklet, our common bond podcast that has 5 episodes and covers all the course that you will encounter in an exam. Many candidates who have passed the test also recommend to take various Australian citizenship practice tests from an authentic source.

The exam also evaluates your English language skill because it is the national and official language of Australia. The department of home affairs of Australia recommends to enroll in the Adult Migrant English Program to enhance your English language skills.

Integration into the Australian Community

Integration into the Australian Community is not difficult as there is a proper law and order for everything. All the applicants are assessed based on how much they are involved in community activities and follow the Australian laws.

Child Applicants

Children who are less than 16 years of age are not required to take the test but it is mandatory for them to stay in Australia for at least 4 years. They should also not have been absent from Australia for more than 12 months before applying for Australian Citizenship.

Seek Professional Guidance

Navigating the eligibility criteria and wanting to get a visa whether its family sponsorship, business visa or etc can be a difficult process. Don’t worry, you can find all the information at the official government website. There are many agents that can help you with the paperwork and make the process more easy for you.