Australian Citizenship

Citizenship by conferral:

After July 2007:

People who became permanent residents on or after 1 July 2007 must have been lawfully resident in Australia for 4 years immediately before applying including:

• 12 months as a permanent resident

and

• absences from Australia of no more than 12 months, including no more than 3 months in the 12 months before applying.

Before July 2007:

If people became permanent residents before 1 July 2007 and apply before 30 June 2010, they must have been physically present in Australia as a permanent resident for a total of 2 years in the 5 years before applying, including 1 year in the 2 years before applying.

Citizenship by descent:

You are eligible if you were born overseas on or after 26 January 1949 and one of your parents was an Australian citizen at the time of your birth.

• if your parent became an Australian citizen by descent, he or she must have been present in Australia for periods totaling two years at some time in their life.

You are eligible if you were born outside Australia before 26 January 1949 and one of your parents became an Australian citizen on 26 January 1949 either because your parent was born in Australia or New Guinea or was naturalized in Australia before your birth.

Citizenship by birth:

Whether you are an Australian citizen by birth depends on the date of your birth.

People born in Australia on or after 20 August 1986 become Australian citizens by birth if at least one parent is an Australian citizen or a permanent resident at the time of the person’s birth.

A child born in Australia to parents who are not permanent residents or Australian citizens acquires Australian citizenship automatically on his or her 10th birthday provided the child is ordinarily resident in Australia.

People born in Australia before 20 August 1986 became Australian citizens by birth unless one parent was entitled to diplomatic privileges and immunities or was a consular officer of a foreign country.

Spouses of Australian citizens

Spouses of Australian citizens do not have an automatic right to permanent residence or Australian citizenship.

To be eligible for Australian citizenship, the spouse of an Australian citizen must be a permanent resident of Australia and must satisfy the requirements applicable to other adult applicants, including the residence requirement.