Do you qualify for Australian citizenship?

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Australian citizenship can be obtained in several ways based on eligibility requirements specified by the Australian Citizenship Act 2007.

For Australian permanent residents, you can apply for citizenship by conferral. If you have an Australian citizen parent or you have been adopted by an Australian citizen you can be eligible for automatic citizenship.

The main requirements for obtaining citizenship via conferral include the following:

  • You must have held permanent residency for at least 12 months before applying for citizenship
  • You must not have been outside Australia for a total of 12 months during the 4 year period before applying for citizenship
  • Of the last 12 months as permanent resident before applying for citizenship you must not have been outside Australia for more than 90 days
  • You must not have been present as an unlawful citizen for any period in the 4 years before applying for citizenship
  • You must pass a citizenship test unless you are exempt
  • You must satisfy character requirements

If you do not meet all requirements, in exceptional circumstances we can prepare a submission to the Minister on your behalf to maximise your chances of obtaining citizenship. Such circumstances can include:

  • An administrative error resulted in you becoming unlawful or not becoming a permanent resident
  • If you would suffer significant hardship if a period of temporary residence is not counted as a period of permanent residence
  • You are a spouse, widow or widower of an Australian citizen, were a permanent resident, and maintained a close and continuing association with Australia during the relevant period

Special residence requirements can also be considered including:

  • if you have engaged in activities of special benefit to Australia
  • if you have completed a specific amount of Defence services

We can also assist with the following issues in relation to citizenship:

  • complex Citizenship Applications
  • Review Rights for Citizenship Decisions
  • Refusal of an application for citizenship or the revocation of an approval for citizenship
  • Other particular issues can be appealed by judicial review in the appropriate courts

In the case that you do not meet all requirements according to Australian citizenship laws, it may still be possible to obtain citizenship in particular circumstances. We can assist you with your application and provide you with information based on your personal situation. Just call or email us to arrange an appointment with one of our specialists.