How to Get Australian Citizenship

If you have moved to Australia or are planning a permanent move to the country, then you will most likely want to gain citizenship in Australia so that you can be afforded all of the rights that come with being an Aussie.

If you are interested in gaining Australian citizenship, you should know that it might not take you as long as you might think to become an official Aussie. Under current rules and regulations, immigrants are able to apply for Australian citizenship after only two years of residence in the country within the previous 5 years. The stipulation here is that a full 12 months before making the application must have been spent within the country. When you are ready to submit an application, you can expect it to cost around $150.

As with any immigration paperwork, there are certain conditions and qualifications that must be met in order to qualify for Australian citizenship. In order to be approved to citizenship in Australia, all applicants must be permanent residents of the country. Additionally, all applicants must be at least 18 years of age when the application is submitted. A basic understanding of the English language is required, and you can expect the application to be in English as well. Applicants are also expected to be able to understand the nature of what they are doing by applying for citizenship in Australia, which is not limited to understanding the privileges and responsibilities of being an Aussie. Applicants must be in good health and of good character. And applicants are expected to maintain close ties with the country, meaning they must be likely to remain living in the country and keep a close association with the country.

While those are the requirements for citizenship in Australia, there are some exceptions to those regulations. In regards to being able to speak English, this requirement is not applicable to applicants that are over the age of 50. And if the applicant is over the age of 60, then they are not required to be able to recognize the privileges and responsibilities that come with Australian citizenship.

If you are a former Australian citizen, then the residency requirement is lowered from two years to 12 months. Exceptions such as this are also given to spouses, widows and widowers of Australian citizens and a few other select groups. If you fall into any of those categories, you will just need to demonstrate that you will suffer significant hardship if you are not granted Australian citizenship.