What are the requirements for Australian Citizenship by descent (through parents)?
You may be eligible to apply for Australian Citizenship by descent if at least one of your parents (mother or father) meets the following requirements:
- Was an Australian Citizen at the time of your birth and you were born outside Australia on or after 26 January 1949. (If you were born prior to that date, then ensure your parent was born or naturalized in Australia before your date of birth); OR
- Was an Australian Citizen by descent and spent at least 2 years in Australia before you submit citizenship application; and
- Meets the good moral character requirement
What are the requirements to apply for Australian Citizenship for my child?
If you are an Australian Citizen and have a child who was born outside Australia and is less than 16 years old, you can apply for citizenship in his or her behalf. You can also apply if you are his or her legal guardian, the DHA defines it as a ‘responsible’ parent.
What are the requirements for Australian Citizenship if I was adopted?
- If you were adopted by an Australian citizen then you might be eligible to apply for Australian citizenship by descent using Form 118, Application for Australian Citizenship by Descent
- If you were not adopted by an Australian Citizen but you were adopted under full Hague Convention arrangements you may be eligible to apply for Australian Citizenship using Form 1272, Application for Australian Citizenship for Children Adopted under Full Hague Convention Arrangements
It is important to note that you may have automatically acquired Australian Citizenship if you were adopted by an Australian citizen and you resided in Australia on a permanent basis. If this is your case you may only be required to apply for proof of citizenship using Form 119, Evidence of Australian Citizenship.
How long does it take to become an Australian Citizen by descent?
After filing your Australian Citizenship application, the DHA will aim to process it within one month, even though there is always the possibility of a backlog of applications and other delays. Note that you will NOT need to attend a Citizenship Ceremony after your application has been approved.
How much does applying for citizenship cost?
If you file for citizenship using Form 118, Application for Australian citizenship by Descent the government fee is $315. If you have a sibling, sister or brother, who would like to file the application at the same time there is an additional $95 per extra applicant.