CITIZENSHIP OF AUSTRALIA
Australia is a truly amazing state with a huge variety of flora and fauna that no other country in the world can boast of. For many foreigners, obtaining Australian citizenship is a priority goal and a guarantee of a prosperous future.
In addition to the wonderful nature, annually attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists from different parts of the world, here are concentrated the richest mineral deposits, including coal, iron ore, oil, gas, uranium, gold and many other resources. All this attracts investment to the country and stimulates the development of business in Australia.
Effective reforms in the Australian economy, started back in the 80s of the last century, made it possible to achieve a high standard of living for the local population, increase competitiveness in global trade, build an ideal infrastructure and create comfortable conditions for immigration to Australia for a large number of foreigners. Australian universities offer quality education, although it is not free.
The country has many programs for qualified foreign specialists, which gives a chance for successful employment in Australia and a decent salary. Of course, not everything is so perfect on this continent. For example, one of the main problems is ecology. Frequent droughts, floods and forest fires, create serious threats to the climate in the long term. Nevertheless, there are many more positive factors from moving to permanent residence and applying for Australian citizenship.
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Benefits of Australian citizenship
For many decades, along with such popular destinations for immigration, such as the United States and Canada, a huge number of foreigners were happy to master the Australian continent. According to official statistics, a quarter of the country's population are immigrants. It became possible to obtain full citizenship of Australia only since 1949, after the introduction of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. Before that, local residents were considered British subjects.
What gives citizenship of Australia and how it differs from the status of permanent resident:
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No risk of losing your Australian passport, and therefore your right to reside in the country. In the case of ordinary residents, staying outside Australia for a long time or serious crimes can be grounds for revocation of permanent residence.
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The right to vote in elections and the ability to stand as a candidate.
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Better job prospects, including government positions.
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Education costs are significantly lower for Australians compared to foreigners. Access to scholarships and other benefits.
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High levels of social protection, including various benefits such as unemployment and disability.
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Visa-free travel to most countries in the world, including the most developed ones. Plus protection and legal assistance from Australian consular offices overseas, should you need it. Another bonus is free residence in New Zealand.
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The ability to secure Australian citizenship for a child, if born overseas.
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A lot of other privileges that gives life in a free, democratic and developed country.
Important. Since 2002, Australian laws allow you to have dual citizenship, if the country of the foreigner does not prohibit it.
Ways of obtaining Australian citizenship
In 2024, Australian law provides 3 ways to become a citizen:
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By birth
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By descent
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By granting
As a rule, applicants obtain citizenship of Australia through the procedure of granting, in other words, naturalization. To do this, it is necessary to fulfill a number of requirements. For example, to live in the country for at least 4 years. Let's consider each option of legal registration of the Australian passport.
Australian citizenship by birth
Unlike the U.S. legislation, where the mere fact of birth gives the right to obtain an American passport in the future, in case of birth on the territory of Australia, the child receives citizenship automatically, provided that one of the parents is an Australian or a permanent resident of the country.
Australian citizenship by descent
A child who was born outside Australia may qualify for citizenship if one of the parents held an Australian passport at the time of birth. There are certain requirements in the Citizenship Act for some situations. For example, a parent must have lived legally in Australia for at least 2 years if they have obtained their own citizenship by descent or by grant under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption or a bilateral agreement between countries.
Australian citizenship by grant
The citizenship by grant process involves applying for an Australian passport if the following conditions are met:
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Permanent residency status at the time of application that will not expire during the application period.
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A total period of legal residence in Australia immediately prior to applying for citizenship of not less than 4 years, with the last year as a permanent resident. Absence from Australian territory for no more than 12 months during the 4-year period and no more than 3 months during the last year is allowed.
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Basic English language skills (test).
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No criminal record or serious offenses.
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A strong intention to reside in Australia and maintain close economic and social ties with Australia.
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Understanding of the basic rights and obligations of an Australian citizen under local law (test).
Citizenship applications and documents are accepted on paper or online via the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection's dedicated website – homeaffairs.gov.au. Here you can learn more about the official requirements for Australian citizenship.
Important. In 2024 the cost of applying for Australian citizenship through the normal application procedure (application form 1300t) is 490 Australian dollars (about 310 euros).
Australian citizenship procedure
To obtain an Australian passport, you need to carefully check the basic requirements for foreigners applying for citizenship. If everything is in order, documents are collected and an application is submitted. After some time, the candidate will receive a letter with information about the results of the application. If the formal conditions are met, the letter will indicate the date and place of special testing and interview.
It is necessary to have original documents, certified copies of which were sent initially through the site. The test is aimed at determining the degree of proficiency in English, knowledge of the rights and duties of Australians, local laws, basic concepts about the country and some other information necessary for obtaining Australian citizenship. Usually this procedure is not too difficult, as there are special materials in the form of brochures and videos to prepare for the test.
Some applicants are exempted from taking the test. For example, for health reasons (mental retardation, hearing or vision loss), as well as age – persons over 60 or under 18 years of age. In these cases, an interview is sufficient. At the final stage there is a solemn ceremony of conferring citizenship and taking the oath of allegiance to Australia. As a rule, this procedure takes place within 6 months from the date of approval of the application. At the end of the ceremony, the candidate receives a certificate of citizenship.
In conclusion, there are practically no simplified or accelerated ways to obtain citizenship of Australia. The only thing is that at the discretion of the local immigration authorities for the spouses of Australians who apply for citizenship, the period of permanent residence in the country may be slightly reduced, but otherwise the conditions are no different.
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