Becoming an Australian Citizen: Eligibility, Residence, the Test, Fees and Timing

To become an Australian citizen by conferral, most adults must be permanent residents who have lived in Australia on a valid visa for the 4 years before applying, including the last 12 months as a permanent resident, with no more than 12 months away in total and no more than 90 days away in the final year; most applicants aged 18 to 59 must also pass a 20-question citizenship test, with at least 15 correct and all 5 values questions right, and the standard application fee is $595.

Checked on 23 October 2026 against the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 and the Department of Home Affairs.

Who can apply

Most people become citizens by conferral: you apply, the Department of Home Affairs decides, and you make the citizenship pledge. Under section 21 of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007, an adult applicant must:

• be aged 18 or over when applying, and a permanent resident both when applying and when the decision is made (New Zealand citizens holding a Special Category (subclass 444) visa count as permanent residents for citizenship);
• meet the residence requirement (below), or a special residence or defence service requirement;
• understand the application, have a basic knowledge of English, and know about Australia and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship (shown for most people by the citizenship test);
• be likely to live in Australia, or keep a close and continuing link with it; and
• be of good character when the decision is made.

Children: a child aged 15 or younger who is a permanent resident can be included on a parent's application and does not need to meet the residence requirement. A 16 or 17-year-old must apply on their own and meet the residence requirement (or show it would cause significant hardship or disadvantage).

The residence requirement

When you apply, you must have:

• been living in Australia on a valid visa for the 4 years just before you apply, without any time as an unlawful non-citizen;
• held a permanent visa for the last 12 months of that period; and
• been away from Australia for no more than 12 months in total in those 4 years, including no more than 90 days in the last 12 months.

• When permanent residence starts: on the date your permanent visa was granted if you were in Australia, or the date you first entered Australia on a permanent visa. Home Affairs has a residence calculator on its website.
• Prison: time in prison, or in a psychiatric institution by court order connected with an offence, during the 4 years means you do not meet the requirement, unless the Minister decides it would be unreasonable to apply that rule.
• Discretions: the Minister can count some periods differently, for example time spent unlawfully or as a temporary resident because of an administrative error, time as a temporary resident if you would otherwise suffer significant hardship or disadvantage, and time overseas as the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen with a close and continuing link to Australia. You must give supporting evidence, and Home Affairs cannot assess this before you apply.
• Special rules apply to some New Zealand citizens, Australian Defence Force members and their families, people seeking citizenship for particular activities (such as an Australian sporting team or a high-level security clearance), and some kinds of work that require regular travel overseas.

Character and other requirements

• Good character (if you are 18 or over) means your enduring moral qualities: whether you are likely to obey Australian law and keep the commitments in the pledge. Home Affairs may consider criminal convictions, court obligations in Australia or overseas, associations with people of concern, reported domestic violence, and honesty, including false or misleading information in a visa or citizenship application. Home Affairs may ask for overseas police certificates.
• Close and continuing link: Home Affairs looks at your home and property, work and income, family and schooling, travel pattern and community involvement. Family ties in Australia may not be enough on their own.
• Home Affairs must not approve an application if your identity is not established; if criminal proceedings (including an appeal) are pending against you; within 2 years of release from a prison sentence of 12 months or more (10 years for a repeat offender); while you are on parole, bail, a good behaviour order or similar court conditions; while you are in prison or a psychiatric institution by court order; if you are assessed as a risk to Australia's security; or if you stopped being an Australian citizen in the last 12 months.
• Be in Australia for the decision: for most applications, Home Affairs cannot approve while you are outside Australia.

The citizenship test

• Who sits it: most applicants aged 18 to 59. You generally do not sit the test if you are 17 or younger or 60 or over when you apply, or have a permanent or enduring incapacity, or a permanent loss or substantial impairment of hearing, speech or sight; you may have an interview instead.
• The test: 20 multiple-choice questions on a computer or tablet, in English, in 45 minutes (90 minutes for an assisted test). To pass you need at least 15 out of 20 (75%) and all 5 questions on Australian values. The questions come from the official booklet "Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond".
• The appointment: Home Affairs sends a letter with the date, time and place. Bring photo ID (certified copies and images are not accepted) and your appointment letter. Your identity is confirmed and your photo taken before the test.
• If you fail: it does not affect your visa, and another appointment is booked at no extra cost. If you do not pass after three appointments, the application may be refused.

Fees and how to apply

• Concession: only with a valid Pensioner Concession Card on which you are the primary cardholder (or a listed dependant aged 17 or younger). Health Care Cards, student cards and Senior Health Cards do not qualify. No fee is payable by former child migrants under the Commonwealth Child Migration Scheme, people with at least 90 days in the permanent Defence Force, and applicants under the statelessness provision.
• Indexed each year: fees are set by the Australian Citizenship Regulation 2016 and rise on 1 July in line with inflation. These are the rates on Home Affairs' fee form of July 2026; a payment surcharge may apply.
• How to apply: Home Affairs says you can apply online in ImmiAccount if you are 18 to 59 and not claiming a concession. Use a paper form if you are 16 or 17, are claiming a concession or exemption, are in the Defence Force, are stateless, have no passport, or have not travelled in or out of Australia since July 1990.

How long it takes

Home Affairs' figures, last updated 16 October 2026. An application can take longer if it is incomplete, documents are missing, information takes time to verify, or you delay your ceremony. For citizenship by descent, 90% of applications are decided within 4 months.

The ceremony and after

• The pledge: most people aged 16 or over when they applied must make the pledge of commitment at a citizenship ceremony. You become a citizen when you make the pledge, not when the application is approved. Children under 16 on your application become citizens at the same time as you.
• The invitation comes about four weeks ahead, from your local council (which usually runs ceremonies) or Home Affairs. You cannot choose the date or place. Allow at least 2 hours; bring the invitation and photo ID.
• Within 12 months: if you do not make the pledge within 12 months of approval, the approval may be cancelled unless you have an acceptable reason with evidence.
• Travel before the ceremony: tell Home Affairs, travel on your current passport, and make sure your visa lets you return (you may need a Resident Return visa).
• Afterwards: you receive your citizenship certificate, which you need for an Australian passport; wait at least 10 days after the ceremony before applying online. You must enrol to vote if you are 18 or over.
• If you are refused, Home Affairs writes with its reasons, and you can ask the Administrative Review Tribunal to review the decision. The letter gives the time limit.

Other ways to become a citizen

• By descent: a person born overseas can apply on the basis that a parent was an Australian citizen when they were born.
• Born in Australia: many people born here are already citizens. See are children born in Australia citizens?
• Resumption: a former citizen can apply to resume citizenship.

Where to get help

How Go To Court Lawyers can help

Our free line, 1800 577 015, answers at any hour. Jen, our AI legal information assistant, gives general legal information and takes your details; Jen is not a lawyer and does not give advice about your case. A 60-minute consultation with a lawyer who practises in your state is a fixed $295, by phone, video or in person where the lawyer offers it. The lawyer can check your residence calculation and eligibility before you apply, advise on a character issue, pending charges or a past sentence, and help you seek review if your application is refused. Requests are taken at any hour; how soon a lawyer can see you depends on who is available. Request a $295 consultation.

General information only, not legal advice. Updated 23 October 2026. Checked against the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 (Cth), Compilation No. 37 (4 June 2026), sections 21 and 22; the Department of Home Affairs' pages on citizenship for permanent residents (updated 12 October 2026), the citizenship test (updated 7 October 2026), citizenship processing times (updated 16 October 2026), the citizenship ceremony (updated 16 July 2026) and its telephone contacts; and Home Affairs' citizenship application fees form (Form 1298i, July 2026), on 23 October 2026. Some summary boxes on Home Affairs' own pages still show older fees and processing times; the figures here come from its fee form and its processing-times page.