Australian Citizenship by Descent – Born Overseas to an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident
If you were born outside of Australia and one of your parents was an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you may be eligible for Australian Citizenship by Descent. The Australian Citizenship by Descent application is available online through ImmiAccount. This page has compiled all vital information regarding Australian Citizenship by Descent, including the application eligibility, fee, processing time, and documents needed.
What is Australian citizenship by descent?
Australian citizenship by descent is one available pathway to becoming an Australian citizen. You can consider this pathway if you were born overseas (outside of Australia). When you were born, one or both of your parents were Australian citizens or permanent residents.
What is the difference between Australian citizenship by descent and conferral?
Australian citizenship by descent is for the biological child/children of an Australian citizen or permanent resident born overseas (outside Australia). Meanwhile, Australian citizenship by conferral is for permanent residents who wish to be citizens and have met specific requirements.
Eligibility for Australian citizenship by descent:
- You were born outside Australia/overseas on or after 26 January 1949, and your parents (one or both of them) must have been Australian citizens or permanent residents at the time of your birth and have spent at least 2 years lawfully in Australia or
- You were born outside of Australia in an international surrogacy arrangement, and
- You meet the character requirement if you are 18 years old or older.
Friendly notes:
- If you are 15 or younger, your parent must sign the application.
- You will not be granted a Bridging Visa after lodging the citizenship application.
Character Requirements for Australian Citizenship by Descent:
In assessing your character background, the Department will consider the following:
- any recorded criminal convictions.
- obligations you may have to a court in Australia or overseas.
- your association with people of concern.
- incidents of reported domestic violence.
- whether you have been honest in your dealings with the Australian community, including providing false or misleading information about a visa or citizenship application.
What you can do with Australian Citizenship by Descent:
- You can get an Australian passport.
- You can vote in a government election or a referendum.
- You will get all of the equal benefits as other Australian citizens.
Australian Citizenship by Descent Fee:
The Australian Citizenship by Descent application fee is AUD 360.
If there are subsequent siblings who apply at the same time as you, the additional fee is AUD 150.
The above fee is as of July 2024. The Australian citizenship by descent fee may change in July every year following the opening of the financial year.
Australian Citizenship by Descent Processing Times:
According to DHA, if you have applied for Australian citizenship by descent, your processing times would depend on the documents provided, and 90% of applications are processed within 5 months.
For the details, see the percentage of the processing time below:
From application to a decision:
- 25% of applications processed in 81 days
- 50% of applications processed in 3 months
- 75% of applications processed in 4 months
- 90% of applications processed in 5 months
See: Citizenship processing times.
Many circumstances affect the processing times, such as:
- The completeness of your application, including supporting documents.
- How quickly you respond when they contact you to provide more documents.
- Time taken to assess your documents and information.
- Time taken to assess information from other agencies, usually for character and national security requirements.
Australian Citizenship Certificate Postage:
The Department of Home Affairs will print and post your Australian citizenship certificate after your application is approved, and the postage will be received based on your location:
- If you are in Australia, expect your certificate to arrive as soon as two weeks later. It will be sent to the postage address provided in your application.
- If you are outside Australia and haven’t provided an Australian postal address, expect your certificate to arrive in six weeks. The Department suggests providing a postage address in Australia to ensure your certificate arrives quickly and safely through a registered post.
If you wish to change or add a postage address in Australia, you can do so in your ImmiAccount by following these steps:
- Log in to your ImmiAccount.
- Use the “+” icon to expand the application details.
- Select “update details”.
- Select “Change of contact details”.
- Select the applicant.
- Enter the new contact details (in this case, the postal address).
- Enter the reason for the change.
- Select “submit”.
Steps to apply for Australian Citizenship by Descent:
Step 1: Ensure that you’ve met all requirements
Understanding the requirements for Australian citizenship by descent can be confusing. Contact a Registered Migration Agent to check your eligibility if you’re unsure.
Failure to meet the requirements will only lead to refusal and loss of opportunities and fees.
Step 2: Prepare your documents
Some documents you should prepare before applying are:
- evidence of you being born overseas with lawful Australian parents who stayed in Australia for at least two years before your application,
- your birth certificate,
- your parents’ marriage certificate (if applicable),
- your parents’ Australian citizenship documents,
- your photograph, with requirements as follows:
- be no more than 6 months old
- have a full-face view of your head and shoulders
- be in good quality, in colour, taken against a neutral or light grey coloured background
- be unedited
- have a clear, focused image with no marks or ‘red eye’
- have uniform lighting with appropriate brightness and contrast.
Step 3: Apply for your citizenship
You can apply for the Australian citizenship by descent online in your ImmiAccount.
Step 4: Wait for the decision
They will contact you about anything related to your application. They will also tell you in writing about the decision regarding your citizenship.
Frequently Asked Questions
ONE derland Consulting managing director and also registered migration agent, Indah Melindasari, B.Com (MARN 0961 448) is here to answer your questions about Australian citizenship by descent!
- Can I apply for this citizenship if my parents obtained their citizenship by descent?
- Yes, you can. But you must ensure your parents have spent at least 2 years in Australia before your application.
- Do I need to live in Australia to apply?
- No, you don’t need to live in Australia. You can apply for the Australian citizenship by descent overseas.
- Can I apply for an Australian passport once my citizenship application has been approved?
- You can apply for an Australian passport once your citizenship has been approved and you’ve received the certificate as evidence of your citizenship status.
- Can children of an Australian citizen born overseas get citizenship automatically?
- No, the children must apply for citizenship. Australian citizenship status cannot be granted automatically.
- Can I hold dual citizenship?
- The Australian government allows dual citizenship. However, you must check the regulations in your home country to see whether the country allows dual citizenship. If your home country doesn’t allow dual citizenship, but you wish to obtain Australian citizenship, it’s most likely that you will lose your citizenship status in your home country.
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Let Us Help You With Your Australian Citizenship by Descent Application
To apply for Australian Citizenship by Descent is time consuming and pricey. Once you feel that you are eligible for this pathway, please engage us to be your migration agent to take care of your application so you will not experience refusal.
ONE derland consulting will take the time and compile all documents needed and guarantee that your application is 100% ready before submitting, ensuring a positive outcome for your Australian citizenship by descent.
Contact us through the form below to take the first step of your journey to Australia.
“Thank you again Mba Indah and team for all your assistance throughout my migration journey—from my student visa to permanent residency and, finally, citizenship. Your expertise, professionalism, and support ensure smooth process. Greatly appreciated and recommended. Thank you!”
Yen L.
Australian Citizenship by Conferral
Indah Melindasari, B.Com
Lead Migration Agent – MARN 0961 448
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