Australia Explains How Long Foreigners Must Live in Country Before Applying for Citizenship
- Australia's Department of Home Affairs has outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship
- Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship
- The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period
Australia's Department of Home Affairs has set out exactly how long foreign nationals must reside in the country before they can apply to become Australian citizens.
This is in line with the residency rule published on the government's official website.
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Citizenship: Australia's 4-Year Residence Rule
To be eligible for Australian citizenship, an applicant must have been living in Australia on a valid visa for four continuous years immediately before the date of application.
Within that four-year window, the applicant must also have held a permanent visa or a Special Category Visa (SCV) for at least the final 12 months leading up to the application.
Absence from Australia during that period is permitted but tightly capped. Applicants must not have spent more than 12 months outside the country across the full four-year period, and within the final 12 months specifically, absences must not exceed 90 days in total.
Australian Citizenship: When the Residency Clock Starts
For those who entered Australia on a permanent visa, the residency count begins from the date they first set foot in the country on that visa. For applicants who were already in Australia when their permanent visa was granted, the clock starts from the date the visa was issued.
New Zealand citizens holding an SCV or a New Zealand stream Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa are subject to different rules around when their permanent residency is considered to have commenced, and the government advises such applicants to calculate their permanent residence start date carefully.
SCV holders who travel outside Australia are still considered permanent residents for citizenship purposes during their absence, provided they held an SCV immediately before departing.
Australian Citizenship: Who's Exempt From Residency Requirement?
Not everyone is subject to the general residence requirement. Children under the age of 16 are automatically exempt, though they must still hold permanent resident status.
Additionally, individuals born to a former Australian citizen who lost their citizenship before 4 April 2002, as well as those born in Papua before 16 September 1975 whose parent was an Australian citizen at the time of their birth, are also exempt from the standard residency rules.
Those claiming an exemption are required to submit supporting documents alongside their application.
Australia announces reason for citizenship rejection
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs has outlined specific circumstances under which a citizenship application must be refused.
Criminal history, unresolved identity questions, and national security concerns are among the key grounds for rejection.
Applicants who are outside Australia at the time their application is decided may also face automatic disqualification.
Source: Legit.ng
