Australia Names 3 Categories Of People Who Won't Wait 4 Years For Citizenship
- Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined three categories of permanent residents exempt from the standard 4-year residence rule for citizenship by conferral
- The exemptions cover children under 16, those born to former Australian citizens who lost citizenship before April 4, 2002, and those born in Papua before September 16, 1975
- Qualifying applicants still need to be permanent residents and meet all other citizenship criteria, and must provide supporting documents when they apply
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Australia's Department of Home Affairs has outlined three categories of permanent residents who do not need to satisfy the standard residence requirement when applying for citizenship by conferral.
For most applicants, the general residence requirement sets a clear bar: an applicant must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for the four years immediately before applying, held a permanent visa for at least the final 12 months of that period, and must not have been absent from Australia for more than 12 months in total across those four years, with absences in the last 12 months capped at 90 days.
Source: UGC
Who Is Exempt From the 4-Year Residence Rule
According to the Department of Home Affairs, the residence requirement does not apply to applicants who fall into any of the following categories:
1. Are under 16 years.
2. Were born to a former Australian citizen who lost their citizenship before 4 April 2002.
3. Were born in Papua before 16 September 1975 and one of your parents was born in Australia and was an Australian citizen when you were born.
The department notes that applicants in these categories will need to provide documents that support their claim at the time of application.
What the Exemption Does and Does Not Cover
It is important to understand that this exemption applies specifically to the residence requirement and nothing else.
Being exempt from the four-year rule does not mean citizenship is granted automatically or that all other eligibility criteria fall away.
Every applicant, regardless of which category they fall into, must still be a permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen holding a Special Category (subclass 444) visa, which is treated as equivalent to permanent residency for citizenship purposes.
All other standard citizenship criteria, including character, knowledge of Australia, and language requirements, continue to apply.
The department specifically notes that children under 16 do not need to meet the general residence requirement but must still hold permanent residency at the time of application.
For anyone considering whether they qualify under one of these three exemptions, the Department of Home Affairs recommends preparing documentation that clearly establishes the grounds for the claim before submitting an application.
UK lists jobs with shortage of workers
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that UK government published its Skilled Worker visa temporary shortage list, naming 70 roles where foreign workers can apply.
The list covers a wide range of sectors, from construction trades and engineering to IT, finance, creative arts, and logistics management.
Source: Legit.ng
