Applying for Australian Citizenship: From Permanent Resident to Australian Citizen
Australian citizenship is the next important step for permanent residents on the path to becoming an Australian citizen. Compared with PR status, Australian citizens can apply for an Australian passport, vote in federal elections, and enjoy fuller civic rights and a more secure identity.
For those who already hold Australian PR, have lived in Australia long-term, or are planning their future status, citizenship is usually the final stage of the migration journey. Australian citizenship is not granted automatically — applicants must meet requirements covering residence, character, the citizenship test and the pledge of commitment.
NewStars Newstarsec, drawing on the latest official guidance from the Department of Home Affairs, walks you through the requirements, process, fees and common questions for Australian citizenship applications.
Free Citizenship Assessment →Citizenship by Conferral: The Most Common Pathway for Permanent Residents
Australian citizenship is usually obtained via citizenship by conferral, the most common pathway for Australian permanent residents. According to the Department of Home Affairs, applicants must hold permanent resident status and meet the relevant requirements before applying.
Once you become an Australian citizen you can generally:
Apply for an Australian Passport
After attending the citizenship ceremony and making the pledge, you can formally apply for an Australian passport. Australian citizens use their Australian passport to enter and depart Australia.
Vote in Australian Elections
Once you officially become an Australian citizen, you can vote in federal and state elections and exercise your political rights as a citizen.
Enjoy a More Secure Status
After citizenship, your status no longer depends on a visa expiry date or an RRV, giving you long-term security to live, work and study in Australia.
Full Citizenship Rights
You can live, work and study in Australia long-term as a citizen, with the full set of civic rights and status protections.
It’s important to note that Australian PR and Australian citizenship are not the same. PR is permanent resident status; you only formally become an Australian citizen once you have completed citizenship.
Five Core Requirements: From PR to the Pledge of Commitment
An Australian citizenship application must satisfy all of the core requirements simultaneously — status, residence, good character, the test and the ceremony. Each one is essential.
1. Hold Australian Permanent Resident Status
Most applicants must already be Australian permanent residents at the time of application. Eligible New Zealand citizens holding an SCV may also be treated as permanent residents for citizenship purposes.
2. Meet the Residence Requirement
In general, applicants for Australian citizenship must meet the following residence requirements:
- Lived lawfully in Australia on a valid visa for the 4 years before applying
- Held PR or an eligible SCV for the 12 months before applying
- Total absences from Australia in the past 4 years of no more than 12 months
- Absences in the 12 months before applying of no more than 90 days
The Department of Home Affairs provides a Residence Calculator to estimate whether you meet the residence requirement, but the result is indicative only and does not automatically confirm eligibility.
3. Meet the Good Character Requirement
Applicants aged 18 or over must meet the good character requirement. According to the Department of Home Affairs, good character generally means the applicant displays enduring moral qualities; you may need to provide overseas police clearance certificates or undergo Australian police record checks.
4. Pass the Citizenship Test or Interview
Most applicants must sit the Australian citizenship test. The test covers Australian history and society, democratic beliefs, rights and liberties, government and law, and Australian values. It is conducted in English and is based on the official resource Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond.
Some applicants may not need to sit the test, but may still need to attend an interview so the department can confirm identity and review the application.
5. Attend the Citizenship Ceremony and Make the Pledge
After approval, most applicants must attend a citizenship ceremony and make the Australian citizenship pledge. The Department of Home Affairs notes the ceremony is generally the final step in becoming an Australian citizen — if you do not attend within 12 months of approval, the decision to approve your application may be cancelled.
Six Steps from Eligibility Check to Citizenship Pledge
An Australian citizenship application typically moves through six stages in sequence, finishing at the citizenship ceremony where you formally become an Australian citizen.
Confirm You Meet the Eligibility Requirements
- Confirm your PR status
- Check the 4-year residence period
- Check days spent outside Australia
- Confirm your character record
- Confirm whether you need to sit the citizenship test
Prepare Your Application Documents
- Passport and identity documents
- PR visa grant notice or VEVO record
- Travel/movement records
- Address and residence evidence
- Police clearance certificates
- Any identity or name-change documents
If you have spent significant time overseas in the past 4 years, take particular care to verify the number of days you were outside Australia.
Lodge the Citizenship Application Online
- Lodge online via ImmiAccount
- Wait for Home Affairs to schedule the next steps
- Wait for your test or interview notice
Sit the Citizenship Test or Attend an Interview
- Eligible applicants will be notified
- Use the official resource Our Common Bond to prepare
- Official practice tests and podcasts are also available as study aids
Wait for the Decision
- Home Affairs assesses identity, residence, character and test results together
- Processing times vary by case and overall application volumes
- The official website currently shows 90% of citizenship by conferral applications are processed within 8 months
Attend the Citizenship Ceremony and Make the Pledge
- Once approved, you will receive an invitation to a citizenship ceremony
- 90% of approved applicants attend a ceremony within 6 months of approval
- Ceremonies are usually organised by local councils
- Wait times depend on your particular Council
Form 1298i Fee Overview
The fees below are compiled from the Department of Home Affairs Form 1298i fee schedule. Confirm the exact amounts on the official website at the time of lodgement.
| Item | Fee (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Citizenship application (Form 1300t, general eligibility) | AUD 575 |
| Concession fee | AUD 80 |
| Citizenship application — other situations (Form 1290) | AUD 350 |
| Concession fee — other situations | AUD 40 |
| Children under 16 included on a parent’s application | Free |
Fees shown are reference figures as at June 2026 — the latest officially published rates prevail.
Fees are in Australian dollars (AUD). Confirm the exact amounts on the Department of Home Affairs website at the time you lodge your application.
The Test Assesses Your Knowledge of Citizenship and Australian Values
The Australian citizenship test is a key step for most applicants. It assesses your knowledge of Australia and its people, democratic beliefs, rights and liberties, government and law, and Australian values.
Key features of the test:
- Conducted in English
- Questions are based on the official study materials
- You can prepare using the official practice tests
- It focuses on basic civic knowledge and understanding of Australian values
The Department of Home Affairs has stated clearly that it does not endorse or recommend paid third-party preparation courses or apps. We recommend preparing with Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond and the official practice resources.
Four Risk Areas: Avoid Delays or Refusals on Your Citizenship Application
Australian citizenship applications that are delayed or refused tend to come down to the following categories of issues. Spotting and avoiding these in advance can significantly improve your chances of success.
1. Residence Requirement Not Met
Many applicants do not accurately calculate their days outside Australia over the past 4 years — in particular, whether they exceeded 90 days in the 12 months before applying — which is a common risk area.
2. Character Issues
Criminal records, lengthy periods of overseas residence without the corresponding police clearance certificates, or undisclosed information can all affect a decision.
3. Failing the Test or Interview
Failing the test or interview will also slow progress. The citizenship test is not a specialist exam, but it does require basic English comprehension and familiarity with the Australian system.
4. Not Attending the Citizenship Ceremony in Time
Failing to attend the citizenship ceremony in time after approval can also cause problems. Applicants generally need to make the pledge within 12 months of approval, or the approval may be cancelled.
Newstarsec One-Stop Professional Citizenship Service
Newstarsec has worked in Australian migration for years and has built a complete advisory and application framework for Australian citizenship, helping clients reach their citizenship goals efficiently.
Precise Residence Calculation
Using your travel records, we precisely calculate the 4-year lawful residence period and the 90-day absence ceiling so you clearly meet the citizenship residence requirement.
Complete Document Preparation
Passport, PR visa, travel records, police clearance certificates and other key documents are organised in full the first time, to avoid requests for further information.
Citizenship Test Coaching
We summarise the key test points from Our Common Bond so clients can prepare efficiently for the citizenship test.
End-to-End Application Support
From eligibility assessment to ImmiAccount lodgement, test scheduling and ceremony follow-up, our MARA-registered consultants oversee every stage.
10 Key Questions About Australian Citizenship
1. How long after getting Australian PR can I apply for citizenship?
You generally need to meet the requirement of 4 years of lawful residence plus at least the most recent 12 months as a PR, with absences of no more than 12 months over the past 4 years and no more than 90 days in the 12 months before applying. Whether you are eligible to lodge should be confirmed against your actual travel records.
2. Do I have to sit the citizenship test?
Most applicants aged 18 to 59 must sit the citizenship test. Some applicants — for example those who are older or who have qualifying physical or mental health conditions — may not need to sit the test, but may still need to attend an interview to confirm identity and review the application.
3. Is the Australian citizenship test hard?
The test focuses on basic Australian civic knowledge and values; it is not a specialist exam. It is conducted in English and the questions come from the official resource Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond. If your English is weaker, you will need to prepare in advance.
4. How long does an Australian citizenship application take?
According to the Department of Home Affairs current processing-times page, 90% of citizenship by conferral applications are processed within 8 months, and after approval 90% of applicants are offered a citizenship ceremony within 6 months. Actual timing depends on case complexity, test scheduling and your local Council’s ceremony wait times.
5. Can I leave Australia while my citizenship application is in progress?
You can travel, but you need to plan carefully. Leaving the country during the application can affect the residence requirement, test or interview scheduling, and in some cases the decision itself. If you have long-distance travel planned during the application stage, confirm your timing first.
6. Can I still apply for Australian citizenship if I have been outside Australia for more than 90 days?
If you have been outside Australia for more than 90 days in the 12 months before applying, you generally do not meet the standard residence requirement. Some special situations may attract discretionary treatment or specific provisions, but this depends on the individual case. The safest approach is to first use the official Residence Calculator and then confirm when to lodge.
7. Do I become a citizen as soon as my application is approved?
Most applicants do not become citizens on the day they are approved — you formally become an Australian citizen after attending a citizenship ceremony and making the pledge. The ceremony is generally the final step.
8. Can I apply for an Australian passport after becoming a citizen?
Yes. After completing the ceremony and pledge, you can generally apply for an Australian passport. Department of Home Affairs forms state that once the ceremony and pledge are complete, you can apply for an Australian passport, and Australian citizens are advised to use their Australian passport to enter and leave Australia.
9. What’s the difference between Australian PR and Australian citizenship?
PR allows you to live and work in Australia long-term, but your travel rights generally depend on visa validity or an RRV. Australian citizens can apply for an Australian passport, vote, and enjoy the full set of citizenship protections. Citizenship is therefore usually the next step after PR for a more stable status.
10. Can New Zealand citizens in Australia apply for citizenship?
Eligible New Zealand citizens can apply for Australian citizenship. According to the Department of Home Affairs, New Zealand citizens holding an SCV may be treated as permanent residents for citizenship purposes, but they must still meet the 4-year lawful residence requirement, hold a permanent visa or SCV in the most recent 12 months, and meet the absence-day limits.
Meet the Requirements? Start Your Path to Australian Citizenship Today
Our MARA-registered migration agent team will calculate your residence period, organise your application documents and coach you through the citizenship test — supporting your smooth transition from PR to Australian citizen end-to-end.
Free Citizenship Assessment →
