How to Apply for Australian Citizenship: A Step-by-Step Guide

‍Applying for Australian citizenship is the final step in a migration journey that has likely already taken years.

If you're a permanent resident approaching the four-year mark, the process itself is well defined. But it runs across several stages, from an eligibility check through to a citizenship ceremony, and it's easy to lose track of what happens when.

This guide covers how to apply for Australian citizenship by conferral, stage by stage. We discuss confirming eligibility, preparing documents, lodging your application, sitting the citizenship test and what happens between a decision and the ceremony.

Our lawyer-credentialled team supports clients through every one of these stages, so where a step has a common sticking point, we've flagged it.

What Citizenship by Conferral Involves

Citizenship by conferral is the standard pathway to Australian citizenship for permanent residents. If you arrived on a partner or employer-sponsored visa, you will likely use this route.

It's distinct from citizenship by descent (for people born overseas to an Australian citizen parent) and the separate pathway for New Zealand citizens on a Special Category (subclass 444) visa. Both of these follow different rules.

To gain citizenship by conferral, you need to: 

• Have lived in Australia for four years and been a permanent resident for at least the last 12 months immediately before the day you apply
• Be of good character
• Pass the citizenship test. 

See our visa holder's guide to Australian citizenship requirements for the full eligibility criteria and every edge case in detail.

The five steps below cover exactly how to apply for Australian citizenship in the order Home Affairs expects, so you always know what happens next.

Step 1: Confirm You're Eligible

Before doing anything else, check that you meet the residence requirement, as this is where most citizenship applications by conferral run into trouble.

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Home Affairs calculates the four-year period from the day you submit your application, not the day you start preparing. You can check where you’re at with Home Affairs' Residence Calculator, although it's an estimate only and doesn't replace the department's own assessment at lodgement.‍

Matilda Tip: If you've travelled overseas more than once or twice since becoming a permanent resident, don't rely on memory for your absence calculation. Request your travel history from Home Affairs and map every trip against the two thresholds above before you lodge. This is the most common reason for stalled applications at this stage. 

Step 2: Prepare Your Documents

Once you know you're eligible, the next step is gathering the evidence Home Affairs needs to confirm your identity and character. Incomplete documentation is a common cause of delay once an application for Australian citizenship has been lodged.

You'll generally need:

• Identity documents — at least three documents together showing your full birth name, date of birth, gender, photograph, signature, and current residential address.
• Character documents — police certificates covering Australia and any country where you've spent 90 days or more since becoming a permanent resident. Home Affairs requests the Australian certificate on your behalf, while overseas certificates are your responsibility to obtain.
• Supporting evidence — anything relevant to an exemption or concession you're claiming, such as a medical certificate supporting a test exemption.

Matilda Tip: Overseas police certificates can take weeks to arrive, especially from countries with limited online processing. Start requesting these as soon as you confirm eligibility, not after you've begun the application itself.

Step 3: Lodge Your Application and Pay the Fee

Your Australian citizenship application is lodged and paid for online through ImmiAccount. The current citizenship application fee is $595 for the standard general eligibility pathway, with an $85 concession fee available to eligible applicants.

There's no separate charge for a child aged 15 or under included on a parent's application. Citizenship fees are typically adjusted each year on 1 July, so it's a good idea to check the current amount before you pay.

Step 4: Sit the Citizenship Test

Most applicants aged 18 to 59 on the day their application is received must sit the citizenship test, which is a computer-based assessment of your knowledge of Australia and its democratic values.

Applicants aged 17 or under, 60 or over, or with a relevant permanent impairment are generally exempt, though most will still attend an interview.

The test itself is 20 multiple-choice questions, and you have 45 minutes to complete it (90 minutes if you qualify for an Assisted Test). To pass, you need to:

• Get an overall score of at least 15 out of 20, and
• Answer all five of the Australian values questions correctly.

There's no extra fee to sit the test, as it's included in your application fee. Home Affairs' free ebook, Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, covers every testable question and is available in 40 community languages, alongside an official practice test.

If you don't pass, there's no immediate consequence for your visa. You'll simply be booked in for another appointment at no extra cost. Home Affairs may refuse your application, however, if you haven't passed after three attempts, so it's important to prepare before your first sitting rather than treating it as a formality.

Step 5: Decision and Ceremony

Once your test and supporting documents are in, Home Affairs assesses the full application and notifies you of the outcome in writing.

Home Affairs publishes and updates processing benchmarks monthly. Treat them as a guide rather than a guarantee, since a complete, well-prepared application moves faster than one Home Affairs needs to query.

If your application is approved, the final step is attending a citizenship ceremony to make the pledge of commitment. You have the option of a religious version (including the words “under God”) or a secular one.

You'll usually receive your ceremony invitation about four weeks in advance, and you're required to make the pledge within 12 months of approval or risk having it cancelled. Once you've made the pledge, you're officially an Australian citizen.

Work With a Lawyer-Credentialled Team for Your Citizenship Application

Most people only go through this process once, which is exactly why the small details (like an absence miscalculated by a few days, a document requested too late or an under-prepared first test attempt) can cause so much unnecessary stress.

At Matilda, our team includes both registered migration agents and immigration lawyers, so whether your situation is straightforward or complex, you'll be working with someone who has seen it before.

Migration made simple is the idea behind everything we do. We review your eligibility and travel history before you lodge, prepare your documents so nothing is missing and support you through to the ceremony. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the whole citizenship process take, from application to ceremony?

Current Home Affairs data shows 90% of applicants reach a decision within six months of applying, and 90% of approved applicants are offered a ceremony within a further six months.

Taken together, 90% of applicants go from application to ceremony within 13 months, though half finish within eight months. A complete, well-documented application is the biggest factor in landing at the faster end of that range.

What happens if I don't pass the citizenship test?

Nothing happens to your visa, and you can continue living in Australia as normal. Home Affairs will book you in for another attempt at no additional cost.

If you still haven't passed after three attempts, however, your application may be refused, so it's a good idea to use the official “Our Common Bond” resource and practice test properly before your first sitting.

What's the difference between permanent residency and citizenship?

Permanent residency lets you live, work, and study in Australia indefinitely, but it isn't citizenship. Citizenship adds an Australian passport, the right to vote, and the ability to re-enter Australia without a travel facility that expires. It's the reason most permanent residents eventually apply once they hit the four-year mark.

Do I need a migration agent or immigration lawyer to apply for citizenship?

You can lodge a citizenship application yourself. But many applicants choose support because the eligibility calculations (particularly around absences) are easy to get wrong, and a refused application on character or residency grounds doesn't come with many second chances. Working with a registered migration agent or immigration lawyer also means someone else is tracking deadlines like the 12-month pledge window on your behalf.

Can I keep my other citizenship if I become an Australian citizen?

In most cases, yes. Australia has recognised dual citizenship since 2002, so becoming an Australian citizen doesn't require giving up your existing nationality. However, some countries automatically cancel citizenship when a person acquires a new one, so check your home country's rules before you lodge your Australian application.

Ready to Apply for Citizenship?

Becoming an Australian citizen is one of the biggest milestones in a migration journey, and it's worth getting right the first time. If you're within reach of the four-year mark and want a second set of eyes on your eligibility and paperwork before you lodge, our team can help.

Take Matilda's eligibility quiz to book a free, no-obligation consultation.

This is general information, not personal migration advice. Book a consultation with Matilda for advice on your specific situation.