How to Get Australian Citizenship

Australia is considered one of the best countries for immigration along with Canada, Germany, France, the USA, and the UK. It is considered best by most immigrants because it has an easier route to permanent residency and citizenship. If you are considering getting Australian citizenship, here is the whole process you need to follow:

Get Permanent Residence

You can get permanent residence status using any of the family-stream, work-stream, or business or investment-stream permanent visas. When applying, you must meet certain health and visa-specific age requirements. If you are traveling on a work-stream, you may also need to fulfill skill requirements and acquire sponsorship depending on the visa you use to enter Australia.
These visas allow you to stay in Australia indefinitely, hold jobs there, and count your years of residence in residence requirement for citizenship.

Complete Residence Requirements

You must live in Australia for at least four years before starting the naturalization process. Out of these four years, you must have been residing as a permanent resident for at least twelve months. You also need to ensure that you aren’t absent from Australia for twelve months or more. In the twelve months leading to your naturalization application, you must not be absent from Australia for more than three months.

Pass the Australian Citizenship Test

One eligibility criterion for Australian citizenship is passing the citizenship test. Just like the Canadian citizenship test, this test assesses a candidate’s understanding of local customs, traditions, laws, and government. At the same time, you will have to show your proficiency in the English language as well.
The australian citizenship test consists of multiple-choice questions and is taken on a computer. You get a pass at a 75% score. You can prepare for it by studying Our Common Bond and revising enough.

Pass Character Test

Character test is another mandatory eligibility criterion for Australian citizenship. The Department of Home Affairs conducts this check with help from law enforcement agencies. And you will have to provide an Overseas Penal Clearance Certificate if you have resided overseas after turning eighteen.
The Department considers it major offense when the candidate is found involved in one or more of the following events:
Charges and convictions,
Court appearances,
Findings of guilt,
Good behavior bonds,
Warrants and warnings,
Matters awaiting court hearings, and
Traffic offenses.

Show Willingness to Reside in Australia

The Department of Home Affairs is responsible for handling the naturalization process of immigrants in Australia. It requires potential citizens to commit to living in this country in the future. You must be willing to maintain close ties with Australia at the time of application and interview to fulfill this condition.

Take Away

The Australian citizenship process starts years before you apply to become a citizen. It starts on the day you land in Australia or get your permanent residence status whichever is earlier. Once you have completed your residence requirement after getting permanent resident status, you can start the citizenship application. You will only have to meet a few easy requirements to get citizenship. The process may take anywhere between a few months and a couple of years.