On the 22nd of April 2023, Australia announced a new direct pathway to citizenship for eligible NZ citizens who have been living in Australia on a valid visa for 4 years immediately before the day they apply. They must not have been absent from Australia for more than 12 months in total in the past 4 years, including no more than 90 days in total in the 12 months immediately before applying.
The new law will apply to Kiwis on temporary, special category visas (SCV) who have arrived since 2001, lived in Australia for four years, and meet the standard criteria for citizenship—such as an English test, demonstrating “adequate knowledge” of Australia, and character checks and intention to reside in Australia.
There is no income threshold or health check required.
The application fee is $540 for an adult, $330 for 16 or 17-year-olds, $330 for 15 and under, or no cost if included on the parent’s application. These costs are well below the old fees, which were over A$ 4,000.
Please note that this new direct pathway to Australian citizenship is for New Zealand citizens living in Australia and aged 59 or under. If you are 60 years of age or older, see Person 60 years and older. The eligibility and requirements appear to be the same as if you were under 60, but the form is different.
Children born in Australia since July 1, 2022, to a New Zealand parent living there will also automatically be entitled to citizenship, which will make critical services available to them.
All Citizenship by Conferral applicants
From the Department of Home Affairs websiteThey are receiving a higher than usual number of requests for international travel movement records. When entering your travel dates, dates of first arrival or visa grant dates, an estimated date will be accepted and a processing officer will confirm exact dates within our systems as required after you lodge your application.
In this post you will find helpful information on:
New Zealand citizens living in Australia can apply to become Australian citizens after living in Australia for over four years if they meet the eligibility requirements.
From 1 July 2023, New Zealand citizens who have been living in Australia for four years or more will be eligible to apply directly for Australian citizenship. They will no longer need to first apply for and be granted a permanent visa. These changes apply to New Zealand citizens holding an SCV who arrived in Australia after 26 February 2001.
If successful, they will become’ dual nationals’—people who hold citizenship of more than one country (read more below).
You must not have been absent from Australia for more than 12 months in total in the past 4 years, including no more than 90 days in total in the 12 months immediately before applying.
You must be in Australia when the Australian Government decide on your application (in most cases) and intend to live in Australia or maintain a lasting link with Australia while overseas.
You can find information on what documents you need to apply, how to apply, your interview, waiting for the decision, and the citizenship ceremony on the Department of Home Affairs website, or continue reading below.
The application fee is $540 for an adult, $330 for 16 or 17-year-olds, $330 for 15 and under, or no cost if applying on the same form as a responsible parent.
For the list of citizenship fees, see Form 1298i – Citizenship application fees (159KB PDF).
Other fee concessions and exemptions apply.
When you apply for Australian citizenship by conferral, you must meet the below criteria:
You must have been living in Australia on a valid visa for 4 years immediately before the day you apply and have not been absent from Australia for more than 12 months in total in the past 4 years, including no more than 90 days in total in the 12 months immediately before applying. Read more here.
You must be of ‘good character’ if you are 18 years or older. Good character is the ‘enduring moral qualities of a person’. When they assess good character, they consider whether you are likely to uphold and obey the laws of Australia and meet the other commitments made through the citizenship pledge. Read more here.
You must understand what it means to be an Australian citizen. To assess this, most applicants will sit the citizenship test.
If you score 75% or more on our citizenship test and correctly answer all 5 questions on Australian values correctly, then you meet our knowledge requirement. For more information, see Citizenship interview and test.
At your interview, you must show you have:
You need a basic knowledge of the English language to become an Australian citizen. English is their national language. Communicating in English helps you to live a full life in Australia. If you score 75% or more on your citizenship test and correctly answer all 5 questions on Australian values, you meet our language requirement.
the Australian government must be satisfied that you are likely to live or continue to live in Australia or maintain a close and continuing link with Australia while overseas. Citizenship is a privilege that requires a long-term commitment to Australia.
A close and continuing association with family or other social relationships in Australia, including people who are Australian citizens, may not be sufficient to be considered as having a close and continuing link to Australia on its own.
For information on the supporting documents we require, see Evidence of close and continuing link to Australia.
When they assess your close and continuing link to Australia, they will consider your living arrangements and migration status, including:
The Australian Government cannot approve your application in certain circumstances:
There are a few extra circumstances that change your eligibility or way to apply:
For further clarification, please visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
Receive the benefits of Australian citizenship and keep your New Zealand passport.
Dual nationals have the right to hold passports from both countries and enjoy the full benefits of citizenship, such as social security payments, health care, and voting rights. New Zealanders who become Australian citizens do not lose any rights but gain additional rights.
Find more information at the Department of Home Affairs.
We no longer need to apply to become an Australian permanent resident (PR) first. We only need to apply to become an Australian citizen. New Zealand citizens holding an SCV are considered permanent residents for citizenship purposes.
For New Zealand citizens who are long-term residents in Australia, PR will be achieved by backdating their period of Australian PR for Australian citizenship purposes. This will allow them to meet the 12-month PR period under the general residence requirement.
The general residence requirement for Australian citizenship by conferral is set out in the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. To meet this requirement, an applicant must have been lawfully present in Australia for four years, including 12 months as a permanent resident, immediately before the date of application.
You must not have been absent from Australia for more than 12 months in total in the past 4 years, including no more than 90 days in total in the 12 months immediately before applying.
You can read more on the Australia Government Department of Home Affairs website.
The backdating of permanent residence for SCV holders will also impact children born to SCV holders. From 1 July 2023, any child born in Australia on or after 1 July 2022 to an SCV holder may automatically acquire Australian citizenship at birth. From 1 July 2023, children who meet these circumstances can apply for evidence of citizenship.
Specialist immigration companies save you time, money and stress when applying for a visa or citizenship. They are able to offer you professional advice and assistance when applying to be an Australian Citizen.
You can find an immigration specialist on the Australian Government website, Migration Agents Registration Authority (https://www.mara.gov.au/). Search for an immigration professional specialising in Australia.
I recommend you check out IMMagine: http://www.immigration.co.nz/. They offer a free preliminary evaluation to establish which Visa category may suit you and whether it’s worth your while to order a comprehensive full assessment. Not many immigration companies do this. The next step is a full assessment, during which IMMagine will develop your detailed strategy, timeline, and pricing structure in person or on Skype. Naturally, a small cost applies to this full and comprehensive assessment.
You are also able to ask IMMagine your visa questions. For a small fee (AUD$15.00) you can post your question online and one of the IMMagine team will be in touch with your answer within 24 hours (usually same-day response). This service is designed for people who need quick access to accurate information, but don’t want to trawl through the internet to find the answers or commit to anything just yet. Most importantly, your questions are answered by licensed advisers living in New Zealand or Australia.
For nearly 30 years, IMMagine Australia and New Zealand have assisted migrants from all over the globe in moving to and settling in these two great countries.
Since 1990, they have delivered residence in both countries to close to 30,000 people, with a success rate of more than 99 percent, and are acknowledged as leaders in this profession on both sides of the Tasman Sea.
They understand the process of migration at a personal level and are not in the business of simply telling you what forms to fill in and lodge; they go beyond that. They become your allies and advocates and represent you to the Australian or New Zealand government in the most professional manner leaving nothing to chance.
What are you waiting for? Complete a free preliminary evaluation and establish which Visa category may suit you and whether your dream of moving to Australia can become reality: http://www.immigration.co.nz/assessments/free-evaluation/.
Here is some guidance for non-protected Special Category Visa-holders (SCVs) applying for Australian citizenship under the new direct pathway.
You can check your SCV details using the Department of Home Affairs VEVO system. Call 131 881 and ask for a VEVO password. You will need your passport details.
No, an non-protected SCV is still a temporyary visa. From 1 July 2023, SCV holders will be deemed permanent residents for citizenship purposes only.
No, the SCV will be considered permanent residency for citizenship purposes from 1 July 2023. The eligibility criteria and application process are on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Citizenship applicants must live in Australia for four years immediately prior to applying. They must not have been absent from Australia for more than 12 months in total in the past 4 years, including no more than 90 days in total in the 12 months immediately before applying. Use the Home Affairs Residence Calculator to see if you meet the residency requirement.
There is no residency exemption for the Covid-related border closures. If you are outside of Australia for more than 12 months, your four years of residence will start again from the day you recommence residing in Australia.
This means that if you had already been residing in Australia for four years but then left for more than 12 months, you would need to start counting your four years of residence again once you return.
The best way is to apply online, which will save you the $80 non-internet application fee.
Make sure you read all the information in the Become an Australian Citizen post on the Australian Government Home Affairs website, as it provides all the eligibility criteria and the application process and lists the required supporting documents. Especially the Step-by-step tab, before starting your application.
In some situations, you might need to apply on paper. Use a paper form if you:
Complete Form 1300t Australian citizenship General eligibility (762KB PDF) if you are aged between 18 and 59. Complete Form 1290 Australian Citizenship Other situations (715KB PDF) if you:
Pre-pay your application fee online through ImmiAccount. Send your application with certified copies of documents to the address on the form.
Home Affairs has employed hundreds of additional staff to process citizenship applications. You can check current wait times on the Home Affairs website, processing times.
Processing times are currently between 3-10 months.
The time it takes to process applications can vary from the timeframe shown because each applicant’s individual circumstances are different.
Completing your application online, where possible, and supplying all the documents listed for your application type helps them to finalise your application more quickly.
No, provided you have all the ID documents that collectively show your photograph, signature, current residential address, birth name, date of birth and gender then you can apply using a paper application (above).
An expired passport may also be provided as a form of identity when applying for citizenship by conferral.
If you have already requested your travel records, you can upload them as proof of your arrival date. If you haven’t already, use an estimated date, and a processing officer will confirm exact dates within our systems as required after you lodge your application.
They need evidence of your identity from birth to the present.
With your application, you must provide 3 documents that together show your:
Additional documents include:
They also need official evidence of any change of name. Documents showing evidence of a change of name include:
Make sure you read all the information about preparing your documents, including identity documents for a child 15 years or younger, photograph requirements, good character documents and supporting documents.
It’s really important to make sure your application has all the correct documents so your application is not delayed.
If you cannot provide a birth certificate, provide evidence you have attempted to apply for one, such as a letter from Births Deaths & Marriages. Also, complete Form 1195 Identity declaration (above) and provide endorsed photos.
You may be invited to an interview to establish your life history if identity documents are not available.
Where appropriate, you may be asked for written consent for a Home Affairs representative to speak to other family members or long-term acquaintances to establish your life history and support your identity.
Only if you have to use the paper application form. You will need to take the original documents to your citizenship interview.
Yes, but you must inform the Department of Home Affairs that you are planning to travel outside Australia while your application is being processed or while you are waiting for your ceremony. Your application cannot be approved while you are outside Australia. You must also make the Australian Citizenship pledge within 12 months of your application being approved, or the approval may be cancelled.
The NZ Herald published an amazing article on 22 April 2023 announcing the new direct pathway for NZ citizens living in Australia. You can read it here NZ Herald article.
The below posts might interest you:
If you’ve read the above content and the answer to your question isn’t there, please write a comment below, and I’ll research the answer for you.
If you need advice on moving to Australia from New Zealand, I’ve created a helpful little questionnaire to point you in the right direction. It takes less than 30 seconds, so give it a go!
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Mike
September 10, 2024 at 5:18 amHi JJ,
I hope that you will help me with my Permanent residence question. As an NZ Citizen, I arrived in Australia around February 2021. On the Residence Calculator, I have to submit a Permanent residence date and a Lawful residence date. Should I submit my Permanent residence date as 01/07/2023?
Thanks very much!
JJ Smith
September 18, 2024 at 4:41 pmHi Mike,
Thank you for your comment. Sorry for the delay in replying.
From 1 July 2023, New Zealand citizens holding an SCV are considered permanent residents for citizenship purposes, so I agree with you, your permanent residence date would be when the new citizenship pathway was started.
However, I don’t think it matters because your four years is taken from your lawful residence date:
You need to know the date your ‘lawful residence’ started, that is, when you first started living in Australia on a valid visa. If you are unsure of the exact date your ‘lawful residence’ started, an estimated date can be used as long as you are confident that it was more than four years ago.
If you are unsure of your arrival date, you can request your travel records from the National Archives of Australia: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/request-movement-records/apply. However, they are accepting an estimated date when applying for Australian citizenship and a processing officer will confirm exact dates within their systems as required after you lodge your application. They are receiving higher than usual requests for international movement records.
Please note, I am not an immigration specialist and can only advise from information I have been able to find online.
Hope the above helps.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Mike
September 20, 2024 at 12:16 pmJJ, thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I really appreciate it and I wish you all the best for the future.
Mike
Liana
July 31, 2024 at 7:11 pmthanks for info.
Craig Bunn
February 26, 2024 at 5:14 pmHi JJ,
Greatly informative website.
I have a question about my South African wife who currently resides here in Australia with me as a New Zealand citizen on a Subclass 461.
I have recently applied for Australian citizenship and am scheduled to do the citizenship test end of March.
We both intend to travel to New Zealand in April for a holiday.
My wife has recently re-applied for her 461 visa as it expired a short time ago.
She understands that she will have to apply for a bridging visa to travel to NZ which we have done in the past so that’s all good.
Her main concern is that if I am deemed an Australian citizen will her Subclass 461 still be applicable and will the bridging visa still stand for her to re-enter the country?
I understand that I would be deemed a dual-national so therefore would the 461 visa still be valid?
Upon returning to Australia we intend to apply for permanent residency for my wife but just want to make sure she can get in the country first.
I also have the option to reschedule my citizenship test until after we return which may be easier?
JJ Smith
February 27, 2024 at 12:04 pmHi Craig,
Thank you for your comment.
However, unfortunately I can not help you. I am not an immigration specialist and know nothing about your wife’s visa.
You will need to contact a professional immigration company: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/australian-visa/#professional-immigration-services.
For a small fee (AUD$15.00) you can post your question online and one of the IMMagine team will be in touch with your answer within 24 hours (usually same-day response): https://immigration.co.nz/ask-us-question/.
This service is designed for people who need quick access to accurate information, but don’t want to trawl through the internet to find the answers or commit to anything just yet. Most importantly, your questions are answered by licensed advisers living in New Zealand or Australia.
Sorry I couldn’t help.
Alicia
November 15, 2023 at 2:49 pmHi there, I have a question re Australian Citizenship (by Conferral). You say there is no health check required. Does that mean my daughter, who is currently 13 and has Cystic Fibrosis, will still be eligible for Citizenship??
JJ Smith
November 23, 2023 at 10:53 amHi Alicia,
I’ve done some research into health checks for citizenship and found the below:
Predicting the need for health care and community services
37.83 Genetic information can reveal a variety of things about an individual’s health status, which may have a bearing on his or her need for health care and community services. This information may demonstrate:
– current conditions (for example, cystic fibrosis—a congenital genetic disorder);
– conditions that will definitely develop in the future (for example, Huntington’s disease);
– the presence of genetic mutations that are predictive of a person’s health in the future (for example, breast cancer); and
– carrier status for a condition that might affect offspring (for example, Tay-Sachs disease).
37.84 The Inquiry understands that predictive genetic tests are not ordered under current DIMIA policy because they are regarded as incapable of predicting, with sufficient certainty, that an applicant will develop a condition requiring access to health services.[94] MOCs focus on detecting conditions suffered by an applicant at the time of the examination and the likelihood that the condition will require care and treatment later, rather than looking for possible future conditions.[95] However, the permissive nature of the Migration Regulations would allow such testing if it were considered relevant.
37.85 In the past, an applicant could fail the health requirement if he or she had a condition that would be passed on to children. DIMIA has now moved away from this approach, and failure on these grounds is no longer provided for in the Migration Regulations.
Source: https://www.alrc.gov.au/publication/essentially-yours-the-protection-of-human-genetic-information-in-australia-alrc-report-96/37-immigration/health-testing/.
The above leads me to believe that your daughter will be eligible for Australian citizenship.
I then read through the Application for Australian citizenship document and there is nothing in it related to health: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/form-listing/forms/1300t.pdf.
However, I am not an immigration specialist and can only advise from information I can find online.
If you want a definite answer, I recommend asking the same question to IMMagine and one of their team of immigration lawyers and advisers will answer it for you for AUD$15.00, well worth the peace of mind: https://immigration.co.nz/ask-us-question/.
Hope the above helps.
Panda
July 13, 2023 at 8:27 pmHi JJ,
We are in the process of thinking about whether to apply for AU citizenship only but without applying for an AU passport as we know the NZ passport is already one of the best. AU gov suggests dual citizens should leave/enter AU with an AU passport for the reason that AU citizens may have no other visa to enter AU and may cause extra delays during boarding/custom, obviously this is not a problem with NZ passports but seems to be a grey area.
So I’m not sure if anyone has such experience that if as a NZ/AU dual citizen but don’t want to maintain an AU passport, would there be any problem exiting/entering AU with an NZ passport after becoming NZ/AU dual citizen?
Thanks in advance.
Panda
SV
July 13, 2023 at 2:26 pmHi JJ,
I’m an NewZealand Citizen relocating to Australia next month my question is i will be eligible for Australian citizenship after 4 years as per the new direct pathway to Australian citizenship for eligible New Zealand citizens?
JJ Smith
July 17, 2023 at 11:19 amHi SV,
As an NZ citizen, you will be eligible for Australian citizenship after 4 years if you meet all the eligibility requirements: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/citizenship-pathway-for-new-zealanders-in-australia/#Eligibity.
Good luck with your move.
Margy McEnaney
July 5, 2023 at 3:26 pmHi, I am seeing mixed reports on the 4 year eligibility. I have lived in Australia since 2006 (but spent two years in NZ 2012-2014). I also left in December 2021 but plan on going back. According to this site, it’s just 4 years (doesn’t specify when), but I have also read that those four years MUST be immediately preceding the application. Which is it? Thank you.
JJ Smith
July 17, 2023 at 12:13 pmHi Margy,
Thanks for your comment.
Since receiving your comment I have further researched and updated the content in my post to reflect the 4 years living in Australia must be immediately preceding your citizenship application.
The eligibility requirement is that you must not have been absent from Australia for more than 12 months in total in the past 4 years, including no more than 90 days in total in the 12 months immediately before applying.
Thanks
Louise
July 3, 2023 at 5:11 pmHi JJ, Thanks for this summary. Have you had any feedback or heard of how this applies to children born to NZ parents in Australia before July 2022 (i.e not automatically citizens) and less than 4 years ago (i.e. not eligible to apply for citizenship). I’m trying to find an option for my daughter born in May 2021. Thanks!
JJ Smith
July 17, 2023 at 12:29 pmHi Louise,
Thank you for your comment.
I’m not an immigration specialist, but I think the best option would be to include your daughter in your application for Australian citizenship. A parent can include a dependent child aged 15 years or younger in their application at no extra cost.
If you want further advice, I recommend contacting IMMagine: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/citizenship-pathway-for-new-zealanders-in-australia/#immigration_specialist.
Hope the above helps.
Sandy
May 15, 2023 at 5:10 pmHi there… just starting my plan to move to Sydney from NZ I’m 70, retired, and have a son and granddaughter in Syd who I need to be closer to as I age. Own a freehold home and investments in an nz family trust. Need basic info, ie do I sell my nz house before buying in Syd? Should I set up an Australian bank account now? My questions are primarily about getting the timing/sequence correct to avoid unnecessary tax obligations. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Sandy
JJ Smith
May 16, 2023 at 10:54 amHi Sandy,
Thank you for your email.
You should find most of the answers you are after in my posts. Here are some that are related to your questions:
– Moving to Australia Process – https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/moving-to-australia-process/
– Australia Age Pension – https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/australian-age-pension/
– Buying a house in Australia – https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/buying-a-house-in-australia/
– Everything money related – https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/moving-money-to-australia-from-new-zealand/
It is better that you sell your NZ property before you move so that you don’t have to pay capital gains tax on the sale after you have moved.
It is also easier to set up a bank account two weeks before you go, rather than wait until you get there, as you will need additional paperwork that you won’t have.
I recommend you complete the age pension calculator from the above post so that you know how much pension you will be receiving after you have been income and asset tested: https://www.superguide.com.au/in-retirement/age-pension-calculator.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Priya
May 9, 2023 at 8:41 amHi JJ,
I have question regarding the student loan (HELP) based on this point (New Zealand citizens granted an SCV for the first time on or after 1 July 2022 will be considered permanent residents for citizenship purposes from the date of their SCV grant.) are we eligible for the student loan?
Waiting for your answer.
Thanks,
Priya