A permanent visa and Australian citizenship are different legal statuses. Citizenship applications also differ from visa applications: they do not provide a general right to remain in Australia while awaiting a decision. Before applying, establish your current status and the route that actually applies to you. Our registered migration agents advise clients across Australia by phone and video, with offices in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.
Compare citizenship pathways and fees
The following government application charges are current as at 2 November 2026. Concessions, exemptions and family arrangements can alter the applicable fee. Professional advice, translations, certificates and passport costs are separate.
| Application | Typical purpose | Ordinary government fee |
|---|---|---|
| General eligibility conferral, Form 1300t | Eligible permanent residents applying for citizenship | A$595 |
| Other-situations conferral, Form 1290 | Eligible applicants outside the general form category | A$365 |
| Descent, Form 118 | Eligible person born overseas to an Australian citizen parent | A$380; qualifying siblings applying together A$160 each after the first |
| Adoption, Form 1272 | Eligible children adopted under Hague or bilateral arrangements | A$380; qualifying siblings applying together A$160 each after the first |
| Resumption, Form 132 | Eligible former Australian citizens | A$255 |
| Evidence, Form 119 | Proof of citizenship already held | A$290 |
Use the application category that matches your legal circumstances, rather than choosing a cheaper form. Children under 16 included on a responsible parent’s eligible conferral or resumption form can have a nil charge. The July 2026 fee form also sets out specified concessions and exemptions; not every concession card qualifies.
Citizenship by conferral: general eligibility
Conferral is the usual pathway for an eligible permanent resident who meets the residence and other requirements. General eligibility commonly covers applicants aged 18 to 59. In addition to residence, applicants need to establish identity, good character where applicable, knowledge of Australia and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, and the relevant language and future-connection requirements.
The general residence rule ordinarily requires four years living in Australia on valid visas immediately before application, including the final twelve months as a permanent resident. Absences normally must not exceed twelve months across those four years, including no more than ninety days in the final year. Special residence provisions and discretions exist, but should be assessed against the actual circumstances rather than assumed.
Build a complete travel history. Passport stamps alone may not show every arrival and departure, particularly where automated border processing was used. Compare travel records with your visa and permanent-residence dates. The Home Affairs residence calculator helps estimate eligibility, but its result does not replace the legal assessment or guarantee approval.
The ordinary government fee is A$595 as at 2 November 2026. The current general-eligibility concession is A$85 for qualifying applicants; the precise card and holder requirements matter. Lodge only when the residence and other requirements are met, and keep your travel plans under review while the application progresses.
Conferral in other situations: children, older applicants and disability
Form 1290 covers specified other situations, including eligible children, applicants aged 60 or over and certain applicants with a permanent or enduring physical or mental incapacity. These categories do not all share the same evidence or residence rules. A child applying independently needs the correct responsible-parent and consent information; a child included with a parent is a different application arrangement.
For older applicants or a person relying on incapacity provisions, identify which assessment requirements are modified and provide the appropriate evidence. Age alone does not remove every citizenship requirement. Where a medical condition is relevant, obtain evidence addressing its nature and effect, rather than submitting an unexplained diagnosis and assuming an exemption.
The ordinary other-situations conferral fee is A$365 as at 2 November 2026, with a specified A$40 concession for qualifying applicants and nil charges in defined circumstances. AIA can help establish the correct category and identify the documents needed before you submit. Following an approval, the pledge and citizenship-acquisition steps depend on the category; not every child follows the same ceremony process as an adult general-eligibility applicant.
New Zealand citizens holding Special Category visas
Since 1 July 2023, eligible New Zealand citizens holding a Special Category visa subclass 444 have been able to apply directly for citizenship by conferral without first obtaining a permanent visa. For citizenship purposes, the relevant residence treatment recognises eligible SCV residence, but applicants still need to meet the applicable citizenship criteria.
Do not assume every New Zealand citizen qualifies on the day they arrive. Check lawful residence, absences, character, identity and the circumstances relevant to the application. A partner or child who is not a New Zealand citizen does not automatically obtain the same citizenship pathway through a family relationship. Their visa or citizenship status needs a separate assessment.
Prepare SCV and movement records alongside your passports and identity documents. If you are already eligible, use the appropriate conferral application and its fee category. Avoid relying on outdated advice directing all New Zealand citizens into the now-closed subclass 189 New Zealand stream before they can consider citizenship.
Citizenship by descent
Descent can be available to a person born outside Australia who had an Australian citizen parent at birth. It is not limited to young children. Establish the parent’s citizenship at the relevant date and the parent-child relationship using the required documents. A parent becoming Australian after the child’s birth does not, by itself, establish descent for that earlier birth.
Where the parent obtained citizenship by descent or qualifying overseas adoption, an additional Australian-residence requirement can apply to the parent. Adult applicants also face character requirements. International surrogacy or complex parentage needs careful documentary and legal assessment; a name on one document may not settle every question.
As at 2 November 2026, the ordinary fee is A$380, reduced to A$160 for each qualifying subsequent sibling applying at the same time. Applications can be prepared through ImmiAccount from overseas or in Australia, but the application does not generate a bridging visa. After approval, obtain the evidence needed for an Australian passport rather than treating the citizenship application receipt as a travel document.
Citizenship through an overseas adoption
A separate citizenship pathway can apply to eligible children adopted under the Hague Convention or an applicable bilateral arrangement. It is different from the Adoption visa subclass 102. Establish the adoption framework, the relevant Australian parent’s citizenship and the supporting adoption documents before deciding whether the child needs a visa or can apply for citizenship.
An adoption recognised in another country does not automatically satisfy every Australian citizenship or migration requirement. Expatriate adoption, a privately arranged adoption and an adoption through a recognised intercountry process can raise different issues. Review the actual arrangement and the child’s status before making travel commitments.
The ordinary citizenship-by-adoption application charge is A$380 as at 2 November 2026, with the qualifying sibling rate of A$160 after the first application. Once citizenship is granted, an Australian passport is a separate step. If this citizenship route is unavailable, assess the appropriate visa pathway rather than assuming that all adopted children use the same process.
Resuming Australian citizenship
Some former Australian citizens can apply to resume citizenship. The pathway concerns specified ways citizenship was lost, including certain renunciations and historical loss provisions. It is not a general replacement for a first citizenship application, and simply having held Australian permanent residence does not make someone a former citizen.
Collect the previous citizenship evidence, the record of loss or renunciation and documents showing any other nationality. Good-character requirements can apply. AIA can help identify whether resumption or another route is the appropriate next step and what evidence explains the earlier history.
The ordinary resumption fee is A$255 as at 2 November 2026. Defined family and exemption arrangements can change the charge. Until citizenship has been resumed, use your actual immigration and travel status; a lodged resumption application is not an Australian passport or permission to stay.
Evidence of citizenship already held
Some people need proof of citizenship rather than a new grant. For example, a person born in Australia may already have acquired citizenship under the applicable birth and residence rules. An Australian birth certificate alone does not prove citizenship in every case, especially for births from 20 August 1986.
An evidence application establishes an existing status. As at 2 November 2026, the ordinary fee is A$290, with a specific exemption for qualifying replacement evidence following a listed natural disaster. Gather the documents relevant to how citizenship was acquired, such as a parent’s status at birth or earlier citizenship records. If you are already a citizen, a conferral application is not the correct substitute for missing documents.
Prepare for the test, decision and ceremony
Most general conferral applicants aged 18 to 59 sit the citizenship test. It has twenty multiple-choice questions and a forty-five-minute time allowance. Passing requires at least fifteen correct answers overall and all five Australian-values questions correct. Prepare using the official citizenship resource rather than relying on unofficial memorised question lists.
Home Affairs may request further identity, character or travel information. Disclose relevant criminal proceedings and other character matters accurately. Keep contact details current and follow appointment instructions. For applicants required to make the pledge, approval and the ceremony are separate stages: approval alone does not usually make the applicant a citizen.
Check travel before and after the decision, and continue to maintain the immigration status you need. After becoming a citizen, apply for an Australian passport for international travel. Government processing and ceremony arrangements vary; AIA can prepare and manage your matter but cannot promise an approval date.
Take the next step with AIA
Bring your passports, visa history, travel dates, identity documents and any earlier citizenship records. Arrange an AIA citizenship consultation for a clear assessment of your route and the evidence needed to prepare it properly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply exactly four years after first arriving?
Only if your residence, permanent-residence period, absences and other requirements are satisfied. Four calendar years since a first visit is not necessarily four years of qualifying residence.
Does the residence calculator approve my eligibility?
No. It is a planning tool. Your documents and the applicable law determine eligibility, including any special circumstances.
Do New Zealand citizens need a permanent visa first?
Eligible SCV holders can use the direct conferral pathway introduced in July 2023. They still need to meet the citizenship requirements.
Does a child born in Australia automatically become a citizen?
Birthplace alone does not decide every case. The parents’ status and the applicable birth or residence provisions matter. Establish the child’s existing status before choosing a form.
Is descent only for children under eighteen?
No. An adult can qualify through an Australian parent at birth, subject to the relevant requirements, including character.
Is a citizenship application a bridging visa application?
No. Citizenship lodgement does not provide a general right to remain. Check your visa and travel status separately.
Can I use any concession card for a reduced fee?
No. The published fee rules identify the qualifying Pensioner Concession Card arrangements. Other cards do not automatically qualify.
When do I actually become a citizen?
That depends on the pathway. Applicants required to make the pledge generally become citizens at that step, rather than on the approval letter alone.
Sources (12)
- Home Affairs — citizenship by conferral — accessed 29 October 2026.
- Home Affairs — Form 1298i, July 2026 citizenship fees — accessed 2 November 2026.
- Home Affairs — citizenship test — accessed 29 October 2026.
- Home Affairs — residence calculator — accessed 29 October 2026.
- Home Affairs — citizenship processing — accessed 29 October 2026.
- Home Affairs — citizenship by descent — accessed 2 November 2026.
- Home Affairs — citizenship through adoption — accessed 2 November 2026.
- Home Affairs — resuming citizenship — accessed 2 November 2026.
- Home Affairs — evidence of citizenship — accessed 2 November 2026.
- Federal Register — Australian Citizenship Regulation 2016, 1 July 2026 compilation — accessed 2 November 2026.
- Home Affairs — other-situations citizenship form 1290 — accessed 2 November 2026.
- Home Affairs — general citizenship form 1300t — accessed 2 November 2026.
