Can I Apply for Australian Citizenship?
Immigration News
You can become a citizen of Australia in different ways. You must meet our criteria before you apply. Conferral and descent are the most common ways to apply.
âââAustralian citizenship is an important step in the migration story.
Responsibilities of Australian citizenship
As an Australian citizen you must:
- obey the laws of Australia
- vote in federal and state or territory elections, and in a referendum
- defend Australia should the need arise
- serve on jury duty if called to do so
Privileges - what Australia will give you
As an Australian citizen you can:
- vote in federal and state or territory elections, and in a referendum
- apply for children born overseas to become Australian citizens by descent
- apply for a job in the Australian Public Service or in the Australian Defence Force
- seek election to parliament
- apply for an Australian passport and re-enter Australia freely
- ask for consular assistance from an Australian official while overseas
Making a pledge
At your Australian citizenship ceremony, you will make the Australian Citizenship Pledge. In doing so, you are making a public commitment to Australia and accepting the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship.
At the citizenship ceremony, you will pledge:
- your loyalty to Australia and its people
- that you will share Australia’s democratic beliefs and respect its rights and liberties
- to uphold and obey the laws of Australia
Statistics
How many people have become Australian citizens in the last program year?
âââââââââââââââââââMore than 5 million people have become citizens since Australian citizenship was introduced in 1949.
Former nationality or citizenship
In 1949, during the inaugural year of the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948, Australian citizenship was granted to 2,493 people from just over 35 different nationalities. The top 5 nationalities (and number of grants) at that time according to the Australian Yearbook 1953, ABS were:
- Italian (708)
- Polish (597)
- Greek (276)
- German (225)
- Yugoslav (80)
In 2020-21, a total of 140,748 people became Australian citizens by conferral, representing over 200 different nationalities.
â| âââNumber of people conferred Australian citizenship, by financial year and top 10 countries of nationality (1 July 2020 to 30 June 202â1) | |
|---|---|
| Country of nationality | No. of people |
| India | 24,205 |
| United Kingdom | 17,36â8 |
| Philippines | 8,788 |
| China** | 7,383 |
| New Zealand | 5,643 |
| Pakistan | 5,615 |
| Vietnam | 4,942 |
| South Africa | 3,854 |
| Iraq | 3,808 |
| Afghanistan | 3,674 |
| Other | 55,468 |
| Total | 140,748 |
**“China” denotes mainland China only and does not include the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
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Source:
https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-statistics/statistics/citizenship-statistics
