Having citizenship like Australian is surely a great privilege, but it also comes with the responsibility of becoming a conscientious citizen who respects all the rights, obligations, and values its society strives for. Modern citizenship is based on a sense of belonging to the nation and lasting loyalty to what is common to all members of the country’s society.
Tons of programs have been developed for immigration purposes, however, the best option most people hope to achieve is citizenship.
There are many benefits of obtaining citizenship, and the most important are permanent residence and stay in the country, without the possibility of deportation, possibility to work in certain public institutions (federal police, foreign ministry, defense), unlimited number of exits and entries into the country, excellent consular protection and support abroad, active participation in public and political life, financial support in education, visa-free travel to as many as 160 countries, etc. So, by now you must be wondering what is the shortest way to obtain one?
You’ll find answers to this question in the rest of this article.
4 Conditions for Obtaining Citizenship
To qualify for citizenship, you must meet the following requirements, depending on your specific situation.
1. You Have Migrated and Got a Permanent Residence Permit
Let’s say you have been living in the country for at least four years with a regular valid visa. This means you are eligible to apply for citizenship. However, you must keep in mind that you were not supposed to leave the country for more than 90 days, per year.
If you are still considering migrating in this way, in order to obtain eligibility for citizenship, then you must also know that in the period of four years, you are not to leave the country for more than 12 months in total. And, before applying for citizenship, it is necessary to have a permanent residence permit for at least 12 months.
Also, if you intend to live and maintain a continuous and close relationship with the country, your knowledge of English has to be proven good enough, and this is usually done by taking the official test they will require from you, prior to applying to this type of migration. Another important thing is the citizenship test.
You’ll be obliged to pass one in order to obtain it. It takes a while to prepare, so make sure you use your time to practice. You can find more info about the test and the practice material at citizenshiptestaustralia.com.au. Finally, don’t be surprised if they assess your character, since it is important to prove you meet their conditions of good character.
2. You Have a Partner Who’s Already a Citizen
Obtaining citizenship this way is possible only if the following is true for you:
- You have a permanent residence permit at the time of application and at the time of making the final decision on the application.
- You have been living in the country for at least four years with a valid visa. In four years, you have left the country for a period of up to one year in total, including no more than 90 days in the previous 12 months.
Also, in this case, as well, they’ll ask you to take the citizenship test, and will assess your character.
3. Citizenship by Decent
Having one of the parents with citizenship is by far the easiest way, aside from being born there. If this is the case, then you are more than eligible for it. Irrespective of where you were born, your chances of obtaining citizenship are high. As in previous cases, good character and the test will be mandatory.
4. Citizenship by Birth
Although many would think that if they migrate on a work visa, for example, and have a baby while in Australia, they’ll secure its future by making it eligible for citizenship, automatically. This is not the case. Only if the parents have citizenship should the child be entitled to it as well. In all other cases, the government will assess the parents’ status of visas to calculate eligibility.
Knowing all this, you must be wondering what to expect from the citizenship test we’ve mentioned in almost every point above… Below is more information about it.
As you’ve probably concluded by now, this test is necessary if you want to become a citizen, and is designed for the sole purpose to check whether you have the necessary knowledge about the country, its history, nature, social and governmental system, as well as the rights and obligations you’ll have to stick to when you actually pass it.
In addition to these items, language proficiency is assessed as English is the official language. Besides, it is essential if you want to fit into the community and take an active part in public life, work and study.
It consists of 20 questions, which are randomly selected. In order to pass, it is necessary to have at least 75% correct answers, or 15 correct answers out of a total of 20.
As for Why You Should Move to This Country
Due to its large natural resources, this country has had a high standard of living since the 19th century, and in recent years has had one of the most successful economies in the world with high economic growth and very low inflation.
Therefore, it is known for its miles of beaches and stable economy. It earned first place due to good business opportunities and rapid progress, but also as a great place to raise children. It is said that children live healthier, spend more time outside and play sports. It’s a dream of every parent.
All of the above sounds great, but the best fact is that people living in this country have been elected as the happiest people on the globe three years in a row!!! What else would you want from life? Happiness is sort of a guarantee when you move there.
