[JCMH]

Hi all,

I am a PR visa holder for more than 1 year and have lived in Australia for more than 8 years.

I believe I have satisfied all the requirements, including the residence requirements, for the citizenship application.

However, I have recently relocated to the UK for work. I do not foresee myself returning to Australia in the short future. Hence, I want to lodge an online citizenship application offshore.

My question is do I have to be present in Australia in order for the Department of Home Affairs to approve my application? I have heard that if you lodge an offshore application, you can be interviewed offshore and all the tests and ceremony are also taken offshore, is that true?

Thank you very much for your time.

 

[Hassali.abdi]

Hi all,

I am a PR visa holder for more than 1 year and have lived in Australia for more than 8 years.

I believe I have satisfied all the requirements, including the residence requirements, for the citizenship application.

However, I have recently relocated to the UK for work. I do not foresee myself returning to Australia in the short future. Hence, I want to lodge an online citizenship application offshore.

My question is do I have to be present in Australia in order for the Department of Home Affairs to approve my application? I have heard that if you lodge an offshore application, you can be interviewed offshore and all the tests and ceremony are also taken offshore, is that true?

Thank you very much for your time.

Hi JCMH,

From the look of your brief information, you are eligible to apply for citizenship. However, I belief your application will not be assessed until you are continuing resident. They will require to book a test for you, arrange the ceremony and keep in touch with your while in Australia. Also you need to demonstrate that you have strong ties to Australia.

That is my guess. Not sure.

RMAs and the seniors of this forum can clarify more for us.

 

[JandE]

With the changes being proposed to be 4 years PR, and the backlog of citizenship applications having now exceeded 200,000 applicants, I wouldn't expect a good or fast outcome.

One standard rule for citizenship is your link to Australia and intention to reside or maintain a close and continuing association with Australia.

If you can prove the above, you can join the other 200,000 plus waiting for the rules to change, or be thrown out again.

If you already have 4 years PR, you may be able to jump past the others.

I could be wrong, but that is how I read the current situation.

 

[Con59]

I think you need to do it,the condition that the last year of PR,to be resident in Australia,with a maximum of 3 months oversize.

 

[ahbee]

No offensive but just curious why you consider to apply for citizenship since you do not foresee yourself returning to Australia in the short future. As far as I know you must apply while you're staying Australia, sit the test and attend the ceremony.

 

[JCMH]

With the changes being proposed to be 4 years PR, and the backlog of citizenship applications having now exceeded 200,000 applicants, I wouldn't expect a good or fast outcome.

One standard rule for citizenship is your link to Australia and intention to reside or maintain a close and continuing association with Australia.

If you can prove the above, you can join the other 200,000 plus waiting for the rules to change, or be thrown out again.

If you already have 4 years PR, you may be able to jump past the others.

I could be wrong, but that is how I read the current situation.

Thanks so much for your reply. I understand that the waiting period is gonna be very long. However, as I heard from a migration agent, if I apply for citizenship offshore, my application could still be approved when I'm out of the country. I just want to check if this is true.

 

[JCMH]

I think you need to do it,the condition that the last year of PR,to be resident in Australia,with a maximum of 3 months oversize.

Thanks so much for your reply. I did not leave the country for over 90 days at the time my application is lodged so I don't think there's gonna be any problem with the residence requirement.

My concern is that if I apply for citizenship offshore, will I need to be present in Australia in order for the Department of Home Affairs to approve my application?

My initial thought was I had to stay in Australia at the time the application is approved. However, a migration agent has told me that if I apply offshore, my application will still be processed and approved and I could take an interview and attend the ceremony in the country I reside. I would like to find out if this is true.

 

[JCMH]

No offensive but just curious why you consider to apply for citizenship since you do not foresee yourself returning to Australia in the short future. As far as I know you must apply while you're staying Australia, sit the test and attend the ceremony.

Thanks so much for your reply. I understand why you are curious. My initial plan was to stay in Australia. However, I've recently got an opportunity to go on an overseas secondment in London which is extremely rare and valuable. The secondment may take up to 2 years. Meanwhile, as it is very likely the requirements for citizenship will be tightened, I want to get this done before the bill is introduced to or passed in the parliament. Otherwise, I will probably need to wait for another few years to satisfy the residence requirements for citizenship again.

 

[Hassali.abdi]

Hi all,

I am a PR visa holder for more than 1 year and have lived in Australia for more than 8 years.

I believe I have satisfied all the requirements, including the residence requirements, for the citizenship application.

However, I have recently relocated to the UK for work. I do not foresee myself returning to Australia in the short future. Hence, I want to lodge an online citizenship application offshore.

My question is do I have to be present in Australia in order for the Department of Home Affairs to approve my application? I have heard that if you lodge an offshore application, you can be interviewed offshore and all the tests and ceremony are also taken offshore, is that true?

Thank you very much for your time.

Please visit this news website that highlighted some of the recent reasons citizenship was refused by the department.

https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage...ommon-reasons-australian-citizenship-refusals

One reasons concerns you as you are not intending to come back to Australia and live here for long time.

 

[JCMH]

Please visit this news website that highlighted some of the recent reasons citizenship was refused by the department.

https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage...ommon-reasons-australian-citizenship-refusals

One reasons concerns you as you are not intending to come back to Australia and live here for long time.

Thanks for your reply.

I have seen this news before. After all, it is their decision. My concern is whether I can apply offshore, be approved while I'm outside Australia, take the interview and attend the ceremony offshore as I heard I can.

 

[JandE]

Thanks so much for your reply. I understand that the waiting period is gonna be very long. However, as I heard from a migration agent, if I apply for citizenship offshore, my application could still be approved when I'm out of the country. I just want to check if this is true.

I feel that you may need to get the answer direct from immigration, based on your exact circumstances.

Some people can, with justifiable reasons.
But I am not sure everyone can.

 

[Hassali.abdi]

Thanks so much for your reply. I understand that the waiting period is gonna be very long. However, as I heard from a migration agent, if I apply for citizenship offshore, my application could still be approved when I'm out of the country. I just want to check if this is true.

I feel that you may need to get the answer direct from immigration, based on your exact circumstances.

Some people can, with justifiable reasons.
But I am not sure everyone can.

This is the best advice. Call the immi and ask this question. They are the case determinors.

 

[ahbee]

I suggest you should call the IMMI directly since you are not going to stay in Australia in the near future. I believe no one can give you any answer. And it is the 1st time I heard that offshore application is accepted.