Another Citizenship Query - Sorry

Gollywobbler · 06-10-2006, 11:42 AM

Hi all

People who are permanent residents before the commencement of the new legislation will only need to meet the current residence requirements (presence in Australia as a permanent resident for periods amounting to two years in the last five years including one year in the last two immediately prior to making the application) provided that they apply within three years from the day the legislation commences.

The para above is copied from the Citizenship website.

The words in Bold are bothering me. Does this mean one year under virtual immigration detention in Oz or does it mean one year as someone who is "usually resident" in Oz, please?

In other words, would my Mum have to stay on Australian soil for 365 days without the option of a fortnight's holiday in Thailand, even?

Thanks to anyone who can help me with this.

Gill

Phil Olsen · 09-10-2006, 06:02 AM

Hi Gill

Just seen this.

The rules are that a person has to be in Australia for 1 year in the 2 immediately prior to application.

That could be in one block or in a number of smaller blocks in that two year period as long as the total time adds up to one year.

Hope that's clear.

Phil

Gollywobbler · 09-10-2006, 10:50 AM

Thaks very much, Phil

Cheers

Gill

spray21 · 12-10-2006, 09:45 PM

I have a question linked to this - I am going to have permanent residency from April 2007. Presumably that means I will be affected by any new legislation about citz requirements. There might be a way to validate my visa before the end of Jan, but it would mean shelling out on a pair of return flights just to validate the visas. Which might be worth doing, if citz is that important.
SO, my question is - what are the advantages of being a citizen as opposed to a permanent resident? I know there is the voting, but that doesn't bother me too much. The only other thing I can think of is having a passport, which would be nice but again does not bother me much, and being able to claim benefits etc which (touch wood) should not be an issue.
So are there any burning reasons why it would be worth some expense and inconvenience getting citz asap?

ali · 12-10-2006, 10:15 PM

It's always been our intention to apply for citizenship asap. We're coming over in January (visa granted in July), will the old rules apply to us?

Thanks Ali

IanL · 12-10-2006, 10:39 PM

Well I might get flamed, but here goes.

I'd say there are more disadvantages to getting citizenship than advantages, especially if you haven't lived here long.

Citizens do not enjoy any more advantages than PRs. Unless you consider that being forced to be on the Electoral Register is an advantage (voting is compulsory here and you must vote in Fed, state and local elections, well actually you don't have to vote but you must turn up and have your name crossed off the list).

Citizens cannot under any circumstances (or none that I could find) take their Super (pension) overseas or access it in any way before you retire. This may be important if you ever go back, because remember you are forced to commit 9% of your salary to super. They tout it as 'employer' contribution but it's not, when the legislation came in about 10yrs ago, base salaries everywhere effectively dropped, so really it's your own money. It's one of the reasons that wages in the UK can look higher than here.

Once you are a citizen you cannot use your British passport to leave Australia, or enter it as your PR visa will be invalid, even if you have not applied for an Aussie passport. I found this out to my near peril when going on holiday to NZ. Just received my Oz passport in time.

The only advantage a citizen gets is that some (by no means all) Government jobs require you to be a citizen before you can apply.

There might be more pros/cons on paper but as far as practical day to day living goes that's all I can think of. This of course does not take in the 'emotional' argument, but that would be another question all together.

spray21 · 13-10-2006, 05:52 PM

Thanks for that Ian! It's more or less what I thought, but my knowledge is far from all-encompassing. Didn't know about the pensions though - presumably you can access it from abroad once you are retirement age?
Otherwise we'll just have to have a holiday home on the coast and pay for it out of our pensions when we are old!

IanL · 14-10-2006, 01:29 AM

Quote:

presumably you can access it from abroad once you are retirement age?

No problem with that Spray21. Just be sure you have it all consolidated (or at least know where it all is) and if you do return to UK make sure you can 'park it' in a fund that has minimal fees and admin.

When you arrive you'll see ads for 'Industry Super', they are worth checking out, but of course seek proper financial advice. Also don't fall for the employer line 'you must invest with the company's super supplier'. Legislation passed last year gives all Aussies the right to nominate their own super fund.

Fraser · 14-10-2006, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanL

Well I might get flamed, but here goes.

I'd say there are more disadvantages to getting citizenship than advantages, especially if you haven't lived here long.

Got to agree with Ian on this one. Only when you are sure that you are here to stay is the time to apply. Among the key upsides are access to Government jobs.

When I was sure I was staying I had the whole family naturailes...but made sure the kids had Brirtish Passports first. We are now dual passported citizens...and leave Australia as AUstralian...and enter the UK and Europe as Brits... no visa worries in the EU, Aus or NZ ever again...and rigts to work in any and all.

When the kids get up a bit, they will have lots of choice on where to live and work.

Fraser · 14-10-2006, 02:24 AM

Quicj Follow-up.. I have a mate who has been here since teh 1960s and an uncle here since 1950s, both of whom have never taken out citizenship... and it doesn't seem to have unduly affected them.