Citizenship

ali · 11-03-2007, 09:27 AM

A post on another site says that on March 1st the Australian Citizenship bill was passed and should come into effect on July 1st.

Applicants for citizenship will have to have lived 4 lawful years in Aus prior to the application and at least one of those years as a permanent resident.

This only with regard to people who become permanent residents on or after the commencement of the legislation

Ali

Nelson · 11-03-2007, 11:09 AM

Hi Ali! So does this mean that we would still qualify after two years? (Having arrived last September)

Gollywobbler · 11-03-2007, 11:48 AM

Hi Krista and Ali

Very well-spotted, Ali. How they slammed it through so quickly and quietly is a mystery, but they seem to have succeeded. The DIAC website is saying that the legislation has now been passed.

Krista

The two-year rule will still apply to you as long as you apply for citizenship by no later than 30 June 2010 according to my understanding of the Bill.

Cheers

Gill

Nelson · 11-03-2007, 12:09 PM

Thanks Ali and Gill... I'll make a forward note!

ali · 11-03-2007, 01:03 PM

I was a bit surprised too Gill. The current residency requirements would apply to us Krista

Ali

motherof2 · 11-03-2007, 01:41 PM

Sorry to be thick, but I presume that means if we move over next year we will then have to wait 4 years - correct? It's not a major hassle for me but I would like to eventually have citizenship in the country I choose to live in.

Nelson · 11-03-2007, 02:11 PM

Having thought about this a bit more.. can anyone tell me how it will work for my daughter, who has validated her visa, returned to the U.K. on a three year uni course and intends to join us in June 2009 in time to start to 'do' her 2 years within the five to qualify for applying for citizenship... Any advice, please?

Gollywobbler · 11-03-2007, 02:23 PM

Hi Sue

The new rules are here:

http://www.citizenship.gov.au/law-an...nges200406.htm

Nobody (including DIAC) is really sure how to interpret them as yet. JAJ over on British Expats seems pretty clued up about the Citizenship stuff. He believes that if you have a PR visa and you have validated it before the new Act comes into force, it won't matter if you are not "living" in Australia by the time of the commencement date.

If you haven't got the visa by the commencement date or you have not validated it, then the new rules will apply to you instead.

Waiting for four years doesn't really matter as you say. I think, though, that the new rules are likely to mean that more people will find themselves needing at least one Resident Return Visa before they become citizens. For more about RRVs, please see here:

http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/residents/155/index.htm

Cheers

Gill