leanie

3 hours ago, donnapow said:

Yes apparently it's taking longer because I am regional 

Regional can be very slow especially WA. I applied late June 2016, finally got my ceremony 2 weeks ago. 

12 hours ago, tech123 said:

Congrats! Just want to know, what other info were requested from you? Is this the reason why your application took very long? Thanks!

The other info they wanted was my kids expired passports that we had originally applied with (just scanned and added them to the online application), Medicare card and for me to confirm my name as on some documents my middle name is there but it's not on my passport etc. I think the reason my application took so long is because the regional WA dept seems to be very slow, must be very busy. 

At last an update for me!

Here's my timeline:

I was not sure whether to contact citizenship dept or local council to let them know I'll be overseas for a few weeks. I contacted my local council in the end and am so glad I did, I got a response to the email I sent asking my return date, they replied saying they were going to have the ceremony the Friday before I get home, but they will change it to the Friday after I get home so I can attend. I love my small town 

Hi I'm waiting for my ceremony but going overseas for a holiday soon, do I need to advise my local council or the citizenship line?

I was told that they close the lists 6 weeks in advance, because they need to order the certificates with names on them + send out the invites. So even if someone cancels, they can't just slot you in at the last minute. With 16 January no way you could've made Australia day. :-/ Check which ceremony is 6+ weeks out and hope for that one...

thanks Sapphilor. I suppose it was because I passed my test in early December that I'm disappointed as back then there would have been enough time to add me but unfortunately the regional WA dept seems to be really slow. The next ceremony is likely to be in June I've been told.

I posted just above as did my test on 8th dec, approval letter dated 16th Jan received today. Ceremony here in my remote town in two days but I have no invitation. The wait continues.

I did my test on 8th December, passed 100%. Just got back from a holiday crossing my fingers my approval letter would be waiting for me. Sadly not. 6 weeks of waiting, hopefully they'll approve me soon. Regional WA seems to be very slow.

Hi does anyone know how the department inform people of their test date, is it Email or letter?

I got mine via email, no letter ever arrived.

Hi @leanie I don't know how you got the e-mail address of your citizenship application CO? The lady that handled my application at DIAC office in Perth said someone will process my application for the final approval. I called the general hotline after 2 weeks and was told on the phone that it was recently approved, the letter came a bit later.

 

The holiday season makes everything sloooow. May have to give it a week or two before things get back to normal.

I just assumed the person that emailed from diac country was my case officer but maybe not. I'll hopefully have some news over the coming weeks. The lady over the phone was so unfriendly, I thought it was pretty reasonable to ask how my application was going a month after passing the test, she seemed to think otherwise! Have you got a date for your ceremony yet Tooz?

I had my citizenship test on 8th December. I've since heard nothing so called the dept. My application has not been approved yet and no time frame can be given. No hope for the Australia Day ceremony then and the wait continues :sad:

Can you email your case officer for an update or is that not allowed/a waste of time?

I had my citizenship test on 8th December. I've since heard nothing so called the dept. My application has not been approved yet and no time frame can be given. No hope for the Australia Day ceremony then and the wait continues :sad:

Some people were told on the spot by the CO but most get a letter in the mail a week or two later. I got mine about 2 weeks after my test date. As for ceremony dates, really depends on the council. Mine said sometime in January potentially.

It must be a bit different when you have the test at Centrelink! There was no mention of approval just discussion on when the ceremony might be.

Did u get approved?

How do you know if I got apporoved? I was just reading the brochure thing the lady gave me and wondering this!

Congratulations!

What documents did you end up presenting? Did they tell you anything about expected timeline for ceremony?

I brought along passport of entry and current passport for each person, birth certificate for each, marriage certificate, drivers license, Medicare card and the bank statement I had used when I applied. All fine. The lady thought it should be fine for Australia Day ceremony but wasn't sure. I think Centrelink have only recently started doing the tests not sure if they are involved with the ceremonies.

My hubby and I have just applied for Citizenship ( currently on a PR visa in Queensland) and have sent all the documents required but immigration are not happy with our birth certs we sent ( born in the 70's). They are saying we have provided a short/extract certificate. It doesn't have our parents names on there and its not apparently considered a full UK birth certificate!!!! but this is all we have and have ever had.

 

Has anyone gone through this drama and can offer any advice please ?

My NZ born hubby born in the 1970s his birth certificate was also like this. Before we applied for pr he applied for a new one, problem solved. It should be easy enough to do you can apply online from what I can gather (I thought I had lost my uk birth certificate some years ago and looked into the process of getting a new one). Good luck.

Congratulations @leanie

 

Feels like only a few months ago that I was in the PR process. Time sure does fly. Wonder what the rest of the March 2012 gang is doing.

Yeah it has gone quickly, where are the rest of the march 2012 gang?!

Yay passed my test 100% now the wait for the ceremony.

Yea, its asking for spouce or De facto relation also. For this do we need to produce martiage certificate as well??

you only need to provide a marriage certificate if you have changed your name because of marriage. It's the link between your maiden name and your married name. If you haven't changed your name no need to provide it.

Hi Leanie,

I gave them a call last week, they are already reviewing my application but still no official response.

If if has gone to the regional WA office and think there must be a delay with processing the applications. I'm sure you'll hear from them really soon though.

Good luck leanie, hope it all goes well.

 

As for the test, have to agree I used numerous online tests like toOZ2012 mentioned as was a little shocked by the actual test. In and out between 5- 10 mins!

Thanks Tooz and Evets, I too have done many of the free online tests and that's why I'm a little worried, even though I've studied quite a bit every now and again I come across a question I'm sure wasn't in our common bond and I find myself reading it again to check! Hopefully it's straightforward questions without answers that want to trick you! All of our birth certificates are not laminated although one kid has one with pictures on it but it is their only birth certificate (it's from NZ) and is a legal document. My aus born kid has 2 birth certificates but the one with pictures cannot be used as a legal document.

Citizenship test tomorrow, please could somebody confirm what documents I need to bring? I've got drivers license, Centrelink card, passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, bill/bank state to confirm address, passports fo kids, birth certificate for kids. Id form was already posted and received. Am I missing anything? Tests make me nervous but I've studied so hope I'll be fine.

Great... i rang my local council.. they said they dnt have any ceremonies that attract media attention and january 26 is full anyway.

That's good to hear. I sent an email to my CO to let them know I had uploaded the form, I received a reply saying it had been changed. I live in a small remote town that doesn't do ceremonies very often so hopefully they have space for aus day.

Hi Chandan, you've alerted me to the fact I too have done this. I called them and she said to fill in form 1023 and upload to my online application. I will also bring a copy to my test later this week. Not sure why I ticked that box, I don't want to be on tv but I'll be waiting for many months if I can't do an Australia Day ceremony!

 

1. Date applied: 20/07/2016

2. City/Council area: Bunbury WA

3. Online / Paper: Online

4. Date received the acknowledgement email: 20/07/2016

5. Date of the Citizenship Test: TBA

6. Date of ceremony: TBA

7. Type of ceremony (Urgent/Normal)

 

 

Hi all, I applied in July and still haven't heard anything.

Cheers

Hi Naburn have you heard anything yet? I applied online at the end of June

, it went through to regional WA. I only heard from them recently and have my test this week at Centrelink!