pegleg

Still, if I apply mid October when I'm able to hopefully I'll get to do the test by mid November, make it home for xmas and then plan to come back for the ceremony in January/February.

The sequence is application -> interview and test -> approval -> citizenship ceremony. From what I've read approval is often granted straight after the test, however in my case it was a full month after the test was completed. You shouldn't leave the country during that time or they will wait until you're back to approve you (I went on holiday to NZ for two weeks after the test and they didn't approve until I arrived back in Oz).

Updated my timeline

Date applied: 5th Sep 2014.

Area: Sydney

Online application.

Ack email: 6th Sep

Date of interview: 29th Sep

Date of test: 3rd Oct ( test system was down on interview date, so had to come back)

Approval date: 4th Nov

Received invitation: 5th Feb

Ceremony: 27th Feb

So 5 months in total.

You should contact DIBP about any change of address after you pass the citizenship test but they won't automatically update your citizenship ceremony location unless you ask them specifically to do so.

Personally I'd not recommend not going overseas for an extended period before your ceremony as they won't email you, only send a letter to your registered address which can be sent just a couple weeks before the ceremony. It can be a big pain not being able to travel, I personally had to forgo some work related business trips because I didn't know which ceremony I'd get allocated to...

No, still not approved yet, but I just came back from a holiday overseas. They said they cannot approve the police check until you are back onshore. So don't take your foreign holidays until you get approved is my advice.

yes sorry I completed the test on 3rd October (edited my post).

Hi why DIBP took 2 month to approve your application ?

Yeah I would like to know this as well since most people are approved same day as their test. I'm still waiting on my approval 2 weeks after the test date.

Here is my timeline

Date applied: 5th Sep 2014.

Area: Sydney

Online application.

Ack email: 6th Sept.

Date of interview: 29th Sep

Date of test: 3rd Oct ( test system was down on interview date, so had to come back)

Approval date: waiting

I called immigration to find out if there was any issue with my application because of their system issues on my interview date and they told me it can take several weeks to get approval, so just need to be patient.

Hi Natalie and all, I'm 31f and would love to meet up with some expat ladies in Sydney!