David Ng

Yes if you want to be on the safe side. They didn't ask for the hard copy of my birth certificate (many others reported the same). They did ask for my ID (I recalled that I used my Driver Licence, brought my Passport with me also). They also asked for my Medicare card and scanned it into their system. I'm also from Melbourne.

I was in exactly the same situation, 1. You'll need 2 applications for you and your partner 2. You can use a same immiAccount for both applications. 3. Your child will need to be included in 1 application only, better be the main one (if you apply using your immiAccount, include him/her in your application, just easier if there's any following up or additional requirements) Apart from that, you'll need to mention in your partner's application that she/he has a child which is not in this application, but in another one. There's a section for that when you create the application. Also, if you're living together and both from a same address, it will be much easier. If not, preparing for additional custody documents.

I need to correct myself! They did ask for my ID, I'm pretty sure that I used my Victoria Driver License, not sure about Passport, but those are standard IDs and should absolutely be carried to the Interview day. They also asked for my Medicare card, which they then scanned it and returned it to me.

Don't worry about that. They will go through all your uploads on the day of your Interview. If you uploaded a high enough quality colour scan of your original birth certificate, that will be enough. I used the same scan for my Visa application 7 years ago, and for my Citizenship application, they didn't ask for any additional documents from me on my interview date. They may still ask for it, but it is very unlikely!

Correct, I didn't get any notification when our applications were approved (the same was reported by many other users). I just checked my ImmiAccount daily and saw my applications changed to approved (I know, I was a bit impatient but who wasn't?!)

Just emails and messages in the List of correspondence when logged into ImmiAccount

So, both me and my wife have just received our Ceremony invitations today . Our timeline is below Application date: 23/12/2019, 2 applications: me with my 8yo son and my wife (First test appointment was around 05/2020 but was postponed due to Covid-19) Test dates: - For me 05/02/2021, approved on spot - For my wife 22/02/2021, approved on 03/03/2021 Ceremony invitations: today 14/04/2021 for ceremony on 18/05/2021 I have tried to send an email to Victoria's virtual ceremony after my wife's approval, but didn't receive any response at all... Application was in Melbourne VIC

Yes, that what I did; which then enabled me to re-schedule to 20 days earlier than my initial appointment!

On the same boat. My application was approved on 05/02/2021 (same day with my test) and my wife's test was on 22/02/2021 and her application was approved on 03/03/2021 Still waiting for our ceremony invitation. I used to live in Knox area , moved to Casey now

Any ceremony recently for VIC applications?

No email at all. I've just logged into ImmiAccount to check almost daily...

Finally, I've just checked my Immi Account and my wife's application was approved! Below is our timeline Application date: 23/12/2019 Test date: Me: 05/02/2021, approved same day My wife: 22/02/2021, approved 03/03/2021 Ceremony: waiting Really tempted to send VIC online ceremony an email... Should I?

Nah, I rescheduled mine to 20 days earlier, and I rescheduled multiple times (say, 5 times, I know that's bad! keep checking back to see any sooner availability), got approved on spot. If you have colour-scanned and attached the original ones on Immi Account, they will probably not ask for any of those documents again.

I guessed it's completely random and pure luck... My application was approved on the same day of my test. My wife took her test last Monday (22/02, 100%) and her application is not approved yet as of now... I would say her application was much less complicated than mine... I used to travel abroad a lot due to work, and I also included our 7yo with my applications...

Haha, nice and positive way to look at it. I think (just my theory), that the approvals of applications are manual tasks, and since they have hundreds and thousands of applications they had to go through, sometimes they're just forgetful. If the one who has just checked all your documents did the approval, it would be very quick, since they've just done all the checks! Thumbs up is a good way to remind them that you've passed your test and they can do their approval! Initially my interviewer asked me to go to the computer room, but then another officer there asked me to wait outside cause they had to limit number of people inside. Then she just waved to me behind her glass screen, and when I came back to her booth, she told me that she'd let me do the test on her iPad there. So she just logged in for me and handed me her iPad. I finished my test in less than 5 minutes, 100%, then she told me that she approved my application and it would show up on Immi Account shortly

The invitation emails will come from this address: noreply@mail.appointments.homeaffairs.gov.au That "noreply" there means that it won't be monitored so there's no point in replying/acknowledging it. It's also a good idea to whitelist *.homeaffairs.gov.au in your email settings, depending on which email service you are using. After you've got an appointment, you can come back and change it any time to any available slot. Their appointment system is very flexible and easy to change. I brought forward my appointment 20 days sooner. You should check back multiple time as available slots will change frequently, I was able to book to even the next day when I was checking back in Jan, but I wasn't well prepared so I booked it in a week time.

I took my interview in Melbourne CBD also, and the officer who processed my application on the day just told me that she approved my applications. From my conversation with her, it's mainly the documents uploaded to Immi account. For me, I'm pretty meticulous in preparing my scan documents. I always included a high quality original colour scan of any document, which is very readable, translations if required. I attached all the documents in the Required section; and to my best effort, all the documents I can get my hands on in the Additional document section. I guess it wouldn't hurt just ask the one who process your application on the test day whether or not your application would be approved on spot, or what additional details they were looking for... etc

I've just used this free practice site, and read the Our Common Bond booklet many times, it's very helpful! https://www.easydrivingtest.com.au/citizenship-test

There were about 10 - 20 other people inside Home Affair Melbourne CBD office during my time there.

So I attended my Citizenship Interview today. The lady who took my case was very nice and friendly, she told me that she would look through all the documents I have uploaded and if she needed to see any additional documents, she would tell me. She didn't ask for any additional documents except my Medicare card (I have prepared everything in my bag just in case though). She asked me only 1 question, whether or not I have had any offences including traffic offences before, I honestly told her that I had a couple speeding tickets, she asked me whether or not I had to go to court for those, I said no, then all good! My timeline: 23/12/2019: application submitted, Melbourne Southeast surburb Some time in Feb 2020 I received invitation for Citizenship Interview on 27/05/2020, then it was postponed not long after due to the pandemic 28/01/2021: received invitation to a Citizenship Interview on 25/02/2021, rescheduled to 05/02/2021 05/02/2021: Citizenship Interview, all the process was verrry quick! I was inside only 20 minutes , approved on spot (the officer told me that she approved the application after I've got 100% mark on her iPad, it would show up immediately on my ImmiAccount, I've just logged in and had a look, my application was approved) waiting for ceremony invitation, the lady there tole me that I'll probably need to wait up to 6 months for it...

I've just got some good news (especially for the Melbourne folks!) My wife was invited to a test just today (over email) on 24/02/2021. We applied on 2 separated applications on 23/12/2019. She was invited for a test in May 2020 but it was postponed until now. I'm still waiting for my test invitation...

Well, Visa is for non-citizen only. You'll either need a Visa or an Australian Passport to enter Australia, which means: - You use your foreign passport with a valid Visa - OR, you use your Australian Passport From my experience with Border Force 3 years ago when we travelled abroad: my kids had 2 passports, and when I accidentally handed them their foreign passports (cause I bought their flight tickets with those foreign passports), the lady custom officer were a bit upset and reminded me that they always preferred the Australian Passport on Australia land. Could be because my kids didn't have (didn't need to have) Visa so that caused a bit of time to look up for her, it was my bad

Well, simply put, people are impatient, and (a BIG and), I don't think DOHA is working effectively (pandemic is just a good detracting reason). They cost Australian a lot of tax money every year, yet their performance is questionable (during 2019 it seemed that they stopped processing Citizenship all together for 8 months just because of a speculation of new Citizenship requirement). Do a quick Google search about Department of Home Affairs efficiency, you'll get plenty of reports officially about the messy management, toxic/harassing/bullying culture, low morale work environment in DOHA, thanks to the big top guys... (you know who). But as long as they still have protection from the Fed Government, and as long as Dutton is still there; nothing will be changed I guess.

I and my wife applied from Melbourne on 23 Dec 2019. Wife was invited to the test in May 2020 but it has been postponed and we haven't heard anything since then...

When did you apply for Citizenship? We applied on 23/12/2019 and are still waiting for our test. It has been scheduled in 05/2020 but then got cancelled due to the pandemic.