lljj

Thank! I was just really confused because my friend who just done it a month ago said she never had to do that. And I really don't enjoy attaching files on online so I was hoping I could skip that step .

On the test date, you do bring all your documents to your case officer. But I think it is safer to upload required documents in advance. Did she get approved very quickly?

I'm a public servant myself. I know the way bureaucrats think and I'm good at following bureaucratic instructions so I get everything right. This tends to make conversations with public servants quite amiable. Dealing with telecoms companies, on the other hand...

My past interactions with public servants in Australia are all very nice. I remembered my experience with my PR CO was extremely positive. I even wrote a compliment letter for her.

This is my first negative experience... I was slightly unlucky. If I went to my test on time (I was there early), I may have a different CO...

You made a mistake in contacting the CO - please don't compound it by keeping on going back with more.

 

Whether or not you have to give up your birth citizenship is a matter between you and your birth country. If you don't tell them you have become Australian, how would they find out? But however it pans out, it is nothing to do with Australia.

Yes, I totally agree with you. This is really my mistake. I am just trying to hard and somewhat crossed the line... I won't do it again...

I attached all the required documents that they asked when we fill in the on-line application.

 

 

1. Current Document with your photograph and signature, such as current passport

2. Evidence of your current residential address, such as Australian driver licence, bank statement, or utilities statement

3. Birth Certificate, original and translation if it is not in English

4. Evidence of when you first arrived in Australia, previous passport (if any) that you used when you first entered Australia

5. Form 1195 (Identity Declaration)

6. Your photograph that has been endorsed in the back by the person who is making the identity declaration.

 

When they sent me an email to sit for the test, they also asked me fill form 1399 (Declaration of Service).

In my case, I just followed the description from this link: http://www.citizenship.gov.au/applying/files/

My interview was a pleasant chat and my CO explained that I had provided the correct paperwork and met the requirements. She looked up my local council and told me there were 14 people queued up for the next ceremony so she said that I should get in for that one. She then said that the next step was the police check which would take about three weeks - she said it was sometimes quicker but three weeks was about the timescale for people with a common name - and that I should hear back within a month. She said that if I hadn't heard back in a month then give them a call, but otherwise not to worry.

 

I really have the impression that if you were going to be recommended for being declined then you would have been told and given an opportunity to present counter-arguments. I really can't see them using the argument that you don't intend to live in Australia because you currently live in Australia and nobody can tell what the future holds. It would just be difficult to make the case for rejection stick, and public servants tend not to like creating work they can avoid.

Wow, you had a really nice CO. My CO did not say anything beyond standard documentation. Makes me feel cold, especially after reading 'Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond' 4 times.

I just hope my CO can follow the standard procedure.

I have never been able to make the online system work as I don't know my TRN. But it took about a month for my grant because they said they had to do police checks and if you have a common name (as I do) then it takes a while.

I thought they can do the police check online in a few minutes....

I also have a common name. I went to my university eye glass shop today and was told that there are 3 people who have the same name as mine...

Did you call Immi to confirm that it is because of common names?

I took the test in Melbourne in April and it took about a month for the letter to come through. Still waiting on an invite for a ceremony.

Did you check your online status? How long did you wait before the online status was changed?

I took the test on 10/06/2014 at 10.00am and when I checked my on-line status, it showed 'Applicant Approved'.

 

I received the approval letter on 13/06/2014, and it was electronically signed by Scott Morrison (Minister for Immigration and Border Protection).

 

Still waiting the invitation for ceremony.

 

Who is your local council?, mine is Boroondara and I know they have one ceremony in 24/07/2014, but I don't think I will be able to get in to that date as most people have to wait months.

I took my test this Monday. I just checked my online status again, and nothing yet....

My friend did lately, and there could be up to a 9 month waiting time for the ceremony!

When did he get approved? One the same day, or a few days later?

I am wondering that anyone has done citizenship test in Melbourne recently?

Could you please share some information about how long it took to be approved?

Not sure if that was a typo but the OP said birth citizenship not certificate. Australia allows you to have dual nationality but other countries don't - Germany & India are two I know of so if you wish to have Australian citizenship you must give up your birth citizenship.

 

You can travel on an overseas passport whilst waiting for your citizenship ceremony but you must be in the country for the ceremony so it may not be practical/affordable for the OP to leave and then return for the ceremony. Once you have had your ceremony you cannot travel out of Australia without an Australian passport.

You are right. My birth country does not allow dual citizenship. That why I will loose my birth citizenship.

I was planning to visit my family for a few weeks before my ceremony. But now, I think it is probably better to do that after I got my Australian passport.

Australia will never ask you to give up your birth certificate in order to get an Australian Citizenship.

 

I think you shouldn't have asked your CO to speed up the process. However once your application has been approved you then can ask for the urgent ceremony. To be granted for an urgent ceremony you have to prove that your will not be able to travel using your current passport, census date for your HECS is closing in, etc, etc

 

Are you able to travel overseas using your current passport, anything will prevent you from using it?

I agree with you. I shouldn't have asked my CO to speed up the process (the process is usually very fast anyway, it is a shame that I did know that before attending the citizenship test). Now, as I recall, that was what was suggested by the Immi when I called them. It is my bad to misinterpret that.

I am able to travel to overseas using my current passport. However, I am planning not to do so before my Australian citizenship is finalised.

I really think you are worrying for nothing.

:wink: This is probably the most comforting words I heard today! Thank you blossom79!

Just out of interest, is there anything to prevent an immediate re-application if the first one is rejected? The OP could just say he/she had dropped plans for travel and there would not be anything Immi could say to prove otherwise...

I really hope I won't end up in this position...

I agreed with now just waiting - the CO would need to process the application whether it's approved or declined but any speculation on my part isn't going to help lljj's nerves. I have no idea at all how they assess this criteria. I did debate whether to post at all but if people weren't aware of this requirement others may do the same.

I have mixed feeling about this. It feels that there is a lot of subjectivity involved. I only mentioned my thought because it was suggested by people from Immi. I guess I shouldn't have made that call in the first place. (I even did not know that the process can be sped up before I called the Immi).

@ Lady Rainicorn - yes, I agree that you are correct about the eligibility requirements but the fact that the CO agreed to process the application indicates (to me, at least) that she has been satisfied that this was not an issue.

 

I think the OP is correct that the telephone call to Immi was not a good idea but the question now is what to do. My money would be on waiting to see what happens.

Lljj, I am sorry but I disagree with the optimism of other posters, you do not automatically qualify for citizenship, there are a number of eligibility criteria one of which is:

 

'be likely to reside, or to continue to reside, in Australia or to maintain a close and continuing association with Australia.'

 

If the case officer thinks someone plans to leave Australia after being granted citizenship it may not be granted.

I do not think though there is anything you can do at this point - you would risk making things worse. It is a short wait after your citizenship interview until you get the outcome, I hope it is a positive outcome for you but if not you may have to enter an appeals process and I suggest if that happens you get assistance from a migration lawyer.

Lady Rainicorn, thanks for your reply. This is exactly what I am worried about. I am aware of this criteria.

I guess no matter what, the only thing I can do is just wait now.

No, do not contact immi - there is no point - your citizenship will be ok - you automatically qualify for it - it is not up to a case officer to decide whether you qualify - so just wait for your date now.

Ok. I am just worried about the delay, which will affect my first job directly. I guess I will wait for 1~2 weeks to see if there is any update from the "Online Application Status"

Thank you very much for making things clear and suggestions!

You qualify for Australian citizenship therefore you will not have a problem. Some people do get a bit uptight though that people apply for it just to have a second passport for insurance (in case something happens in their home country) and do not intend to ever live in Australia. That was probably the immigration officer's response when she misunderstood you initially

Hummm, this is possible. I actually have to give up my birth citizenship in order to get Australian citizenship. Therefore, after I get Australian citizenship, it will be the only citizenship I have.

I am wondering that whether it will help if I contact immi and see if I can get in touch with my case officer and explain this to her.

I would just wait it out. If your application were going to be rejected, you would have been told or been asked to provide further information. TBH, citizenship is pretty automatic - you tick the eligibility criteria and you have passed the easiest exam you'll ever take. There's not much an angry CO can do about it. Now it is just a question of waiting 2 or 3 weeks for the letter and waiting for the ceremony invitation.

Thanks for the explanation. Cross fingers...

Hi dxboz:

Thanks for your reply!

As you probably figured out from my post, English is not my first language. It is highly possible that I did not explain thing clear....

What should I do? Should I just wait and see, or I should call immi and ask about it?

Thank you!

I lodged my citizenship application online at the end of May and was informed to take the test today.

I called the immi office a few days ago to check if everything is alright, and mentioned that I may want to go abroad for some postdoc experience (this is somewhat required before getting a university position). The girl who answered my call suggested that I can actually explain this to my case officer and see whether it is possible to speed up my application. So I did what she suggested today, and ....

My case officer got very angry and thought I do not intend to stay in Australia. She almost rejected my application on the spot. At last, she reluctantly took my case...

I am very very worried at the moment:

- will my case be rejected?

- will my case officer seriously delay my application process?

I feel I did the stupidest thing in my life today...