handsomewill

congratulations MB.. I can imagine it was slightly anti-climatic - and even though I'm eager to get my ceremony in the diary, it must feel like the journey is grinding to a halt and the realisation is hitting that youll be leaving soon? that said, not a bad time to go back at the start of UK spring. are you counting down the days until you get on the plane or now pondering the things you'll miss? I can imagine i'll be having as many coffees, morning swims down at bondi, drinks at opera bar etc as I can squeeze in as soon as my flights are booked!

Bit of a long shot but someone may know. Passed my citizenship test and got my approval letter in early January but I'm with Waverley Council which is notorious for long ceremony waiting times. I got told it'd be four months, as a girl I know with the same council went through those timeframes late last year however have a mate/his mrs who were approved last September and still have no news - maybe the wait is longer if you ask to attend the same ceremony as another applicant? What my question actually is, can you request to change council venues to a larger venue, i.e. Sydney City.. I'm guessing not and if you could, the application would start at square one? think I've answered my own question there but don't want to be waiting for 9 months! ah well, plenty to do til then.

congratulations MB, I know you are in a similar mindset to me and many others, hanging on for the passport when your heart is really wanting to leave as the novelty has long gone. Are you going to go for a 24 hour turnaround on the passport then jump on the next plane? 3 months seems quick, I'm looking at 6-7 months at Waverley unfortunately.

ah! brilliant! thanks for your answer. yep, anticipating a 6 month wait, although something to look forward to this winter!

OK daft question time. I passed my citizenship test last week, which was nice, but wondering in what form the 'approval' of application comes in. i.e. do I just sit and wait for the letter to pop in the letterbox inviting me to ceremony? the whole test process was a bit of an unorganised mess - people waiting in a small room with no idea what to do, no signs up saying 'get a ticket, sit down, we check your documents, then you go sit your test'. I passed the test and walked out with no clue as to what I was to do next. all the people working there were checking documents of applicants getting ready to sit the test. anyone have a clue as to what the process is once the test is passed? thankyou

Just thought I'd add in a couple of earlier steps to assist people in the PR process as it feels like one long journey with many big (and small) steps: 1. PR applied for - July 2014 2. PR approval issued - 3/12/2014 3. Citizenship application submitted online - 3/12/2015 4. City/Council area - Sydney, Waverley Council 5. Online application 6. Received application confirmation email - 4/12/2015 7. Date of Citizenship Test - 8/1/15 Will have to make sure I get some revision done over the Christmas holidays. Amazing adventure here for me and knowing the passport is in touching distance and a change of scenery and family time at home is making my time here and now enjoyable. Cold xmas next year!