Chandnihorvath

I probably don't have that option because I am in Townsville so I will have to get it posted back. I am assuming they will be using Express Post.

So 5 days including postage? I'd reckon the actual time would be less than 5 days.

Yeah I have a feeling they do as well. I rang them last week about a tentative date and I rang them the next day to update some personal details and she asked me why I didn't do it yesterday? And no, they were not the same operators. I said well, it only just came through today. lol But I hope they don't discriminate against of the number of calls made haha I am borderline close to Sarah2016's number.

Yeah the tentative date thing is weird, I called them last week which was a week after approval but they said nothing as of yet. So I am going to call them back maybe in 2 weeks time to see. Only so I can get stuff sorted for my Dec leave as I am flying back to Brussels to see family for Xmas. Just a question - how quick does urgent passport take? My council has a ceremony on the 14th Dec (I leave on Xmas day) and if I am on it - I will have to apply for urgent passport as I will cease to be a resident and will have to travel on an Australian passport.

Yay!!!! So cool!

Can you find out on the website? What council are you in?

So your council only holds two ceremonies a year?

Hahahahahah Sounds great to me!

Your passport? Like my passport is from an EU member. But my ethnicity is half Indian/half Caucasian. So I am not sure how that would work out. lol

Yeah apparently, the council/DIBP sends out a letter 2-4 weeks in advance from your citizenship ceremony. But then my cousin applied in Perth earlier this year and she got an email from her council.

Yeah I never got asked for a signature. Its so weird.

Yeah definitely, its quieter than most councils here. I'd be amazed if I did not make it to one this year. But then who knows the ways of DIBP. lol My friend wrote her test in March and her ceremony in April. Can you believe that? By that pattern I should be in the August one. Not that I am going to keep my hopes up even remotely.

Hmmm! My council says there's no waiting list. I am in Townsville though and there's ceremonies every month with roughly 30-40 ppl.

Nope, I did not sign anything. I was worried too so I went back and the CO said I don't have to sign anything. Anyway I received my approval in 6 days after that.

I rang them twice now (DIBP) because my council still does not have a date for the August ceremony. They said there's hardly anyone more than 25 people at this stage. And i was going in my head - Hello!!!!! Would you like me to volunteer to get the numbers up?? They asked me to call the DIBP. I rang them and they said nope I don't have a tentative date yet. And pretty much asked me, very politely, to not call until its 3 months unless I receive an invite before 3 month mark. Have no idea how it all works. Maybe they have a quota to fulfil?

Congrats Roland!!! Hope you don't have to wait long for your ceremony.

Yeah that's very unclear. I got bumped back a couple of weeks because I did not have my birth certificate so I had to phone my parents back home and they had to mail it to me. But after that I got an email straight away with the test date and time. Dealing with the DIBP requires huge amounts of persistence so I would just suggest to keep calling them.

Yeah I wouldn't really count on me being already allocated. Although the council said there's no waiting lists. I was dreaming of getting into the August or the September one. I might call them next week if I am thoroughly bored for the day. lol

So what I want to know is that if we can actually call the DIBP or the council to find out where we are for the citizenship ceremony? Some of my friends here said that DIBP let them know when they phoned them. I am not sure if that's the case or not. This waiting is killing me, although I know so many people who are still waiting so my impatience is a bit vain, but I am sure everyone knows what I mean.

Hi Roland, Its definitely possible as some councils have a large ceremony something akin to Australia Day. My council said they definitely have a big ceremony on the 17th Sep and have no waiting lists so I am hoping to fit in to that. You can ring your council to find out.

Thats great that the council would tell you if your name is on the list, I wasn't aware of the fact they could divulge such details. Did you just call them?

I'd call up the immigration and ask them if it has been approved or not. The date they approve it on is the one that counts as your ceremonies are held within approx 6 months from that day. The letter will arrive in the mail around 5-7 working days. But just call them up (I did call them up) and see what they say. Good luck

Hi Simran, Thank you It took 6 working days to receive the letter in mail. It was posted out on 15th the day it was approved and I received it this morning. Have you received yours yet?

Received my official letter of approval this morning. Apparently they do deliver here on Sat until 11 am. It says that my ceremony will be held within 5 months from the date of approval so I am assuming that the turn around is getting better with DIBP. Some of my friends had 9 months but since last two months it seems to be moving quicker. Will keep everyone posted about my official invite.

Thank you and I hope you don't have to wait long either.