LAG

Hi, I also can only speak for my own experience. I received an email with a test appointment and a copy of this email is available on the messages section of my application. I think Ausa0000 is making a very good observation here regarding the location of the test. I went to the DOHA office in Melbourne CBD. Looks like there is no straight answer to this question... just like everything else related to visas and now citizenship applications.

No, I just checked my account to be absolutely sure. The only messages I have are the acknowledgement of app received and then the invitation for the test. For the ceremony I got an email sent from citizenship.ceremony.events@homeaffairs.gov.au and also got a letter sent by post. I have heard of people who only get the invitation sent by post and no emails.

Hi, yes everyone gets that letter a few days after the application is approved. It doesn't really have any important information on it... other than saying that we are not citizens until we attend the ceremony. The invitation for a ceremony will come by post or/and email around 4 weeks before the ceremony.

Hi. We are having our ceremony on Australia Day, ours is early afternoon so planning to do the aussie thing after it and visit the local pub for a parma and pot with some family and friends! Planning to apply for an Aus passport first thing on the 28...

Hi. Applications are managed individually. Each of you will get separate communications, appointment for interview and test could be on the same date or not but again will definitely be an individual interview for each applicant. For the ceremony you can link your applications. If you do this then you both will be invited to the same ceremony. Don't worry if you didn't link your applications before submitting them, you can just call the department and ask the applications to b linked. You will receive a confirmation email a few days after. I did this for me and my wife and we are attending the same ceremony.

Hi thanks! I got approved on 29 August my wife on 5 September. I think is a special 26 Jan ceremony, it is not at the usual council place. It is going to be at the Hyatt Place, this is Essendon Fields, so it is the same council but not their usual venue.

Just got the email today! Also my wife. NO REPLY - Invitation to attend an Australian citizenship ceremony The ceremony will be on 26 January, I am from Monee Valley council. Applied in June this year. Application was approved on 29 August. Happy days!

Hi Rizwa, Are you in a regional area? maybe this is the reason why you can't change the appointment. You can always try giving them a call and see if they can help you. Good luck!

Hi Rizwa, I guess there is no harm on calling the helpline and asking. Probably you get the standard answer that your application is within the published waiting time. But if it helps you feel better that at least you did something, I'll say go for it. Good luck.

No, I'm from Monee Valley. According to their website the last ceremony for 2019 was last week. So I guess I'll wait until Australia day.

Congratulations! I think you are from Moreland right? anyway, there is a very active whirlpool forum and they've just created a list of people waiting for ceremony by council Moreland Council Mikhel Approval:22 August 2019 Ceremony waiting Mikhel's partner Approval:28 August 2019 Ceremony waiting kokodajs Approved Sept10th, ceremony waiting Link to the list https://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/ceremony_backlog and the thread in case you want to have a look https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/thread/9w0vkxm3?p=1207 Cheers, the wait is almost over!

Hi Rvee, congratulations on passing the test! The interview and test are just part of the assessment process, not necessarily the last steps on the process. Usually after the interview case officers request a police clearance from the Australian Federal Police (they do that, you don't need to do anything). Maybe in your case they are just waiting for that. Hopefully the application gets approved soon! cheers.

Hi, yes you apply after the baby is born and you have the birth certificate. But that certificate I think is only needed for the passport. So you don't need to rush, unless you are planning to get a passport for your son. Things like medicare and so on can be done with the birth certificate.

Hi KazBaker, Yes children born to PR parents are citizens. I know this firsthand, my daughter was born after I got PR. She already has her citizenship certificate and passport. Info here https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/certificate/get-a-certificate#Eligibility The application process is very easy and quick. I got the certificate within a couple of days. With that you can then apply for a passport if that is what you need. The question is if you need to update your citizenship application after your son is born? Maybe call the department and check this with them. Cheers.

Hi it seems to be possible to submit an application without a birth certificate. Taken from immi website: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/become-a-citizen/permanent-resident#HowTo Evidence of date of birth and any changes of name Provide a full birth certificate that shows your parents' names. If you cannot give us a birth certificate, provide a family or household registration document or any other collection of documents issued to you prior to your arrival in Australia that collectively confirm your identity from birth Documents showing evidence of a change of name include: an official (non-commemorative) marriage or divorce certificate change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority other official documents that show links between names you have been known by

And Moonee Valley is taking 60 per ceremony... this is going to be a long wait...

Guess what!!! I received the ceremony invite e-mail for the 2-Oct. So if you have not got the invite for this one, you will definitely be in for the 23rd Oct. Here is the final timeline. My Timeline (Applied with my child) Online application applied/ received – 1/05/19 Council – Greater Dandenong, VIC Email received 23/07/2019 with date for citizenship test for Late Jan2020 Date of the Citizenship Test – 08/08/2019 Date of approval – 08/08/2019 (same day) Citizenship approval letter received -16/08/2019 Ceremony invite e-mail – 13/09/2019 Ceremony: 02/10/2019 5 Months from start to Finish!! Thank Lord. Super excited!!!

Great! it will be test day in no time! Good luck now holding back and not trying to reschedule it for a week earlier haha.

Hi Cashman, both of you had the same case officer for the interview? My situation is not exactly the same as you, but my wife and I applied exactly at the same time received interview invitations on the same day and passed the test and interview also on the same day, we had different interviewers. I got approved the morning after the test, my wife's application is still received. It has been a week now...

To be honest you should be fine with the booklet and the YouTube videos. I had the same experience, downloaded an app and realised that it had mistakes. The videos are good as they have exactly what you need to know. The booklet has a lot of additional information.

Yes I was thinking the same. Dates and timelines are all over the place. I got the email on 2 August for 7 February 2020. I was able to reschedule it for 28 August. Now waiting for the ceremony. According to Moonee Valley's website there's only two left in 2019, 17 Sept and 23 Oct. I can only hope I guess hahaha

Hi millski88. Great that you got your interview invitation! There is absolutely no problem with how many times you reschedule, I moved mine three or four times. Initial date was Feb 2020 so moved it month by month and then one last time so my wife and I had the test on the same day. The case officer didn't even mention it, I don't think they care about that. Hope you can move your test sooner. Cheers!

Thanks! No email. I checked the immi account. I had a nice case officer for the interview and she told me that there is no email sent for the approval. She also mentioned that she just needed to run some checks and that if everything was ok she expected to be able to approve within a day or two. So I checked this morning!

Update on my application Applied - 06/2019 City/Council area - Mooney Valley, Vic Interview and test invitation received - 2/08/2019 Date of the Citizenship Test - 28/08/2019 (rescheduled from February 2020) Immi account approval - 29/08/2019 Anyone else from the same council here waiting for ceremony?

Hi Hex, welcome to the citizenship thread. There is a few of us here also coming from 457/186 visas. Citizenship applications are a lot simpler than visa applications (every case is different but I think in general terms they are). As you said all is done online. A good place to start is here https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/become-a-citizen/permanent-resident Hope that helps. Cheers.