Randall

Had my ceremony this morning. 

Lodged: 2/11/20

Test: 10/3/21

Approved: 21/4/21

Ceremony: 15/10/21

Darwin City Council

1 hour ago, username303 said:

Hi everyone, upon lodging my application, I've realised that I've made a small error (put the wrong state name in one of the previous addresses). What is the process for making amendments to the citizenship application? Thanks.

Complete and upload form 1023 to your immiaccount. 

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/form-listing/forms/1023.pdf

2 minutes ago, username303 said:

Since lodging my application in June 2021, my immi account shows the status of the application as Received. When it moves to the next stage, will it get updated to something else? How do they normally notify the applicant of such things?

Status will remain as “Received”until you’ve taken the citizenship test and your application has been approved.

Status will changed to “Approved” on the day you sit the test given you do the test in a DHA office. Applications processed through centrelink centres may take up two 8 weeks for approval. Centrelink tests are more common in regional Australia or in areas DHA is not present.

Be patient. It’s gonna take a while. 

1 minute ago, Kumar said:

Hi guys, hope your are all safe need a suggestion please 

citizenship lodgement- 18/03/21, Brisbane 

1-my overseas passport is going to expire on 10/08/21 so I have submitted for a passport renewal and gonna take nearly a month, just wondering if I get a call for the interview mean time do I need to postpone the test or attend the interview with my drivers license.

2- changed my profession do I need to update this as well?

any ideas much appropriated 

thanks 

 

 

1 - Take the old passport and your current driver’s license. If you get a new passport before interview date, bring both new and old. They’ll want to see the same document as the one in their records  

2- Your new job is irrelevant for DHA at this point. No need to update anything. 

Cheers. 

7 minutes ago, ZULU2000 said:

Hello everyoneTest is next week 28/7 so anxious I have been practicing the test on Immi reading the bond booklet.

Do the questions we practice on Immi same as we get on the day?

Also do we take all documents we used in application

Thnx everyone

 

These are the documents they request:

The questions in the test are very similar, in some cases they just rephrase the questions. The Australian values questions are common sense, really. If you've lived in Australia long enough, you know what it means to have free speech, respect the differences etc etc...

Good luck, mate!

3 hours ago, Ding said:

Dose anyone have any idea about how long the integrity & security checking will take? DHA told me that due to my offshore more than 3 month, the previous check has been expired, and they are processing it again. Just want to have a time estimate how long I have to wait for my approval. Thanks. 

Hard to tell. I guess you'd better wait the 8 weeks timeframe they normally take to approve applications. The fact that they gave you this information means that they are aware you're back onshore and are definitely working on it. At least that...

Hang in there!

1 hour ago, username303 said:

Hi everyone, I've made my application last month. The Application Status in my IMMI account is currently Received. Does it normally change to something else when it progresses to the next step? Is that the only way to track the progress, or do we get email notification as well?

Thanks!

It'll remain unchanged until after your application is approved, which will only happen after you've taken the citizenship interview and test. You'll likely to be invited in the next couple of months — you'll receive an email with the date, time and location of your test. Only then your application status will change to 'Approved'. 

After you've attended the Citizenship Ceremony, it'll change to 'Finalised'.

Update:

PR: 26/10/19 (RSMS187)
Citizenship Application: 02/11/20
Test: 10/03/21, Centrelink Darwin
Ceremony Invitation: 14/07/21
Ceremony: 27/09/21

City of Darwin Council. 

5 minutes ago, CaptainR said:

I'm one of those 'centrelink' tested people, had my test not the 3rd June and still not approved, hopefully it'll be sorted at the 8 week mark. 

Me too. I had to wait 7 weeks, my partner waited 8 weeks. 

@Chelsearoxanna Have you done your ceremony yet? I think you had a date for when the lockdown happened, no? 

3 hours ago, Ding said:

I have a question, during the time between test and approval, what kind of checking is on-going? National security, integrity checking? I've seen bunch of guys got approval on the same day of test, but someone have to wait for 1-2 month to get approval. Don't know what's the difference behind the scene. 

Yeap. That’s it. ID and Security checks. For some countries it’s  quicker to do that, for other a bit slower. Plus, whether you did your test at Home Affairs or Centrelink also makes a difference; the latter takes up to 8 weeks. 

10 hours ago, RoEire said:

I have read here (but don’t have personal experience of it) that seems to suggest it does take that bit longer to go from test to approval if it’s at a centrelink rather than an immigration office. Can’t point to anywhere official it says that, but I’ve seen it come up anecdotally here. Fingers crossed it comes through for you soon!

Hi RoEire, 

The Australian National Audit Office conducted inquiries into the ID Verification process (which is the approval stage) of Citizenship Applications in 2015. It does outline a longer process for tests conducted at Centrelinks as it relies on a different method to enter and communicate data. It should take up to 8 weeks, but delays are another thing that have been pointed out in the report. 

https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/verifying-identity-citizenship-program 

3 minutes ago, aka2 said:

good evening,

I am preparing documents to lodge my citizenship application soon.

I started completing the application and have a question in regards of "list of previous Citizenships" part:

I was born in U.S.S.R. but in 1991 Ukraine got its independence and I become Ukrainian citizen. U.S.S.R. has ceased to exist some time then. There is no drop-down option to choose U.S.S.R... but I was a USSR citizen by birth, that is what I put in my 80 form when applying for a previous visa (I was able to type in the form then). I am thinking of putting Ukraine twice in that form and explain the same in the comment section.

I would appreciate any advice,

Yes, that’s what I would do. Choose Ukraine and leave a note in the comments section with the question number. 

2 minutes ago, Zare said:

Thanks.

Do you have any idea were your friends asked to bring original police clearance at the time of interview?

If they’re overseas certificates and they’re issued online, then it just print them and bring a NAATI-certified translation 

1 minute ago, Ding said:

Questions:

1. Which country does provide online police certificate?

2. Today? Do you mean some COs of DHA are still working on Saturday?

1. Just as some trivia, Brazil issues both Federal and State police clearances online and they are issued instantly. 

2. I have friends who received communication from DHA over the weekend regarding ceremony and interview. 

7 minutes ago, Zare said:

I have my citizenship test on Wednesday. I have submitted my police clearance certificate online. I dont have original hardcopy of that certificate since it was sent to me online. Today I  received an email from department saying you need to bring original police clearance. Will taking a print out of that be enough?

Since you don’t have it, I guess you’ll have to bring the printed copy. I’d go to the interview knowing that you might have to rescheduled it and asked to return with the original one.

In any case, I find it funny that they’re requesting you to bring the clearance when Home Affairs will do all the identity, background and police checks necessary after the interview but before approval .

Let us know how it goes. 

On 21/06/2021 at 11:13, mukesh665544 said:

Hi guys

I had my test on 9th June passed with 100 percent. My application hasn’t been approved yet. In the interview case officer said they have applied my police clearance and he can only approve my application after receiving police clearance. Anyone gone through the same situation. How long it normally takes? Thanks

It can take up to 8 weeks before you’re approved. 

16 minutes ago, alan.chan4411 said:

Application date: 25/07/2020

Invitation to test: 9/03/2021

Test date: 30/04/2021 Launceston

Approval: Awaiting

Ceremony: Awaiting

It has been nearly two months now since I took the test. I read from some others and they got the approval on the same date as the test. I have been waiting for nearly two months now and my application status on the Immi Account is still "Received". My application is for the Citizenship by Conferral. Is it normal?

Normal. Wait until it’s been 8 full weeks and give DoHA a ring and ask what’s the hold up. I wouldn’t stress too much about it, though. Depending on the area you’re applying (i.e. regional, whether or not there’s a Home Affairs office at your location or if centrelink is conducting tests), that might delay approval. 

My grandma used to say bad news travels fast. If it’s been almost 8 weeks, immi would’ve contacted you there’d been any problem. Hang in there, buddy. 

3 hours ago, Lin2020 said:

Hello everyone - 

Would appreciate some guidance on the test. Please see my questions below.

1. How long does it take to prepare for the test?

2. I will learn the anthem before the ceremony. Do we need to memorise the anthem for the test?

3. Are the sample questions given at the end of the booklet representative? Are there any other reliable practice tests available online?

Thank you

1. Start preparing now, read the “Our Common Bond” booklet.  https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship-subsite/files/our-common-bond-testable.pdf

2. The anthem is irrelevant. You won’t need it neither for the interview or the ceremony. No need to memorize it. 
 

3. Do the DoHA test on their website. The questions are very similar. The values questions are common sense, really. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/test-and-interview/prepare-for-test/practice-test-new

3 minutes ago, mukesh665544 said:

Hi guys when the application status changes from Received to Approved how do they notify up. Will I get an email or only via immi account?

No email. You’ve got to check immi account daily. 

35 minutes ago, Canada2Australia said:

Yeah, I had my test a week and a half ago, passed with flying colours, and my status is still on 'received'. IMO, there is no reason why I wasn't approved that day or within 24 hours of writing the test.

Wait time for the ceremony? That I understand.

This? That's pretty weak and demonstrate a flaw in the most basic aspects of the Citizenship process.

Don’t take it personally. Lots of people I know and myself included had to wait 8 weeks for approval. No apparent reason for the wait either. If you did your test through a centrelink rather than Home Affairs, that also delays approval as the whole process is done differently. The approval bit has to do with ID verification.

Read this https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/verifying-identity-citizenship-program

31 minutes ago, mukesh665544 said:

Hi guys one of my friend in Adelaide (Charles Sturt Counsil) applied with his family of 4 on 15th of April 21 and already got test date and interview last week. I applied on 21st but haven’t heard anything yet. Is there an email to contact the department, Thanks

Call Home Affairs, but I think it’s a waste of everybody’s time. You’re still within the waiting time, so they’ll just tell you to wait. 

4 minutes ago, Chelsearoxanna said:

Randall have you had any luck with an invite to ceremony yet? 
 

I did call them up and ask for one which could be why I got one so quickly. 

Still waiting. What did you tell them? Did you have to give any compelling reason to get an invitation? When is your date? 

3 minutes ago, Diemlinh said:

Hello guys,

i’m having the test this Saturday. But i’m confused with my driver license now since i went to the bank and the staff there said my name on the license is wrong as it doesn’t have my middle name in there. I’ve been using it for years with no problems.

does anyone knows if the Victoria license will show middle name or not?

my name is 4 words ( 3 words middle name and 1 word surname) and the license only shows first name (1 words) and sure name. All of my other documents such as bank statements, passport, visa, etc are show all 4 words name

 

thank you

The invitation letter is clear: bring any documents you believe will help prove your identity. You don’t have to show your drivers license, your passport will do. Bring both, along with your birth certificate and if they ask, you just tell what happened. You won’t be the first nor the last person who this has happened to. 

5 hours ago, AM19 said:

Hello Everyone!

I was wondering if changing my address could impact my ceremony dates?

I live in Cumberland council NSW and is planning to move either to Parramatta or The Hills Shire Council - Below is my timeline:

• Citizenship Application: May'2020
• Interview/Test: Jan'2021 (Parramatta)
• Approved: Jan'2021 (Same Day)
• Ceremony invite: TBA 

Will my ceremony be delayed since I would be changing my residential address - It will be 6 moths in couple of weeks for my approval.

Your feedback will be highly appreciated!

 

Naturally. Each council has different ceremony dates and waiting lists. You can’t jump from a queue to another one and expected to be at the same place in it. 

2 minutes ago, Lin2020 said:

Hi-

We applied last july for citizenship and have now received interview and test date in July 2021. I started a new job in March. Do I need to go and upload anything on my immiaccount application page? Should I just upload a short letter and employment contract? Or is there any other form or process I need to use?

Thank you so much

 

 

Your new job is irrelevant. No need to upload anything.