Citizenship question.

[Guest deepakramanath]

Dear Fellows,

 

I would be shorly completing number of years to be qualified for applying for Australian Citizenship and I was looking into DIAC website about the residency requirements. There is something littitle concerning for me. On the website it states:

 

https://www.ecom.immi.gov.au/citz/startIntervalCalc.do

 

If any of the following applied to you in the past 4 years, please telephone our service centre on 131 880 during business hours to discuss your circumstances.

 

• You obtained an e-visa to replace an expired RRV
• You obtained a bridging visa of any type
  
• You lodged an onshore application for a permanent visa then travelled overseas on your temporary visa
  
• You are a New Zealand citizen on a Special Category Visa (SCV)
  
  

 

Before getting my Permanent Residency, I was on a Bridging VISA. Has any one here applied for citizenship while previously having obtained bridging VISAs? or any information regarding this will be highly appreciated. As I do not get any further information on this particular aspect anywhere on the web.

 

With Thanks,

Deepak

[RockDr]

maybe if you provide us with approximate dates of which visas you've been on in the last 4yrs, people will be able to advise.

[Guest deepakramanath]

July 2006 - Sept 2009 : Student VISA

Sept 2009 - Oct 2009 : Bridging VISA (applied for student visa extension)

Oct 2009 - March 2011 : Student VISA

March 2011 - Aug 2011 : Bridging VISA (applied for student visa extension + Permanent Residency)

Aug 2011 - current : Permanent residency

 

Total years residing in Australia until Aug 2012 would be 6 years

[RockDr]

My interpretation of the rules on the link you posted:

you need 4 years of lawful residence in Australia. It does not say continuous lawful residence, and this is the crucial bit (even excluding the time spent on bridging visas which I don't think count as "lawful", you have more than 4yrs total). You'll have the one year PR by the time you apply.

 

Provided you satisfy the second section about absences from australia in the last four years, it sounds like you'd be ok.

 

So key things you need to double check:

1) do bridging visas count as "lawful residence"?

2) does the four years lawful residence have to be continuous?

 

Hopefully one of the migration agents can confirm this for you.

[Guest deepakramanath]

My interpretation of the rules on the link you posted:

you need 4 years of lawful residence in Australia. It does not say continuous lawful residence, and this is the crucial bit (even excluding the time spent on bridging visas which I don't think count as "lawful", you have more than 4yrs total). You'll have the one year PR by the time you apply.

 

Provided you satisfy the second section about absences from australia in the last four years, it sounds like you'd be ok.

 

So key things you need to double check:

1) do bridging visas count as "lawful residence"?

2) does the four years lawful residence have to be continuous?

 

Hopefully one of the migration agents can confirm this for you.

 

Thanks for your clarifications. My feeling is that bridging visa is a visa given to be lawfully residing in the country while your other visa is being processed, else you would be unlawful. But I will check should it be 4 years contineous, but don't think so.

[pradiprn]

Thanks for your clarifications. My feeling is that bridging visa is a visa given to be lawfully residing in the country while your other visa is being processed, else you would be unlawful. But I will check should it be 4 years contineous, but don't think so.

 

 

Also please note that you need to have stayed atleast one year out of the four years as a Permanent Resident. This means that all other things being allright you can apply for citizenship only after August 2012

[sub7er]

@deeepakramanath...hi buddy the bridging visa A granted prior to PR is considered in the citizenship requirement of lawful residence, you can check the link here and read for your own satisfaction: http://www.australianmigrations.com/visa_citizenship_rrt.htm , and if it helps i read it on this forum previously some guy who lawfully resided in austtralia for 4 yrs..with 2 yrs on bridging visa prior to his gsm pr visa was succesfully granted citizenship..soo i think u shud be okay!