Question about Residency Requirement for Citizenship

[oppyddrum]

I was just wondering what happens if one has been out of the country for more than 90 days in the last 12 months before intending to apply for citizenship...

Do you just wait another 90 days in australia or does the 12 months start again from after the 90 days away?

 

i hope that was clear enough.

 

Thanks in advance guys.

[VERYSTORMY]

Officially, it starts again. But, I have been granted and have been out of the country a lot more than 90 days.

[Guest GeorgeD]

I was just wondering what happens if one has been out of the country for more than 90 days in the last 12 months before intending to apply for citizenship...

Do you just wait another 90 days in australia or does the 12 months start again from after the 90 days away?

 

i hope that was clear enough.

 

Thanks in advance guys.

 

No it wasn't clear!

 

And I think the answer to both questions is no.

 

You're thinking too hard about it. You need to look at the 12 months immediately prior to the day you apply for Citizenship. As time goes for ward each day, look back at those 12 months...so the day 12 months and 1 day ago drops off...

 

For example

 

Today is the 31st december (it's not, but say it is!) DIAC look at where you have been for the 12 months prior to this. Imagine you spent Christmas and New year last year overseas and some other trips to add up to 95 days out of Australia. You were overseas from 1st-10th Jan, plus 85 other days to make 95. On the 31st December you are not eligible as you have been out of Oz for 95 days of the previous 12 months. On the 6th of January you have been out of Australia for 89 days of the last 12 months, so you are eligible on that day. I hope that makes sense!

 

Don't look on it as a 90 day block. It is a cumulative total, so if you aren't eligible, you need to look back 12 months earlier and see where you were at that point. You won't be eligible until some time out of Australia moves to more than 12 months ago.

 

Another example. It is the 31st December again and you you have arrived in Oz today, having left in late September. You were out of Oz for 100 days in total. This is the only time you have spent out of Oz in the last 12 months. You aren't eligible until some point the following October...because that's when yout time overseas will be more than 12 months old.

 

Another way to look at it is...Today, have I spent more or less than 90 days out of Oz? More? OK, what about tomorrow? Still more, OK, what about the next day....etc.

[Rupert]

I was just wondering what happens if one has been out of the country for more than 90 days in the last 12 months before intending to apply for citizenship...

Do you just wait another 90 days in australia or does the 12 months start again from after the 90 days away?

 

i hope that was clear enough.

 

Thanks in advance guys.

 

You would have to wait until such a time as when you can look back and say in the last 12 months, I have not been out if the country for more than 90 days.

[oppyddrum]

thanks guys for the quick responses, got it now.

 

i thought that might be the case but i had to get confirmation from those who might know better.

 

Again, thanks guys!