Citizenship query

[Tanner76]

Hi,

 

I read somewhere this morning that to gain citizenship you nee dto have 3 years living in Austrlia and one year on PR.

 

Can anyone tell me if you have to be continuously living in Oz for those four years?

 

The reason I ask is that I lived in Oz for six years on a 457 visa. I am now moving back with my family with PR.

 

Can I take those six years into account or am I effectively starting the clock again?

 

Thanks,

 

Jamie

[blossom]

There is a max time you can have been out of the country. I can't remember without looking it up how long is was.

[lebourvellec]

Citizenship qualifying period is the 4 years immediately before applying, but I believe you need to have held continuous visas with in that time.

 

4 years in Australia with absesences no more than 12 months

and

PR in 12 months before applying with absences no more than 90 days.

[Tanner76]

Ah, I've been out of the country for six years now. I guess that would be too long. Worth a try anyway

[lebourvellec]

If you already hold a PR visa, and it's been validated more than a year ago, if you spend 3 years continuously in Australia you will be eligible for citizenship at 3 years, as you can use the 12 months allowed out of Australia at the start of your qualifying period.

[Tanner76]

By the time we get to Oz in November, the visa would have been validated 18-19 months ago (May 2013).

[lebourvellec]

Well it will be possible in 3 years, any time spend out of Australia will move the date eligible by how long you have spent out of Australia as long as no more than 90 days in last 12 months.

 

So returning on 1 November 2014 - should be eligible 1 nov 2017, but if have left Australia for 2 weeks in that 3 years would qualify 14 nov 2017. And so on.

[Tanner76]

Great, thanks for the feedback. Very helpful.