canadianaussie Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I intend on moving back to the UK ASAP after spending a wonderful 2 months there last year. I'm able to apply for Australian citizenship in October so have decided so stick it out here until then. I would love to be back in England before Christmas. Is there any way I can apply in October, hop on a flight the next day, and then come back for a holiday/citizenship ceremony (which will likely be January/February given current timelines). And then apply for an Australian passport when back in the UK again. Any logistical problems with this plan? BTW I'm sure some will question my Australian 'commitment.' But I'm only 30 and who knows what will happen down the road; if I get a lottery win I'd love to spend 3 months here every year!! :smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianaussie Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 Bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortlepuss Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I thought there were restrictions on the amount of time needed to be in Oz before citizenship but I could be wrong..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I've seen people say on here that once you ha e your citizenship ie after you have your ceremony your visa gets cancelled and you have to exit Australia with your Australian Passport. Not sure what would happen if you tried to exit on another passport, whether some one has tried it I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungbean Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/tips/dual-nationals.html Passports and visas Leaving and entering Australia If you hold another country's passport, seek advice about how it should be used. Take your Australian passport and use it to depart from and return to Australia. An Australian citizen cannot be granted a visa for Australia. When entering Australia, all Australians, including those who hold dual nationality, must be able to prove that they are an Australian citizen. An Australian passport is conclusive evidence of a person's identity and citizenship and provides the holder with right of entry to Australia. An Australian citizen who arrives without an Australian passport may be delayed until their identity and claims to enter Australia have been checked. If a foreign passport holder claims to be an Australian citizen, immigration officers must confirm and verify this through official databases, which will cause delays. International airlines have an obligation to ensure that they only carry appropriately documented passengers to Australia. In the absence of an Australian passport, airlines are unable to verify a claim of Australian citizenship at the time of check-in and may refuse boarding. The airline may have to make inquiries with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in Australia seeking approval to carry the passenger, which takes time and may cause delays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianaussie Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 But if I come back for the ceremony I won't, at the time of entering Australia, be a citizen - still a permanent resident. So should still be ok to enter the country. If I leave immediately after on my British passport (with the intention of applying for an Australian passport when back i the UK) will this be ok? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianaussie Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 I've seen people say on here that once you ha e your citizenship ie after you have your ceremony your visa gets cancelled and you have to exit Australia with your Australian Passport. Not sure what would happen if you tried to exit on another passport, whether some one has tried it I don't know. Hmm that is a bit concerning. However, I guess an alternative is to do the ceremony, fast-track an Australian passport and have a small holiday here until it is approved? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 It will depend on the city or shire you would have the ceremony in but we found that we only got a confirmed date a couple of weeks beforehand (around 3 months after we passed the test/interview) so planning could be a problem and where would the invitation be sent to?? You are obviously aware you are making a declaration of commitment to Australia so you can't share your plans as your citizenship could be refused. (Not judging we did exactly the same but you need to be careful) You then must have an Australia passport to exit Australia - I have seen it said that they couldn't prevent a British citizen leaving but would you really want to chance it and lose your flight and be in the right mess? Australian passports are really fast and as you say you could fast-track it and get one in 5 days. You would need to have an address for it to be sent to though and I doubt a hotel would be acceptable - you need to provide proof of address, utility bills and that kind of thing. By the way when you apply, you then are invited for a test and interview and it is sometime after that you get your citizenship approved and then several months down the line you have the ceremony so you couldn't apply and leave the next day but you could leave once the test and interview are done. bear in mind though you need to tell them any travel plans. Personally I'd stick it out in Australia until it's all done and dusted, the UK isn't going anywhere - you could always come for a holiday sometime between October and Jan/Feb, keeping your main residence in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstone1975 Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 I agree with Lady Raincorn, having just gone through the whole process myself. Experience tells me that if you are applying in October you can safely expect not to get a ceremony before Australia day. most applications with appointments and approval for ceremony can take 2 months, they say the process can take up to 3. Your supposed to notify them when ever you leave the country, and each time you do they will put the application on hold. i believe this will also apply to when they will give you a ceremony date. Depending on which council you fall under depends on how many often they carry out the ceremony. back waters might only 2-3 times a year. likes of Brisbane i hear can be nearly 1 every 1-2 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 I agree with Lady Raincorn, having just gone through the whole process myself.Experience tells me that if you are applying in October you can safely expect not to get a ceremony before Australia day. most applications with appointments and approval for ceremony can take 2 months, they say the process can take up to 3. Your supposed to notify them when ever you leave the country, and each time you do they will put the application on hold. i believe this will also apply to when they will give you a ceremony date. Depending on which council you fall under depends on how many often they carry out the ceremony. back waters might only 2-3 times a year. likes of Brisbane i hear can be nearly 1 every 1-2 months. They dont put your application on hold if you leave the country, we went back to the UK for a two week holiday after our test and before our ceremony it was not delayed at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianaussie Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 Ok thanks for the help. I currently live with a friend in Sydney so would maintain this as my 'permanent' address. Maybe I'll plan for an xmas UK holiday instead and plan to come back early January for a month or 2. I guess it will give me time to get some logistics sorted in the UK before making the permanent move. Sigh. Patience is indeed a virtue. I almost didn't come back from the UK but whats another year in the grand scheme of things?! BTW has anybody regretted getting citizenship? I feel like my mind is made regarding long term plans (UK for the win); however I don't want to get 20 yrs down the road and have missed out on the chance to live in Australia again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstone1975 Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 I can only go by what immigration and the council both old me, because I as desperate to get a ceremony date, if they don't delay well that would be a bonous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozmaniac Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 I intend on moving back to the UK ASAP after spending a wonderful 2 months there last year. I'm able to apply for Australian citizenship in October so have decided so stick it out here until then. I would love to be back in England before Christmas. Is there any way I can apply in October, hop on a flight the next day, and then come back for a holiday/citizenship ceremony (which will likely be January/February given current timelines). And then apply for an Australian passport when back in the UK again. Any logistical problems with this plan?BTW I'm sure some will question my Australian 'commitment.' But I'm only 30 and who knows what will happen down the road; if I get a lottery win I'd love to spend 3 months here every year!! :smile: But if I come back for the ceremony I won't, at the time of entering Australia, be a citizen - still a permanent resident. So should still be ok to enter the country. If I leave immediately after on my British passport (with the intention of applying for an Australian passport when back i the UK) will this be ok? Don't forget that after you apply for citizenship, you must then have an interview and do the citizenship test before citizenship is granted so it could take a month or more before you get to the stage where you've just waiting for your ceremony. Ceremonies are arranged and held by local councils and your invitation is sent by snail mail (not email). That may be only 2 or 3 weeks before the actual date (and I've heard of shorter notice) so you would need to have someone reliable to open your letter and contact you and you could then need to make a rush trip back to Australia. If you stay in Australia until after the ceremony, you can apply for an expedited passport which could take as little as 3 days if you arrange to collect it from the passport office - you can collect from the passport office if you have evidence that you will be travelling in the very near future. Alternatively, you can leave Australia on your British passport and apply for your passport in the UK. You're not supposed to leave on anything other than an Australian passport but you definitely won't have any trouble or delay at the airport if you do so. My daughter did that recently and nobody even noticed and there were no repercussions afterwards either. You must however have an Australian passport before you return to Australia. The airlines won't carry anyone without an Australian or NZ passport or an Australian visa and the only Australian visa a citizen can get is an Australian Declaratory Visa (ADV) and an adult needs a real emergency to be able to get one of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianaussie Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 Ah, didn't realise there was a test (!) and it was at a different time to the ceremony. Still, if I apply mid October when I'm able to hopefully I'll get to do the test by mid November, make it home for xmas and then plan to come back for the ceremony in January/February. Then I think it'll be safest just to hang around and get an expedited Aussie passport before departing again - from what I can gather it'll only be a week or two. Only problem is booking flights for the ceremony; they will be expensive at that time, especially short notice, then but I'll bite the bullet on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Ah, didn't realise there was a test (!) and it was at a different time to the ceremony. Still, if I apply mid October when I'm able to hopefully I'll get to do the test by mid November, make it home for xmas and then plan to come back for the ceremony in January/February. Then I think it'll be safest just to hang around and get an expedited Aussie passport before departing again - from what I can gather it'll only be a week or two. Only problem is booking flights for the ceremony; they will be expensive at that time, especially short notice, then but I'll bite the bullet on that. We did the test the same day as the interview which was precisely 30 days after applying online. Then the ceremony was 10 weeks later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huggy75 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 For a guide on timelines, I am currently doing the same thing - we applied last October, got test/interview in December and have been given a tentative date of 30th April for the ceremony but we still can't make firm plans until we get the actual letter. We will then apply for the passports the day after the ceremony on the 5 day application and then book flights last minute, luckily shipping company only need two weeks notice too. As someone else said, the UK isn't going anywhere and if you plan to spend the rest of your life there then there's no real rush, better to do things properly than face problems later on xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseBrown1972 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I applied 23rd November, test/interview was 2 weeks later, immediately we had a 2 week holiday booked, 2 weeks back and then another 2 weeks away, application was approved 15th December for, 5th Jan for the hubby and test date is 13th April. That's in perth, we can still travel in and out until then, after that we need to get the passport but as people have said it can be rush through I too was unsure, but it takes the time pressure of an expiring visa away, gives us time to see if we're happy being back and gives us options in the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegleg Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Still, if I apply mid October when I'm able to hopefully I'll get to do the test by mid November, make it home for xmas and then plan to come back for the ceremony in January/February. The sequence is application -> interview and test -> approval -> citizenship ceremony. From what I've read approval is often granted straight after the test, however in my case it was a full month after the test was completed. You shouldn't leave the country during that time or they will wait until you're back to approve you (I went on holiday to NZ for two weeks after the test and they didn't approve until I arrived back in Oz). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.