AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP TIMELINES 2020-2021

[Todaynottomorrow]

5 minutes ago, Todaynottomorrow said:

On 31/01/2022 at 19:08, margin_call said:

Application submitted    - 14 May 2021
Australian citizenship Interview With Standard Test invitation received - 24 December 2021
Australian citizenship test - 24 January 2022

Council - Strathfield Council
Citizenship test Location - City of Sydney

I'd scored 100% on the day and passed the test. However, the application status in Immiaccount still shows as "received"

Is there anyone in the same boat?

Same here.

Application July 2021

interview and test in Sydney CBD 20 January 2022- passed 100% and Immiaccount still shows "received".

I didn't receive any email yet.

 

[Success21]

Is there anyone here from Brisbane City Council received ceremony invite for 28 February 2022?

What's your application and approval date?

 My application approved in March 2021 and still did not receive ceremony invite yet

Edited February 1, 2022 by Success21

[Bradley1986]

I am coming up to my 12 month application anniversary for Melbourne (Feb 23rd) does anyone have an idea of where they're at from a processing time perspective. My application is still at 'received'

[MLB_Applicant]

1 hour ago, Bradley1986 said:

I am coming up to my 12 month application anniversary for Melbourne (Feb 23rd) does anyone have an idea of where they're at from a processing time perspective. My application is still at 'received'

Currently, DOHA is processing Nov 2020 applications for Melbourne as per other expat sites. Hopefully, you will get test invitation by end of March 2022.

[citseeker]

1 minute ago, MLB_Applicant said:

Currently, DOHA is processing Nov 2020 applications for Melbourne as per other expat sites. Hopefully, you will get test invitation by end of March 2022.

Could you please share links to other expat sites discussing citizenship? I hardly get any SA related news here

[mansbrofessor]

7 hours ago, MLB_Applicant said:

Currently, DOHA is processing Nov 2020 applications for Melbourne as per other expat sites. Hopefully, you will get test invitation by end of March 2022.

Thanks for the update.

It seems absolutely crazy that Victoria has such a massive backlog of applications to be processed. Does anyone know if they are planning to expedite application processing, so we are more aligned with the rest of Australia. The current ETAs are absolutely deplorable. 

[APR]

On 19/01/2022 at 18:41, AlmostOZ said:

Hi all,

Anyone waiting for Australian Citizenship pledge in Toowoomba?
I got the approval in Aug 2021. Does anyone know what is the wait period like?

Regards,

Hi AlmostOZ I am from Toowoomba got approval in September 2021  . When I spoke to council they said they were doing for people approved from June to august.  May be we may get in next ceremony . 

[Mixology]

On 02/02/2022 at 11:09, citseeker said:

Could you please share links to other expat sites discussing citizenship? I hardly get any SA related news here

Search for my immi tracker, Australian citizenship. 

[Kalem]

Hi All,

I have a couple of questions if someone could please help me with it. Would highly appreciate it.

I submitted my citizenship application on 18 august 2021 (Sydney, NSW). My current status shows received in immi account. 

1. Now can anybody give me an idea based on their experience about the timeline i should expect my test date call?

2. If i travel in this month or the next and come back in the end of following month? Would it affect my application? What steps are required of me in this case. 

 

Thanks you!

[Ultimatemenace]

Applied in Melbourne

Jan 27, 2021

Estimate timeframe went from 10 months to 15 months for 75% of submissions but 24 months for 90%. Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[MLB_Applicant]

41 minutes ago, Ultimatemenace said:

Applied in Melbourne

Jan 27, 2021

Estimate timeframe went from 10 months to 15 months for 75% of submissions but 24 months for 90%. Absolutely ridiculous.

 

The above timeframe is average time for entire Australia. The  Victoria processing timeframe is more than the average timeframe. I think around 50%( 75000 out of 145000 ) of applications are pending from Victoria ONLY.

[Kalem]

23 hours ago, Kalem said:

Hi All,

I have a couple of questions if someone could please help me with it. Would highly appreciate it.

I submitted my citizenship application on 18 august 2021 (Sydney, NSW). My current status shows received in immi account. 

1. Now can anybody give me an idea based on their experience about the timeline i should expect my test date call?

2. If i travel in this month or the next and come back in the end of following month? Would it affect my application? What steps are required of me in this case. 

 

Thanks you!

Can anyone help me please?

[AlmostOZ]

On 03/02/2022 at 10:02, APR said:

Hi AlmostOZ I am from Toowoomba got approval in September 2021  . When I spoke to council they said they were doing for people approved from June to august.  May be we may get in next ceremony . 

Hi @ARP, 

Thanks for responding.
I just got invitation for the citizenship ceremony couple of days ago. I am going in next couple of weeks.

Good Luck!!

[Athens07]

21 hours ago, Ultimatemenace said:

Applied in Melbourne

Jan 27, 2021

Estimate timeframe went from 10 months to 15 months for 75% of submissions but 24 months for 90%. Absolutely ridiculous.

 

It is ridiculous . I applied 19Nov 2020!!! My interview and test was on 28th of May 2021 and still waiting for approval!!! Ridiculous and unacceptable. 

[Athens07]

20 hours ago, MLB_Applicant said:

The above timeframe is average time for entire Australia. The  Victoria processing timeframe is more than the average timeframe. I think around 50%( 75000 out of 145000 ) of applications are pending from Victoria ONLY.

In South Australia  the same . Waiting already 14 months.

[VIC-WAIT-GAME (NO WAY HOME)]

I have been following this forum for more than a year now. You guys have been amazing. Your posts are very helpful.

Here is my timeline:

State: Victoria

Permanent Residence 16 March 2020 
Citizenship Application Submission 17 March 2021
Heard nothing since then.
Waiting on Test/Appointment
Waiting on Ceremony

13 to 24 months to process is pretty unfair I think. Specially when we see other states doing so well when it comes to processing citizenship applications. Victoria is the second largest state (population wise) after NSW. Yet, NSW is way  ahead of us. NSW has suffered lot more than any other state. Victoria was on the second. The processing times for applications have been pathetic. 

Patience is being tested big time as one can not plan anything. Have not seen family in years. But I am hopeful that I will hear something in the next couple of months from the department. Everyone out there, waiting, stay strong, stay connected. You all are super-awesome. Live the dream and stay blessed. Hope you guys hear from the department soon. 

[Sophia02]

On 01/02/2022 at 23:51, Todaynottomorrow said:

 

That may depend, have you received any email from the department saying you have now been approved? This email is usually signed by the current immi minister. Once this email has been sent it should show approved, in some cases it may take a few days to show though..

[citseeker]

2 minutes ago, Sophia02 said:

That may depend, have you received any email from the department saying you have now been approved? This email is usually signed by the current immi minister. Once this email has been sent it should show approved, in some cases it may take a few days to show though..

We never got an email saying approved.. only on our immi account did the status changed to approved and then a week later we got the approval letter by post

 

[Athens07]

1 hour ago, Sophia02 said:

That may depend, have you received any email from the department saying you have now been approved? This email is usually signed by the current immi minister. Once this email has been sent it should show approved, in some cases it may take a few days to show though..

You will never get an email for citizenship approval. You will only receive a letter via post office and also your account status will be changed to approved.

[Athens07]

5 hours ago, VIC-WAIT-GAME (NO WAY HOME) said:

I have been following this forum for more than a year now. You guys have been amazing. Your posts are very helpful.

Here is my timeline:

State: Victoria

Permanent Residence 16 March 2020 
Citizenship Application Submission 17 March 2021
Heard nothing since then.
Waiting on Test/Appointment
Waiting on Ceremony

13 to 24 months to process is pretty unfair I think. Specially when we see other states doing so well when it comes to processing citizenship applications. Victoria is the second largest state (population wise) after NSW. Yet, NSW is way  ahead of us. NSW has suffered lot more than any other state. Victoria was on the second. The processing times for applications have been pathetic. 

Patience is being tested big time as one can not plan anything. Have not seen family in years. But I am hopeful that I will hear something in the next couple of months from the department. Everyone out there, waiting, stay strong, stay connected. You all are super-awesome. Live the dream and stay blessed. Hope you guys hear from the department soon. 

Fingers crossed! I’m in the same boat and I can feel your concerns. By the way is ridiculous that covid situation has been used for delays ! Especially when they’re working from home. Except if at home they doing anything else except working. I’m waiting 9 months after my interview/test day for approval. 15 months in total after my application lodgement. And it is stressful. Especially when I faced that with my permanent visa approval in past waiting for 4,5 years .  

[Athens07]

1 hour ago, citseeker said:

We never got an email saying approved.. only on our immi account did the status changed to approved and then a week later we got the approval letter by post

 

Exactly 

[Athens07]

22 hours ago, AlmostOZ said:

Hi @ARP, 

Thanks for responding.
I just got invitation for the citizenship ceremony couple of days ago. I am going in next couple of weeks.

Good Luck!!

Congratulations 🥳 

[Athens07]

On 02/02/2022 at 10:39, citseeker said:

Could you please share links to other expat sites discussing citizenship? I hardly get any SA related news here

SA department of DHA doing exactly nothing . Anyway….

[Waiting_in_vic]

15 hours ago, VIC-WAIT-GAME (NO WAY HOME) said:

13 to 24 months to process is pretty unfair I think. Specially when we see other states doing so well when it comes to processing citizenship applications. Victoria is the second largest state (population wise) after NSW. Yet, NSW is way  ahead of us. NSW has suffered lot more than any other state. Victoria was on the second. The processing times for applications have been pathetic. 

Patience is being tested big time as one can not plan anything. Have not seen family in years. But I am hopeful that I will hear something in the next couple of months from the department. Everyone out there, waiting, stay strong, stay connected. You all are super-awesome. Live the dream and stay blessed. Hope you guys hear from the department soon. 

Not really, Vic got smashed all through 2020 and most of 2021, NSW was largely unaffected until late 2021. Remember Melbourne was the most locked down city in the world throughout the whole pandemic, I’m not surprised we’re miles behind in Vic tbh.

It’s a pita I agree, but in terms of planning and seeing family etc., my recommendation is just live your life as you would and put the citizenship stuff to the back of your mind, it’ll happen eventually. I’ve just been travelling in and out of Australia as I would have anyway, if you’re offshore when you reach the front it’ll just wait until you’re back, you don’t go to the back of the queue. It’s more of a formality than anything else anyway, the only real difference is that we can (have to) vote once we’re citizens (not quite the only difference, but PR is no hardship really, when you consider how many people on temp visas etc have had their lives on hold for years now, and still have).

Ok, so having to renew my RRV to renew my travel facility was an annoyance, but never mind .

Edited February 5, 2022 by Waiting_in_vic

[citseeker]

I personally think

2 minutes ago, Waiting_in_vic said:

Not really, Vic got smashed all through 2020 and most of 2021, NSW was largely unaffected until late 2021. Remember Melbourne was the most locked down city in the world throughout the whole pandemic, I’m not surprised we’re miles behind in Vic tbh.

I personally think that COVID is a really weak excuse for this...

You apply online.. your documents are submitted online, the case officers work online...your approval is done online..even your ceremony is done online... Last I checked, COVID cannot transmit through the internet...

 

The only thing you need to be present for is the interview and the test which if processed for 100 people a day ( not a big deal if you have 5 case officers assigned to this)... And you work for 250 days a year.. that's 25000 people every year so over 2 years would be 50k people.. the number of applicants we see online of 145k would most probably include children as well.. who don't need an interview... Let's say 40k of those are children..that means 100k applications across AU.. and maybe around 30k of whom are in VIC..

 

Anyways, this is just my theory and I am sure there are many factors involved.. however the govt should explain what exactly is taking so long... People have left behind a lot to reach here and deserve the respect to know why do they have to wait for so long.