Has anyone had their citizenship ceremony overseas?

[britinoz4]

Hi folks,

Got my test booked in for next month in Melbourne but was originally planning on moving back to the UK way before now and taking both the test and doing the ceremony from the UK (a visa lawyer informed us that this can be done). Then COVID happened. 

Has anyone here taken their test in Australia but then had their ceremony in another country? Or both the test and ceremony? 

There are family reasons for making the move but I'm trying to work out how possible this now is given travel bans and general COVID impact. 

Thanks

[Marisawright]

I believe it is possible to have your ceremony overseas, but only in special cases, and I have no idea what constitutes a special case.   I believe that if you're overseas, you have to prove your intention to make Australia your permanent home (an "intention to reside" application).  I don't know how high they set the bar.

The whole point of the strict overseas rules is that Australia got fed up of people getting citizenship just so they could bugger off back to their home country, but keep Australia in their back pocket just in case.  The practice had become too widespread, especially among Asian and Middle Eastern migrants.  So they have made it difficult for people who aren't in the country.