Australian passport

[Mrs T]

I obtained Australian citizenship through descent in July 2021 and haven’t yet applied for an Australian passport.  I don’t need one for the time being but wondered is there a cut off for applying or can I wait for an indefinite period.

[Nemesis]

4 hours ago, Mrs T said:

I obtained Australian citizenship through descent in July 2021 and haven’t yet applied for an Australian passport.  I don’t need one for the time being but wondered is there a cut off for applying or can I wait for an indefinite period.

If you don't intend to ever leave/enter Australia, you don't need a passport. However if you plan to leave/return you definitely need an Aus passport

Edited April 6 by Nemesis

[BendigoBoy]

4 hours ago, Mrs T said:

I obtained Australian citizenship through descent in July 2021 and haven’t yet applied for an Australian passport.  I don’t need one for the time being but wondered is there a cut off for applying or can I wait for an indefinite period.

No. If you're a citizen, you're a citizen.

As Nemesis mentions, for the purpose of entering Australia if you are outside, you will need to get an Australian passport. As a citizen, you are not eligible for a visa: whilst technically you cannot be refused access to the country, carriers may refuse to allow you to board without evidence/confirmation of citizenship.

[Philip]

I would have thought that the Aus government, upon receiving the details of a foreign passport as part of the application for citizenship by descent, would prevent that foreign passport from subsequently being used to apply for a visa, however I know of people who have managed to get a visa (evisitor / ETA) and were allowed to Australia using the smartgates, so they never even had to tell an immigration officer they were actually a citizen.

[paulhand]

5 minutes ago, Philip said:

I would have thought that the Aus government, upon receiving the details of a foreign passport as part of the application for citizenship by descent, would prevent that foreign passport from subsequently being used to apply for a visa, however I know of people who have managed to get a visa (evisitor / ETA) and were allowed to Australia using the smartgates, so they never even had to tell an immigration officer they were actually a citizen.

Then they have lied on their application forms … you are asked if you have other citizenships and what they are. Australia is not available from that drop-down box. 

[rtritudr]

On 09/04/2024 at 13:54, paulhand said:

Then they have lied on their application forms … you are asked if you have other citizenships and what they are. Australia is not available from that drop-down box. 

When I did the ETA last year the question was asking whether you had other passports as opposed to citizenship.

[Ken]

On 09/04/2024 at 15:47, Philip said:

I would have thought that the Aus government, upon receiving the details of a foreign passport as part of the application for citizenship by descent, would prevent that foreign passport from subsequently being used to apply for a visa, however I know of people who have managed to get a visa (evisitor / ETA) and were allowed to Australia using the smartgates, so they never even had to tell an immigration officer they were actually a citizen.

I think the problem might be that when you get a new passport it has a new number. The system ought to recognise the passport number if you previously had a visa on it (and if that visa was cancelled because you became a citizen it ought to know you are a citizen) but harder to catch if it's a new passport.

[paulhand]

8 minutes ago, rtritudr said:

When I did the ETA last year the question was asking whether you had other passports as opposed to citizenship.

Interesting … the wording for the eVisitor is most definitely citizenship. 

[rtritudr]

15 hours ago, paulhand said:

Interesting … the wording for the eVisitor is most definitely citizenship. 

I guess they really want the extra twenty bucks