Guest GeorgeD Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I spoke with the DIAC citizenship operators three times on the phone and they claimed that in general invitation to ceremony is sent two weeks prior. No, it HAS to be your own as DIAC asks for evidence of residence at the interview: utilities bills, residential agreement etc. A friend of ours who lives in Gold Coast Council called Logan City (our council) and asked if he could do his there with my wife and stepdaughter. they said no problem, they get asked all the time. He had called DIAC and they weren't very flexible. The family who have just be notified of theirs had dates at both Brisbane City and Logan City Councils...and they live in Logan. Have you called the Councils involved? Try calling a neighbouring Council, not DIAC. You've nothing to lose, all they can say is no! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k14usmukh Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Thats great your friend is lucky - did they get a letter from the council or the dept A friend of ours who lives in Gold Coast Council called Logan City (our council) and asked if he could do his there with my wife and stepdaughter. they said no problem, they get asked all the time. He had called DIAC and they weren't very flexible. The family who have just be notified of theirs had dates at both Brisbane City and Logan City Councils...and they live in Logan. Have you called the Councils involved? Try calling a neighbouring Council, not DIAC. You've nothing to lose, all they can say is no! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeorgeD Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Thats great your friend is lucky - did they get a letter from the council or the dept I honestly don't know where it came from. What I do remember is him saying that the staff at Logan Council were very helpful. There will be someone somewhere in each Council responsible for organising Citizenship ceremonies. Do some digging! It might not make things any quicker, all your nearby councils might be just a s busy, or have as few ceremonies planned, but it is worth a try if it is causing you issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zecevi Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I honestly don't know where it came from. What I do remember is him saying that the staff at Logan Council were very helpful. There will be someone somewhere in each Council responsible for organising Citizenship ceremonies. Do some digging! It might not make things any quicker, all your nearby councils might be just a s busy, or have as few ceremonies planned, but it is worth a try if it is causing you issues. Thanks for the genuine helpful advice. I live right on the border of two councils Canada Bay and Strathfield, however both of them have no ceremonies in December and their November ceremonies have been finalised. On the map my building is part of Canada Bay which is why I nominated it at the interview. That is the trouble, you have to prove that you live in the council area you nominate and once you nominate it you are stuck with it, unless you move and prove again with utility bills or other documentation your new address. I was hoping to have the ceremony in either October or November, but from current perspective even Australia day would be great, however as I said the council I nominated responded they would have the first ceremony in February... I will try contacting Strathfield council and see what they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zecevi Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Ok, what is the urgency? If it is what DIAC class as an emergency then they can arrange for you to go in on your own (within a week) usually to the CBD and get it done. This is how all of Melbourne work so I would presume other states will have something similar in place. Unfortunately DIAC does not care how long one has not seen one`s family and other private details (births, deaths, marriages...). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wairoa Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Unfortunately DIAC does not care how long one has not seen one`s family and other private details (births, deaths, marriages...). Thats not true. Urgent ceremonies are offered if you have a valid reason. Obviously, its a case by case decision. I guess that someone will qualify for an urgent ceremony if that person will face some sort of hardship if they will have to wait much longer and if that hardship is very specific and individual. For example: Family member abroad is very sick, your current passport no longer valid and it would take very long to get a new one. Not valid: To become a citizen before the beginning to the term to qualify for HECS. I got my invitation 4 weeks before the ceremony. So you should be ok with travelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zeeshu Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Hi, here's my timeline: Applied online: 07 Nov12 Acknowledgement: Not yet Appointment date: Not yet Approval : Not yet Ceremony: Not yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zecevi Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 I honestly don't know where it came from. What I do remember is him saying that the staff at Logan Council were very helpful. There will be someone somewhere in each Council responsible for organising Citizenship ceremonies. Do some digging! It might not make things any quicker, all your nearby councils might be just a s busy, or have as few ceremonies planned, but it is worth a try if it is causing you issues. Strathfield council person repeated the same thing: ask DIAC, we don`t make any decisions, we just organise the ceremony... I guess the only option left for me is to ask for urgent processing now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oksyd Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Strathfield council person repeated the same thing: ask DIAC, we don`t make any decisions, we just organise the ceremony...I guess the only option left for me is to ask for urgent processing now. Hi there, I'm in an extremely similar situation, so couldn't help adding my two cents. I got my citizenship application approved on the 16th of October and I am also waiting for the city of canada bay to invite me to a ceremony. I completely agree that it is ridiculous nobody can give us a definite answer about how long the wait is going to be and it is unfair some people get to attend their ceremony in a month's time and some have to wait for up to a year. There should be a unified queue that is processed in the order of approval. If you have any ideas about how we can get our complaints through to somebody in authority, I will happily join you and I am sure there will be many others. I called DIAC and asked how I can attend an earlier ceremony. They told me to write to this email - NSWcitizenship.Ceremonies.Parramatta@immi.gov.au This is the department that's in charge of ceremonies and my advice is not bother too much with what you write, because you'll just get an automated reply back. But in that reply there'll be a pdf explaining how you can request an earlier ceremony. It's really not that simple as some people here make it sound, the legit reasons are either a) Close family health/travel emergencies and travel documentation not available (should i go and burn my passport now? hmmmmm....) or b) Students applying for Higher Education Loan Program (Preference for these ceremonies will be given to persons who have been waiting more than three months) I don't qualify for either of the above, so I am faced with another frustrating year of waiting and hypnotising my letterbox in hopes of good news..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zecevi Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Hi there, I'm in an extremely similar situation, so couldn't help adding my two cents. I got my citizenship application approved on the 16th of October and I am also waiting for the city of canada bay to invite me to a ceremony. I completely agree that it is ridiculous nobody can give us a definite answer about how long the wait is going to be and it is unfair some people get to attend their ceremony in a month's time and some have to wait for up to a year. There should be a unified queue that is processed in the order of approval. If you have any ideas about how we can get our complaints through to somebody in authority, I will happily join you and I am sure there will be many others. I called DIAC and asked how I can attend an earlier ceremony. They told me to write to this email - NSWcitizenship.Ceremonies.Parramatta@immi.gov.au This is the department that's in charge of ceremonies and my advice is not bother too much with what you write, because you'll just get an automated reply back. But in that reply there'll be a pdf explaining how you can request an earlier ceremony. It's really not that simple as some people here make it sound, the legit reasons are either a) Close family health/travel emergencies and travel documentation not available (should i go and burn my passport now? hmmmmm....) or b) Students applying for Higher Education Loan Program (Preference for these ceremonies will be given to persons who have been waiting more than three months) I don't qualify for either of the above, so I am faced with another frustrating year of waiting and hypnotising my letterbox in hopes of good news..... Mate, same trouble with the exception that I have been waiting for more than four and a half months already. And since Canada bay council told me there will be no ceremonies in either December or January I will be waiting for at least seven months! I don`t qualify for urgent also. I would love to complain, let`s do something about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wairoa Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 There are other reasons that are acceptable. It has to be clear that you'll have a significant disadvantaged if it takes much longer. And proof is required. 99% of the people here won't qualify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zecevi Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 There are other reasons that are acceptable. It has to be clear that you'll have a significant disadvantaged if it takes much longer. And proof is required.99% of the people here won't qualify. That is exactly why the system is rotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 So what makes you so special? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Unfortunately DIAC does not care how long one has not seen one`s family and other private details (births, deaths, marriages...). Why should they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oksyd Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Yeah, I have to start accepting this will take a long time....How come they're not having a ceremony for Australia day?? I think I might call them closer to January to confirm that, maybe their arrangements will change (hopefully). If only we belonged to the city of Sydney council, they have a ceremony almost every fortnight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zecevi Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Why should they? They should because they are completely unnecessarily complicating their future citizens` lives by not giving them opportunity to plan, to leave the country when wanted (and not be on needles whether one will be invited to ceremony during the trip or not) and are exposing them to uncertainty and stress. All because of poor organisation and no alternative to long multi-month waiting for a one hour ceremony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zecevi Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Yeah, I have to start accepting this will take a long time....How come they're not having a ceremony for Australia day?? I think I might call them closer to January to confirm that, maybe their arrangements will change (hopefully). If only we belonged to the city of Sydney council, they have a ceremony almost every fortnight I don`t know, the responsible person in the council told me that the first ceremony for next year was planned for February. My friend who lives in Burwood applied to Randwick council and was invited after three months. He only showed letters his aunt received for him at her address. But now it is too late to change the council we nominated. For anyone reading this and planning to apply for the citizenship - get some of the letters of yours sent to an address within the council which organises ceremonies frequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 They should because they are completely unnecessarily complicating their future citizens` lives by not giving them opportunity to plan, to leave the country when wanted (and not be on needles whether one will be invited to ceremony during the trip or not) and are exposing them to uncertainty and stress. All because of poor organisation and no alternative to long multi-month waiting for a one hour ceremony. Sorry I just don't get your issue over this. You are lucky enough to be afforded Citizenship in this country and you have issues over the timing of the ceremony because it is affecting your travel plans? Can you not see that you are making yourself out to be a tad unreasonable and "precious" over this? However if you think you have a valid issue, you should contact DIAC again with your concerns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zecevi Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Sorry I just don't get your issue over this. You are lucky enough to be afforded Citizenship in this country and you have issues over the timing of the ceremony because it is affecting your travel plans? Can you not see that you are making yourself out to be a tad unreasonable and "precious" over this? However if you think you have a valid issue, you should contact DIAC again with your concerns. I am not lucky, I worked hard and invested a lot of money and time to obtain the citizenship. It is not a travel plan to sit on the beach. I have not seen my family for 4.5 years, my uncle died of cancer recently, I have never seen my 3 year old niece. Before I did not have money to travel back to Europe as a student. Later I did not have time as a contractor after graduation. Now I have time in between contracts which who knows will come again if I don`t use it. As contractor I have no leave and can be given two weeks notice by the employer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 They should because they are completely unnecessarily complicating their future citizens` lives by not giving them opportunity to plan, to leave the country when wanted (and not be on needles whether one will be invited to ceremony during the trip or not) and are exposing them to uncertainty and stress. All because of poor organisation and no alternative to long multi-month waiting for a one hour ceremony. Nobody is stopping you leaving the country, go, just inform them you will be out of the country for ex amount of time. I'm sorry but you seem to thi k DIAC are going to run around just for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zeeshu Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Applied online: 07 Nov12 Acknowledgement: 14 Nov12 Appointment date: 27 Nov12 Approval : 28 Nov12 Ceremony: ???? Pretty smooth so far i suppose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oksyd Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Nobody is stopping you leaving the country, go, just inform them you will be out of the country for ex amount of time. I'm sorry but you seem to thi k DIAC are going to run around just for you. He has already explained why - if he goes away and notifies DIAC, he will need to wait for his ceremony all over again upon his return, and who knows how long it will take. If he doesn't notify DIAC, he might miss his ceremony, as they don't give you much notice. We don't expect the department to run around for us, all we want is a more definite timeline of the process. I don't think it's an unreasonable thing to ask for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oksyd Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Applied online: 07 Nov12 Acknowledgement: 14 Nov12 Appointment date: 27 Nov12 Approval : 28 Nov12 Ceremony: ???? Pretty smooth so far i suppose! Which council? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zeeshu Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Which council? City of Greater Bendigo, VIC. They are organizing next citizenship ceremony on Australia Day. Hope i get a placement in that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I am not lucky, I worked hard and invested a lot of money and time to obtain the citizenship.It is not a travel plan to sit on the beach. I have not seen my family for 4.5 years, my uncle died of cancer recently, I have never seen my 3 year old niece. Before I did not have money to travel back to Europe as a student. Later I did not have time as a contractor after graduation. Now I have time in between contracts which who knows will come again if I don`t use it. As contractor I have no leave and can be given two weeks notice by the employer. Your citizenship ceremony will happen when it happens. Just let DIAC know you are going out of the country on a holiday and ask them to reschedule your citizenship ceremony at a later date when you return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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