Lyla Lindsey
Australian citizenship can be acquired by birth or adoption, or by applying for citizenship by descent or conferral. If you were born in Australia before 20 August 1986, you only need to show your full birth certificate. If you were born after this date, you must provide additional documents, such as a citizenship certificate or an Australian passport. Those with Australian parents or grandparents may also be eligible for citizenship and can apply through the Department of Home Affairs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Born in Australia before 26 January 1949 | Automatically an Australian citizen |
| Born in Australia between 26 January 1949 and 20 August 1986 | Automatically an Australian citizen unless a parent was a diplomatic or consular official of a foreign country |
| Born in Australia on or after 20 August 1986 | Can prove citizenship by providing a full birth certificate and one of the following: parent's full birth certificate showing they were born in Australia before 20 August 1986; parent's Australian passport issued on or after 20 August 1986 that was valid for at least two years and issued before the child's birth; parent's Australian citizenship certificate showing citizenship was acquired before the child's birth; or if both parents were Australian permanent residents, apply for evidence of citizenship through the Department of Home Affairs |
| Born in Australia to Australian parents | Automatically an Australian citizen |
| Born overseas to Australian parents | May be registered as an Australian citizen by parents at the nearest Australian Embassy or Consulate |
| Adopted by Australian parents | May be registered as an Australian citizen by parents |
| Over 16 years of age and applying for citizenship by conferral | Must make a pledge of commitment and be issued with Evidence of Australian Citizenship from the Department of Home Affairs |
| Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander | An alternative process is available, including a B19 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander declaration |
| Applying for an Australian passport | The Australian Passport Office will verify identity and proof of citizenship |
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What You'll Learn
Check your birth certificate
Checking your birth certificate is a crucial step in determining your Australian citizenship status. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you understand the process:
If you were born in Australia before 20 August 1986, you can use your full birth certificate as proof of citizenship. Ensure that your birth certificate is issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. This certificate serves as conclusive evidence of your citizenship, and no additional documents are required.
On the other hand, if you were born in Australia on or after 20 August 1986, the requirements are a bit different. In this case, you'll need to provide additional documentation along with your full birth certificate. Here are the possible combinations of documents that you can submit:
- Your parent's full birth certificate, showing that they were born in Australia before 20 August 1986. This option confirms that your parent was an Australian citizen when you were born.
- Your parent's Australian passport, issued on or after 20 August 1986, valid for at least two years, and issued before your birth. This option also demonstrates that your parent held Australian citizenship before you were born.
- Your parent's Australian citizenship certificate, indicating that they acquired citizenship before your birth. This option confirms that your parent was an Australian citizen when you were born.
- If both of your parents were Australian permanent residents when you were born, you will need to apply for evidence of your citizenship through the Department of Home Affairs. This process may involve additional steps and requirements.
It's important to note that the Australian Passport Office only accepts full, original birth certificates. These certificates must include the names of your parents or grandparents. If there has been a name change, you'll need to provide additional documentation, such as name change certificates, to establish the link between you and your parents or grandparents.
In the event that your birth was not registered, you will need to take specific steps. Contact the State or Territory Registry of Birth, Death, and Marriages to inquire about a late registry of birth. You may also need to obtain a certificate confirming your listing in the Northern Territory Aboriginal Population Records or apply for a citizenship certificate from the Department of Home Affairs.
Remember, the information provided here is a guide, and specific requirements may vary based on individual circumstances. Always refer to official government sources for the most up-to-date and accurate information regarding Australian citizenship and the required documentation.
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Check your parents' citizenship status
Checking your parents' citizenship status can be done in a few ways. The Australian citizenship laws changed on 20 August 1986, so the documents required to prove citizenship depend on whether you or your parents were born before or after this date.
If your parent was born in Australia before 20 August 1986, they will need to show their full birth certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. If your parent was born in Australia on or after 20 August 1986, they will need to provide their full Australian birth certificate, as well as one of the following:
- Their own parent's (your grandparent's) full Australian birth certificate, showing they were born in Australia before 20 August 1986.
- Your grandparent's Australian passport, issued on or after 20 August 1986, valid for at least two years, and issued before your parent was born.
- Your grandparent's Australian citizenship certificate, showing they acquired citizenship before your parent was born.
If your parent was an Australian permanent resident or citizen when you were born on or after 20 August 1986, you can prove your citizenship by showing your own full birth certificate, as well as one of the following:
- Your parent's full birth certificate, showing they were born in Australia before 20 August 1986.
- Your parent's Australian passport, issued on or after 20 August 1986, valid for at least two years, and issued before your birth.
- Your parent's Australian citizenship certificate, showing citizenship was acquired before your birth.
If your parent was born in Australia but on or after 20 August 1986, you will need to show your own full Australian birth certificate, as well as your parent's full birth certificate and one of the following:
- Your grandparent's full Australian birth certificate, showing they were born in Australia before 20 August 1986.
- Your grandparent's Australian passport, issued on or after 20 August 1986, valid for at least two years, and issued before your parent's birth.
- Your grandparent's Australian citizenship certificate, showing they acquired citizenship before your parent's birth.
If your parent was not born in Australia, but they are an Australian citizen, you can check their citizenship status by asking them to provide their Australian citizenship certificate. If they do not have this, they can provide their full name on their passport application form, as well as their citizenship certificate number or Home Affairs Client ID (CID) number. If they do not have these numbers, they will need to complete a paper form.
If your parent is an Australian citizen by descent, they will need to provide their own parent's or grandparent's citizenship certificate, passport, or birth certificate, depending on when they were born.
It is important to note that if you identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and face challenges providing documents to prove your citizenship, an alternative process is available. You can complete a B19 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander declaration form and submit it with a passport application.
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Apply for a citizenship certificate
To apply for an Australian citizenship certificate, you must apply to the Department of Home Affairs. The documents required depend on whether you were born before or after 20 August 1986.
If you were born in Australia before 20 August 1986, you only need to show your full birth certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. If you were born after this date, you must provide additional documents to prove your citizenship. This could include an Australian citizenship certificate, an Australian passport issued after 2000 that was valid for at least two years, or your parent's Australian passport issued after 1986 that was valid for a minimum of two years and issued before your birth. If your parent was an Australian permanent resident when you were born, you will need to apply for evidence of citizenship through the Department of Home Affairs.
If you are unable to present the required documents, you may still be able to prove your citizenship by completing a B19 form. The Australian Passport Office will verify the information provided to confirm your identity and proof of Australian citizenship.
It is important to note that, in most cases, you must attend a citizenship ceremony before being granted citizenship.
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Check your passport
One way to check if you are an Australian citizen is to verify your passport. If you have an Australian passport, this can be used as evidence of Australian citizenship. However, there are certain conditions attached. If you were born in Australia on or after 20 August 1986, your Australian passport must have been:
- Issued in your name;
- Issued on or after 1 January 2000; and
- Valid for at least two years.
If you were born before 20 August 1986, different rules apply. You only need to show your full birth certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
If you were born in Australia on or after 20 August 1986, and one of your parents was an Australian permanent resident or citizen when you were born, you can prove your citizenship by providing your full birth certificate and one of the following documents relating to your parent:
- Their full birth certificate showing they were born in Australia before 20 August 1986;
- Their Australian passport, valid for at least two years and issued on or after 20 August 1986, and before your birth;
- Their Australian citizenship certificate showing citizenship acquired before your birth; or
- If both your parents were Australian permanent residents when you were born, you will need to apply for evidence of your citizenship through the Department of Home Affairs.
If your parent was born in Australia on or after 20 August 1986, you will need to show your full Australian birth certificate to prove citizenship by birth.
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Check your residency status
To check your residency status in Australia, you must refer to the Department of Home Affairs, which can verify your date of arrival, residence status, and so on. You may also need to refer to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to understand your residency for tax purposes.
The ATO website outlines that your residency status for tax purposes may differ from your residency status for other purposes. It also states that tax residency can depend on whether the country you are going to or coming from has a tax treaty with Australia. The ATO website also provides tools and instructions to help determine your residency status for tax purposes.
The primary test of tax residency is called the 'resides test'. If you reside in Australia, you are an Australian resident for tax purposes and do not need to apply any other residency tests. However, if you do not satisfy the 'resides test', you can still be considered a resident by satisfying one of three statutory tests.
If you are born overseas, you must provide evidence to verify that you are an Australian resident. This could include a visa or travel documents from the Department of Home Affairs, stating that you have been granted permanent residence.
If you were born in Australia before 26 January 1949, you became an Australian citizen on that date when the Australian Citizenship Act 1948 came into force. People born in Australia on or after 26 January 1949 and before 20 August 1986 automatically became Australian citizens on their date of birth, unless one of their parents was a diplomatic or consular official of a foreign country. Children who live in Australia until their 10th birthday acquire Australian citizenship on that birthday.
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Frequently asked questions
If you were born in Australia before 20 August 1986, you can show your full birth certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. If you were born after this date, you must provide additional documents relating to your parents' citizenship status at the time of your birth.
You can provide an Australian citizenship certificate or an Australian passport issued after 1 January 2000 that was valid for a minimum of two years.
If you were born overseas to Australian parents or adopted by Australian parents, they can register you as an Australian citizen at the nearest Australian Embassy or Consulate.
You will need to present your full birth certificate along with one of the following: your parent's Australian birth certificate, Australian passport, or citizenship certificate obtained before your birth.
You can apply for an Australian citizenship certificate from the Department of Home Affairs.
