By conferral
The pathway for most PRs
For permanent residents who meet the residence requirement. Involves the citizenship test, a character check, and an interview, then a ceremony.
Australian Citizenship
Australian Citizenship: Your Confident Final Step Home
By conferral · descent · Resident Return Visa
Citizenship is the last step of the migration journey — the right to vote, an Australian passport, and the freedom to leave and return without a visa. Most permanent residents get there by conferral, and the residence rules catch more people than the test does.
✓ Vote & stand for office
✓ Australian passport
✓ No more visas
✓ Pass on by descent
Ready to pass? Practise free first.
Our free Australian Citizenship Test app mirrors the real format — 20 questions, 45 minutes, 75% to pass, and all five Australian values questions correct. Test yourself before you ever sit the official exam.
The three ways to become — or prove you are — Australian
Which route applies depends on how you came to Australia. Most permanent residents apply by conferral; people born overseas to an Australian parent use descent; and permanent residents who need to travel while their citizenship is pending may first need a Resident Return Visa.
By descent
Born overseas to an Australian
For people born outside Australia to a parent who was an Australian citizen at the time of birth. No residence requirement and no test.
Resident Return Visa
Subclasses 155 & 157
Lets a permanent resident travel and return to Australia after their five-year travel facility expires — important to keep PR alive on the road to citizenship.
The residence requirement — where most applications trip up
Citizenship by conferral turns on the residence rule, and miscounting days overseas is the single most common reason applications are refused. The maths is counted backwards from the day you apply.
The 4-year rule
- Lawfully in Australia for the 4 years immediately before applying
- Total absence in that period must not exceed 12 months
The 12-month rule
- The most recent 12 months must be held as a permanent resident
- Absence in that final year cannot exceed 90 days
Character & intention
- Good character — relevant for all applicants aged 18 and over
- A genuine intention to live in, or keep a close association with, Australia
The test & interview
- Applicants aged 18–59 sit the citizenship test: 20 questions, 75% to pass
- All five Australian values questions must be answered correctly
A week for a wedding here, a family emergency there — short trips add up fast, and a single miscount can cost you months. We map your travel history against the rules before you lodge, so a refusal on residence never happens on our watch.
How the process works
From confirming your residence maths to the ceremony, conferral runs in a clear sequence.
- Residence checkWe confirm your 4-year and 12-month figures and character position before anything is lodged.
- ApplicationForm 1300t lodged online through ImmiAccount with your identity and residence evidence.
- Test & interviewThe Department invites you to the test and interview — practise free with our app first.
- CeremonyOnce approved, you make the pledge at a citizenship ceremony and become Australian.
Our professional fees
Fixed fees, payable in two instalments. Consultation fees are credited towards our agreement if you engage us.
| Service | AUD (incl. GST) |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation & assessment — online | $190 |
| Face-to-face consultation — Melbourne or Adelaide | $290 |
| Australian Citizenship — existing client | $500 |
| Australian Citizenship — new client | $900 |
| Resident Return Visa — Subclass 155 / 157 | $1,500 |
Professional fees only. The Government application charge is additional — as at 2026, citizenship by conferral is $575 ($80 concession), citizenship by descent is $370, and evidence of citizenship is $280. Government fees are indexed each 1 July and confirmed in your consultation and on the Department of Home Affairs website. See our full fee schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What are the residence requirements for Australian citizenship?
For citizenship by conferral, you must have lived lawfully in Australia for the 4 years immediately before applying, with total absence in that period not exceeding 12 months. The most recent 12 months must be held as a permanent resident, with no more than 90 days absent in that final year. Miscounting overseas trips is the most common reason applications are refused.
How much does Australian citizenship cost in 2026?
As at 2026, the government application charge for citizenship by conferral is AUD $575, dropping to $80 if you hold a valid Pensioner Concession Card, and free for a child aged 15 or younger on a parent's form. Citizenship by descent is $370 and evidence of citizenship is $280. The single conferral fee covers the application, the test and the ceremony, and re-sits of the test are free.
What is on the Australian citizenship test?
Applicants aged 18 to 59 sit the citizenship test: 20 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, with a 75% pass mark. You must also answer all five Australian values questions correctly. There is no separate fee to sit the test, and if you do not pass, the Department books another appointment at no extra cost. You can practise free with our citizenship test app.
What is the difference between citizenship by conferral and by descent?
Citizenship by conferral is the pathway for permanent residents who meet the residence, character and test requirements. Citizenship by descent is for people born outside Australia to a parent who was an Australian citizen at the time of their birth — it has no residence requirement and no test. Which one applies depends entirely on how you are connected to Australia.
Do I need a Resident Return Visa?
You may, if you are a permanent resident who needs to travel while working towards citizenship. A permanent visa's travel facility usually lasts five years; once it expires, you need a Resident Return Visa (subclass 155 or 157) to leave and re-enter Australia while keeping your permanent residence valid. This protects the residence you are building towards citizenship.
Can I keep my current citizenship if I become Australian?
Australia allows dual citizenship, so from Australia's side you do not have to give up your existing citizenship to become Australian. However, whether your home country lets you keep its citizenship is a separate question governed by that country's laws. You should check your country of origin's rules before you apply.
Ready to become Australian?
Send us your PR date and your travel history — we will confirm exactly when you become eligible, flag any residence problem before it becomes a refusal, and get you ready for the test with our free practice app.
The information on this page is general in nature and does not take your personal circumstances into account. It is not migration advice. Sam Lotfollahi · Registered Migration Agent · MARN 0901704 — verify on the OMARA register.