Becoming an Australian citizen means you are making an ongoing commitment to Australia and everything Australia stands for. Children may also apply for Australian Citizenship, although different requirements apply. Please visit the Department of Home Affairs website for more information. Any adult who became a permanent resident on or after 1 July must have been lawfully residing in Australia for four years immediately before applying for Australian citizenship.
This includes:. A Citizenship Wizard is available on the Department of Home Affairs website to help you determine if you meet the residence requirement. If you satisfy the general eligibility criteria, you will need to pass a test before applying for Australian citizenship. Those covered by other situations such as those aged under 18 or over age 60, or people who suffer from a substantial impairment or loss of hearing, speech or sight are not required to sit a test.
The Australian citizenship test has been designed to help future Australian citizens gain an understanding of Australia's:. The test is an important part of ensuring you have the capacity to fully participate in the Australian community as a citizen and maximise the opportunities available to you in Australia. It promotes social cohesion and successful integration into the community. More information about the privileges and responsibilities of Australian citizenship can be found on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Permanent residency visa An Australian permanent resident is someone who holds a permanent visa but is not a citizen. The application process for all the subclasses is the same. However, the qualifying criteria is different.
Your PR application can be rejected if you do not satisfy the criteria for that visa category you have applied for. So, consider the criteria for each subclass and choose the category under which you are most likely to qualify. If your previous records indicate that you have overstayed on a temporary visa or have not adhered to the terms of a previous visa, your application for the PR visa will be rejected. If they feel that you could abuse the privileges of a PR visa as you did with other Australian visas, the authorities might refuse your visa application.
You may be disqualified for the PR visa if your previous records show that you overstayed on a temporary visa or failed to adhere to the conditions of a previous visa. If you send misleading information or if the authorities notice that you have not submitted full information, your visa application may be rejected.
Check your application before sending it, to prevent this. Make sure you provide all the specifics and information needed. Submit any documentation and records supporting the details found in your application.
It will be closely scrutinized for any discrepancies. For instance, if your application for a partner visa does not have the supporting documents to prove your relationship, then your visa can be rejected. In your application, you must supply clear details. The immigration department will cross-check the details you submit and check for any inconsistencies in your previous visa applications.
Inconsistencies in your application can be a reason for rejecting your application. If you need treatment for any health problems that the Australian authorities believe would be a financial strain on their medical system, your application might be refused. PR visa applications are rejected if the applicant suffers from medical conditions such as HIV, cancer, heart conditions or mental health issues.
Australia is wary of allowing immigrants who have a criminal record. Applications are scrutinized on an individual basis and the visa application can be rejected if applicants have:.
The Australian authorities want to ensure, before entering the country on a PR visa, that applicants have sufficient funds to sustain their stay in the country.
So, you will have to include supporting financial statements with evidence of your financial condition. Often, applicants are unsure if they will be asked to provide financial records. In the process, they fail to provide enough proof which may lead to their rejection of their application. Australia is strict in terms of language proficiency and you should have the required score levels to qualify for a visa. There are chances of your visa application being rejected at the last stages if you are unable to clear the verification of your medical or character requirements or other important information in your application.
The Australian immigration authorities are careful in their verification process. They focus on reviewing the documents you send thoroughly. You will be barred from entering the country for a certain number of years if it is found that you have submitted false information.
Check carefully for any inconsistencies before sending your papers. Officials from the immigration department examine your application form for uniformity. The department is constantly on the lookout for inconsistencies, which it treats with suspicion. Not providing supporting documents. Your social media account could come under scrutiny if the information there does not agree with what you have mentioned in your application. Details about your marital status if found inconsistent with your social media details could be a cause for scrutiny and rejection of your visa application.
The visa application requires you to be honest about any criminal convictions or disputes with the law you had in the past. Avoid omitting even the smallest piece of information or giving false information. Immigration officers have a database of information that they can cross-check with the details you provide. If your application is denied, the immigration department will provide you the reasons if you ask them.
You must appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, but within the time specified. They will review the decision and provide you with explanations for the refusal. A review will also give you an opportunity to explain the points raised in the review document and to provide any information or documents that are missing. You must make sure to meet the review deadline, or you would miss the chance to get a visa. Take care to submit a detailed application for approval and you will still get a chance to obtain your PR visa.
The total cost of your PR visa depends on the kind of visa you are applying for, its application fees, fees for medical examination, English language test, health insurance, number of dependents, airfare to Australia, and other miscellaneous costs. Before you reapply for the PR visa, ensure you have chosen the right category because the immigration department can reject your application once more if they feel you are unsuited to apply under a certain category.
You will have better chances of success if you apply under a new category. There is no minimum or maximum time frame for making a re-application after a visa refusal. You will need to make a fresh application and ensure you submit all the records and documents once more.
You will once again have to pay the visa fees when you submit your application. When making an application for the second time, ensure you do not make the same mistakes that were grounds for rejection in your previous application. Examine the reasons given for rejection in the refusal letter you have received from the immigration department. This will help you plan on how best you can avoid the same grounds for rejection in your subsequent application for the visa.
There is no point in reapplying for the visa unless you have rectified the problems in your previous application. However, it is advisable not to reapply for a visa unless there is a change in your circumstances which was the reason for rejection. For instance, if the reason was the lack of enough funds, you must ensure you have the required funds in your account before reapplying for the PR visa.
The Australian government implemented changes to its points-based immigration system. Below are the changes to the points-based system:. The Australian government introduced two visas that came into effect in November This is intended to attract skilled migrants to settle down in regional areas. The two visas Skilled Work Regional subclass Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional visa subclass will have 25, visa places reserved for them out of the total permanent migration planning level of , by the Australian government.
The two new visas have replaced the Subclass and Subclass visas. Subclass visa in replacement for Subclass visa. With the immigration changes introduced by Australia last year, the Subclass visa has been replaced by the Subclass visa. This is a provisional visa for skilled workers who want to live and work in a regional area of Australia.
The applicant must be nominated to apply by a state or territory government or be sponsored by an eligible relative. Application steps for Skilled work regional provisional visa. Step1: In the first step you must submit your expression of interest EOI0 through SkillSelect to indicate you want to apply for this visa. Step 2: Before you even submit your application, you must first gather the required documents to support the claims made in your EOI.
Step 3: Apply for the visa online once you receive the invitation. You can be living in or outside Australia when you are making the visa application. You must make your application within 60 days of receiving the invitation. You can be in or outside Australia during this time but not in immigration clearance.
With this visa, employers can sponsor Skilled Migrants for jobs ineligible occupations in a specific regional area for five years. These designated areas cover all of Australia except for the major metro cities — Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. This visa comes with certain conditions, the primary visa holder and related secondary visa holders their family members are required to live, work, and study only in a regional area.
Their visa could be canceled if they fail to comply with these rules. This visa comes with certain restrictions. Subclass visa holders will not be eligible for another Skilled Visa without a regional requirement for at least three years from the date their Subclass visa is granted. Visa holders cannot apply for an onshore partner visa for three years from the date of grant of their Subclass visa.
Subclass visa holders will be eligible for a PR visa Skilled Regional Subclass visa from November provided they have worked for a single employer for at least three years. The condition for granting the PR visa is that primary visa holders and the secondary visa holders must prove to the Department of Home Affairs that they worked, studied and lived in a regional area for at least three years.
Under these revised rules, occupations can be nominated for the Subclass visa. This is an increase from the earlier regulations where approximately occupations could be nominated for the Temporary Skills Shortage Subclass visa and only occupations could be nominated for the Permanent Employer Nomination Scheme Subclass visa. With these changes, employers will benefit with access to a wider range of eligible occupations and will be in a better position to fill vacant, skilled positions in rural areas when local Australians are not available.
For employees, the changes mean an option for permanent residency which otherwise would be difficult to access. The changes will also solve the problem of skill shortage in rural Australia because there will be priority processing of Subclass and Subclass visas.
The Australian government introduced these visas to encourage immigrants to settle in regional areas and reduce their concentration in the three major cities of Australia. These visas are expected to provide incentives to migrants to settle in regional Australia and consequently help to improve the economy in these regions.
You can become an Australian citizen through permanent residency, also called as conferral by the Australian government. This is the most popular way to become an Australian citizen. For this, you will have to fulfill the residence requirements. This is based on the period you have lived in Australia and the time you have spent outside the country.
Citizenship through residency is possible if the individual stays continuously in Australia for four years on a qualifying visa that includes living in the country for one year as a permanent resident. Qualifying visas that will help you stay continuously in the country for four years are:. Eligibility requirements for Australia Skilled visa. Skilled Independent visa subclass — Points-tested stream. With a subclass , invited workers with the skills needed in Australia can live as well as work at any place in the country permanently.
Skilled Nominated visa subclass — This visa lets skilled workers that are nominated to live as well as work in Australia as permanent residents. If you are interested in moving to Australia permanently on a subclass or visa, you will have to begin the process by submitting an Expression of Interest EOI on SkillSelect.
Any foreign-born skilled worker or businessperson interested in migrating to Australia will have to go through SkillSelect. All EOIs have to be submitted online. Profiles in SkillSelect are ranked against each other. Invitations are sent accordingly. At the time of invitation, you must be able to declare that you have had a skills assessment done.
Skill assessment is an integral part of the General Skilled Migration program which helps select immigrants with the right qualifications. The applicant will not be able to apply for permanent residency in the country without an assessment of his skills. To get a positive assessment, he should have the relevant credentials and experience. If you have applied for skill assessment, the assessment authority will consider factors such as your education, work experience and English proficiency level.
Skills assessment must have been done within the 3 years prior to the invitation being sent. As per the age criterion, you must be under 45 when you receive the invitation to apply for the visa.
You can still apply: If you complete 45 years of age after you get the invitation. You will not be invited: If you turn 45 during the period between the submission of EOI and receiving an invitation. As these visas are points-tested visas, you will have to score a minimum of 65 points to be eligible. At least a competency in the English language is required. The applicant must also be able to provide evidence for the same. Your occupation should be on the corresponding list of eligible skilled occupations.
Generally, all visa applicants applying for permanent or provisional visas will have to undergo certain health examinations. Even the family member applying for the visa alongside the main applicant might be expected to undergo the medical tests.
Do keep in mind that while these are the tests usually required, you might be asked to undergo other medical examinations as well. The main applicant, as well as the accompanying family members [above 16 years], must meet the requirements of character.
Accompanying family members must also meet the character requirements as well. Under the Subclass visa, Australian employers can sponsor overseas workers who have the required skills to work in the country. The visa process involves two steps, the first step is nomination by an approved Australian employer and the second step is the visa application that must be made by a qualified overseas worker. An applicant is eligible for this visa if they are nominated by an Australian employer but must apply for the visa within six months of the visa being approved.
The applicant need not spend two years with an employer on a visa to qualify for the Direct Entry stream in the Subclass visa. With a visa under the Direct Entry system, immigrants can live and work in Australia permanently. In case the candidate gets a positive skills assessment and has a post qualification experience of three years, he can immediately apply for the visa. Skill assessment is an integral part of the General Skilled Migration program which helps to choose immigrants with the right qualities to come to Australia.
Without a skill assessment, the applicant will not be able to apply for permanent residency in the country. This list will mention occupations that face a skill shortage in the country. Every occupation in the list has its own skill assessing authority. To get their skill assessment done candidates must meet the required conditions outlined by the assessing authority which is evaluating their occupation. The candidate should have the related qualifications and experience to get a positive assessment.
The first requirement for a skill assessment is that your occupation must be related to your work experience. If there is a mismatch, then you will not get the required points. Apart from this, you must submit all the required documents. They must be authentic and complete and any small discrepancy in your documents can lead to a negative assessment.
You will have to submit every additional detail requested by the assessing authority. The documents should support your qualifications and experience claims. You must also submit proof of your work experience, these can include:. Skill Assessment is an important factor in the General Skilled Migration program and getting a positive skill assessment report is the crucial first step in getting a PR visa to Australia.
The Skilled Regional Visa Subclass is offered by the Australian government to allow Skilled Regional visa holders to apply for permanent residency. This visa leads to PR for those who have held the Subclass , , , or visa, or a Bridging visa A or B after applying for a subclass , or visa. The condition is that they should have lived for two years and worked full time for one year in a specified regional area in the country.
The application requirements for the visa that leads to the permanent residence are comparatively lesser compared to the Subclass visa. Subclass visa requires no minimum income threshold.
On the other hand, the visa which also leads to a PR visa has a high-income threshold that must be sustained for a three-year period. Applicant must have an eligible visa which includes the subclass , , , or visas, or the Bridging visa A or Bridging visa B, after submitting a valid application for a subclass , or visas. Applicants should have complied with the conditions attached to the eligible visa they are presently holding. Applicants must meet the health and character requirements for the visa.
Step 1: Before you even submit your application, you must first gather the required documents. Step 2 : The documents you must submit are proof of your identity, character and other documents which prove that you have fulfilled the visa conditions under which you are presently staying in the country.
You will need to provide these documents for your spouse and dependent children. Step 3: Apply for the visa online. You and your family members must be living in Australia when you are making the visa application. If you get an affirmative decision, you must be in Australia during this time. These visa applications have priority processing. Applications are assessed individually, and the processing time can vary provided you have met the following conditions:.
With a state nomination, you can get a skilled migration visa to migrate to Australia. For receiving a state nomination, your occupation must be featured in the State Nominated Occupation list and meet all the eligibility requirements of state and federal governments.
In order to encourage immigrants to settle down in regional areas, the Skilled regional visa has been introduced.
The Australian government introduced this visa to encourage immigrants to settle in regional areas and reduce their concentration in the three major cities of Australia. You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want for five years after the date of the visa grant.
Citizenship application for this visa is counted from the day your permanent residence starts which is the date you are granted the visa if you are in the country. You can add members of your family who currently hold an eligible visa in your application. You must list each family member who is eligible to apply for this visa when submitting your application.
You must be in Australia when you apply for this visa. The Subclass visa is for aspiring immigrants who have the skills and abilities that are in demand in specific states of the country. However, these aspirants might not have the required points to qualify for a skilled independent visa under the Skilled Migration program.
The advantage of the Subclass visa is that it entitles for a faster visa. The Subclass visa is basically a Skilled nominated visa targeting the skilled experts and tradespeople who can be nominated by an Australian state or territory. This is a permanent visa that allows you to stay in Australia for an indefinite period. However, you can travel to and from Australia only in the first five years that you have a visa. After the 5-year period, you will require a Resident Return RRV visa subclass or to travel outside the country and re-enter it as a permanent resident.
Other benefits include:. Obligations under the visa include living for two years in the Australian state or territory under which the immigrant has been nominated. The visa holder can apply for a change of status after two years and can live or work anywhere in Australia.
This visa is for migrant students who have studied for two years in Australia. They can live and work here between 18 months and 4 years. With this visa, graduates can decide to stay and work in Australia and apply for job opportunities. On the Subclass visa, students can apply for a permanent resident visa provided they meet the points requirements and eligibility criteria. With the additional time granted, international students in regional Australia will get ample time and opportunity for collecting more points for securing an invitation in the future for skilled migration.
This will ensure that prospective international students choose regional Australia as a study overseas destination. International students in Australia can apply for the Skilled Independent visa which can be their best option to secure a PR visa after they finish their course.
Approval for this visa is dependent on your score in the Points test for Australia PR visa. Even though the minimum score to be eligible for the visa is 65 points, you will stand a better chance if you can get more points. Here are some ways on how you can boost your score as an international student in Australia:. If you plan on leaving Australia and returning, you will have to confirm the travel facility period available on your permanent visa.
If you have the required points, you will be selected, and you will get a PR even before you fly to Australia. You should expect to be receiving the PR within months of applying. The best way to acquire an Australia PR always depends on the visa system you want to apply for.
Each immigration program has its own specific eligibility requirements, conditions, and selection criteria. In addition, the government sets the migration planning levels and fixes a number of places under each migration program.
Confirm consistent spellings of names and places throughout the application. Check for inconsistent, illogical or conflicting dates. Review for obviously illogical entries. Search for entries that conflict with each other. Application Package Assembly Service Included.
Once you complete your application, we print, assemble and mail out your application package to you. We include sticky notes on where you need to sign and date your application. Service includes a pre-paid envelope for you to mail your completed package directly to the Department of Home Affairs for processing.
We mail your application package via Australia Post. What's included in your Immigration Direct Service Step-by-step guidance leads you through each question Our easy to understand instructions will guide you through preparing your supporting documents to file your citizenship paperwork accurately and completely with the DHA.
We make it easy so you can do it yourself correctly Our software system will generate personalized filing instructions based off of your answers to guide you through the application process. Phone customer agents are available 9 - 6 pm AET Our agents are here to help you if you have any questions.
0コメント