Rules as of 26 October 2026

Australian citizenship: residence, absences and the test

Who can apply for Australian citizenship by conferral, how much time you need in Australia, what the citizenship test involves, and what it costs.

Verified Written 26 October 2026

Who can apply under the general pathway?

Under the general pathway an applicant must be at least 18 when applying and must hold permanent resident status both on the day of application and on the day the Minister decides the application.

Adults must also have a basic knowledge of English and an adequate knowledge of Australia and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship. They must be likely to live, or keep living, in Australia or to keep a close and continuing association with it, and be of good character when the Minister decides.

People aged 60 or over at the time of application, or aged 18 or over with a permanent loss or substantial impairment of hearing, speech or sight, use a separate pathway that does not include the citizenship test criteria. Meeting the criteria does not guarantee approval, because the Minister keeps a discretion to refuse an eligible applicant, except on the statelessness pathway.

How much time must I have in Australia?

You must have been present in Australia throughout the 4 years immediately before the day of application. Absences abroad totalling no more than 12 months in that period are treated as presence. You must not have been in Australia as an unlawful non-citizen at any point in those 4 years.

Within those 4 years, you must have been present in Australia as a permanent resident for the whole 12 months immediately before the application day. In those last 12 months, absences abroad count only if they total no more than 90 days and you were a permanent resident throughout each absence.

Time in prison, or in a psychiatric institution by court order for an offence, means you are taken not to meet the 4-year requirement unless the Minister decides it would be unreasonable to apply that rule. The Minister may also treat some temporary-status time as permanent residence time if you would otherwise suffer significant hardship or disadvantage.

Are there exceptions to the residence rule?

People born in Australia, or who were an Australian citizen at an earlier time, do not have to meet the 4-year lawful presence parts of the residence requirement.

For the spouse or de facto partner of a citizen, the Minister may count time overseas as a permanent resident toward the 12-month period if, during that time, they were the citizen's spouse or de facto partner and a permanent resident, and kept a close and continuing association with Australia.

Relevant defence service can satisfy the residence requirement in place of the 4-year rule. One way is a total of at least 90 days of service in the Permanent Forces, whether continuous or not.

What does the citizenship test involve?

The test assesses English language skills and knowledge of Australia and Australian citizenship. To pass you must answer 20 multiple-choice questions, get all 5 Australian values questions right and score at least 75% overall.

The standard test is 45 minutes, and an Assisted Test gives 90 minutes instead. An Assisted Test may be available to applicants who completed at least 400 hours of AMEP English tuition, or who have a physical or cognitive impairment that prevents the standard test even with help.

The test is conducted in English only, and all questions are based on the booklet Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond. Failing does not affect your permanent visa; the department books another appointment at no extra cost, but may refuse the application if you do not pass after 3 appointments.

What does it cost?

For applications made on or after 2026-07-01, the fee for citizenship by conferral under the general criteria is AUD 595. Someone who already sat the test on an earlier application pays AUD 365 instead.

The concession fee is AUD 85 for a holder of an Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card, or a person under 18 listed as a dependant on one. A child under 16 on the same form as a responsible parent pays nothing. Home Affairs says the fee already covers the test.

Applications under other pathways cost AUD 365 unless a concession or exemption applies. Children aged 16 or 17 cannot be included on a parent's form and must lodge their own application, and fees apply.

What happens after approval, and what can stop it?

Most applicants must make a pledge of commitment, and you become a citizen on the day you make it, not on the day of approval. Home Affairs says the ceremony is usually held within 6 months of approval, and an approved applicant must attend within 12 months or the approval may be cancelled.

Approval is barred while proceedings for an offence against an Australian law, including any appeal or review, are still pending. After release from a prison sentence of 12 months or more in Australia, citizenship cannot be approved for 2 years, or 10 years for a serious repeat offender.

Spent convictions must still be declared. A conviction is generally spent after 10 years (5 years for juvenile offenders) if there was no sentence over 30 months, no reoffending in that time and no statutory exclusion applies.

Australian citizenship by conferral

For advice on your own case, ask a registered migration agent (MARA) or an Australian legal practitioner. Rules change, so always check the official source.