Obtaining Australian citizenship for Russians in 2021

What benefits does an Australian citizen receive?

Australia has long and firmly taken its place among the world's economic leaders. The high level of development of its economy guarantees the citizens of this country social security, comfortable working and living conditions, as well as much more that is inherent in modern highly developed states. The Commonwealth of Australia (AU) is harmoniously integrated into the world economy; it is a member of many influential international organizations and associations. Australia is deservedly considered the undoubted leader in its geographical region.

Immigration to Australia is a multi-stage process that culminates in the passport of this country. Along with Australian citizenship, an immigrant receives the following benefits:

the possibility of visa-free visits to 163 countries;
citizenship in Australia cannot be deprived (in some countries, persons who have become citizens as a result of naturalization may be deprived of their status for certain violations of the law);
In this country, the attitude towards immigrants is extremely tolerant. All Australians remember that it was immigrants who created their country;
Australian citizenship gives the right to official employment, to occupy any positions in the government apparatus, to serve in the armed forces and police in leadership positions;
a citizen of the Commonwealth of Australia has the right to vote. He can participate in elections and be elected to elected bodies of power;
Australia's passport is respected and prestigious in the world;
the status of a citizen makes it possible to enjoy the social protection of the state in full;
An Australian citizen can legally invite close relatives living overseas to visit him. Subsequently, they also have the right to become Australian citizens;
Finally, the AC passport can be a second one, since this country allows dual citizenship.

As you can see, the advantages of Australian citizenship are undeniable. That is why a large number of migrants have sought to become holders of a Commonwealth of Australia passport over the years. Many of them succeeded.

Only in Australia can you see a sign warning of kangaroos on the road

Consular fee and deadlines

Depending on which version of the permit is issued, the corresponding cost is set. A transit visa is issued free of charge. A tourist permit will cost Russians $110, with the option to pay in rubles. As for the timing, they may vary depending on a number of circumstances:

provision of a complete or incomplete set of papers by the applicant;
speed of information issuance from other sources during verification;
availability of free places in the migration program;
workload of competent authorities (flow of applications);
the speed of the applicant's response to all additional requests.

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As a rule, the period for obtaining a visa or citizenship in Australia is 4 weeks, but if necessary, the procedure can be extended to two months (less often up to 90 days). You must understand that the application may be given a negative decision, and the fees paid will not be reimbursed.

Innovations in citizenship legislation

Previously, the conditions for obtaining Australian citizenship were relatively flexible, which led to a significant increase in migration traffic to the Fifth Continent. As a result of this, the Australian authorities were forced to resort to tightening not only all immigration legislation, but especially that part of it that concerns citizenship. In 2021, a package of reforms was introduced, the purpose of which was to increase the prestige and strengthen the status of AU citizenship.

The previous version of Australian immigration law was in force from September 1948. During this period, only a few minor changes were made to it. But the realities of the modern world bring their own adjustments. Obtaining Australian citizenship has become relatively easy when you compare the procedure for becoming an Australian citizen with other highly developed countries of the world. As a result, the Chinese, Indians, Thais, people from Sri Lanka, and Pakistanis did not fail to take advantage of this opportunity. This could not but cause discontent in Australian society, despite the traditionally tolerant attitude towards immigrants. Therefore, the rules for acquiring citizenship have been significantly tightened. This was announced in April 2021 by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The innovations affected the increase in the period of virtually permanent stay in Australia with a permanent residence permit, which previously was only one year, but according to the new standards it was increased to four years. During this period, you can stay outside Australia for no more than 90 days in total.

Another innovation is more stringent requirements for passing the English language proficiency exam. Now it has become difficult to pass and a separate language test has been introduced, the successful passing of which requires almost perfect command of English.

The requirements for passing the integration test for candidates for citizenship of the Commonwealth of Australia have also become more stringent. The applicant will now undergo in-depth testing and, in addition, confirm integration into society and acceptance of “Australian values”. This includes, among other things, providing positive feedback and recommendations from employers or local governments in the applicant’s place of residence.

Even the text of the oath, by which a new Australian citizen expresses his commitment to the obligations of an Australian subject, has changed. All new citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia who are 16 years old are required to take an oath. Moreover, this category also includes children adopted by Australian citizens, as well as those applicants who restore lost Australian citizenship.

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Immigration experts have mixed views on the tightening of Australian citizenship laws. It used to be considered very liberal, but even after tightening it is still far from the draconian rules regarding citizenship that apply, for example, in Switzerland, France or even the United States of America.

My friends, who left for Australia five years ago, told me a little over Skype about how life is today on the Green Continent and why a migration crisis is gradually brewing in a country that was created by immigrants. Communicating with indigenous Australians, they observe increasing irritation from the fact that traditional Australia is gradually becoming far from the state that they are used to seeing. There are more and more people of non-European appearance on the streets of Australian cities. In almost all restaurants, cafes, bars, the entire service staff consists of Chinese, Filipinos and other immigrants from Asia. There are many shops being opened by Indians. And competition in the local labor market is becoming increasingly fierce, especially in the segment that involves vacancies for unskilled labor. Traditionally tolerant Australians are trying to express their dissatisfaction with the authorities' immigration policies by organizing demonstrations and pickets. In addition, extremist organizations began to appear in Australia, whose activities are directed against immigrants from China, Indochina, the Philippines, and India. All these changes are hardly noticeable to the eye of an immigrant who has recently arrived on the Green Continent. But my friends have already managed to understand what is happening quite well. They communicate closely with indigenous Australians, whose discontent is growing every day. By the way, Australian citizens do not believe that the tightening of immigration rules that occurred in 2021 can have any real effect in limiting migration traffic from Asia. The local media is circulating the opinion that the authorities will continue to “tighten the screws” on immigrants, trying to meet the expectations of their electorate. By the way, Donald Trump’s victory in the United States gave confidence to Australians who intend to limit the flow of migrants to the Fifth Continent, and they became much more active in their actions.

In-Demand Professions 2019-2020 in Australia

A small list of requirements for applicants.
There is no need to send money as a sign of trustworthiness.
The duration of immigration to the Commonwealth of Australia ranges from six months to a year.
In Canada, only candidates who are ready to leave for that country for at least 3 years are considered.

The Commonwealth of Australia is one of the most developed countries in the world.

Over the past 40 years, this country has been able to take a leading position in the world market and raise the level of gross domestic product to 49,144.53 US dollars per capita. In the list of GDP, this country took 13th place in 2021.

Immigration to Australia from Russia

The asylum process is the same for all refugees. While the application is being considered, the applicant is issued a permit, which is valid for the entire period of the decision. It makes it possible to legally stay in the country, use medical services, and enroll children in preschool and school educational institutions.

bride or groom. A marriage visa is issued for 9 months. After this, they submit an application for temporary, then for permanent spousal permission. The following requirements are put forward for candidates: to be an adult, the husband (wife) must be a citizen of Australia, the couple must know each other (confirm with documents - correspondence, photos), have no criminal record or illness;
married couple – must be married or have lived together for at least 1 year;
the Australian's parents are adoptive or blood;
children - adopted or natural, no older than 18 years old, under the care of mom and dad.

Complete list of professions in demand in Australia

The most popular profession in Australia in 2021 was plumbing.

New Zealanders, Filipinos and residents of the United Arab Emirates took up jobs as nurses in Australia, those from Canada and Germany were eager to take up au pair positions, while French applicants worked after internships. The electrician profession was most in demand among the British, for the Chinese it was the profession of a teacher, and for the Italians it was a cook.

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Visa holders can remain in the country for permanent residence if they wish.

There are two types of work visa: short-term - up to two years of stay in the country (with the right to extend the stay), and long-term - up to four years of stay (with the right to extend and obtain a residence permit, and in the future - citizenship). Most professional visas give the right to live and work on the continent on a permanent basis.

Immigration list of required professions in Australia for 2018-2019

South Australia has published the Immigration List of Required Occupations for 2018-2019.

for visas such as the State/Territory Permanent Occupational Visa (subclass 190) and the State/Territory or Relative Sponsored Temporary Occupational Visa (subclass 489). In addition, some changes have been made to the selection criteria for promising applicants.

Preparatory stage for obtaining Australian citizenship for citizens of the Russian Federation and Ukraine

Innovations in immigration legislation also affected the introduction of restrictions on the issuance of labor-type visas. Therefore, it has become much more difficult for a Russian or Ukrainian to become a labor migrant in Australia since 2021. But it is Australia that most Russian and Ukrainian migrants consider Australia as a country for labor migration.

Initially, the immigrant receives an Australian visa. To do this, applicants with Russian citizenship should contact the diplomatic mission of the Commonwealth of Australia in the Russian Federation. Ukrainians will be able to obtain an entry permit to the Green Continent in Kyiv at the Ukrainian diplomatic mission of Australia.

With a visa you can cross the Australian border. If you plan to stay on the Green Continent longer than the period specified therein, you will need to obtain a temporary residence permit. The residence permit will be valid initially for one year, for some categories of immigrants its validity will be two years. Once your current status expires, you should apply for its extension. But it should be taken into account. that a sufficient basis will be required for an extension (for example, an extended employment contract with an Australian company).

If the reason on which the renewal of a residence permit is requested does not correspond to its original receipt, then the status may not be extended.

After three years of living as a temporary resident of Australia, you can begin the stage of obtaining permanent residence. This status in Australia is indefinite, although the permanent residence document itself must be reissued every 10 years.

Before applying for Russian citizenship as a permanent resident of the country, you will need to live for at least four years. And as already noted, you must be in the country practically without leaving for all four years. Of course, you can leave Australia during this period for more than three months in total, but in this case the period before obtaining citizenship is reset.

The Australian passport will be the result of a multi-step immigration process

Australian Citizenship: Ways to Obtain

At the moment, citizenship of this state can be obtained in four separate ways. It is possible to grant civil status by descent, birth, through adoption and by original status (the latter method includes several options). As a rule, for Russians who have not previously had anything to do with this country, only naturalization, marriage, having a specialty, or being awarded civil status through investment are available.

By birth

All children born in the country to Australians automatically receive citizenship. If the birth takes place in Australia, but the parents are visitors, then citizenship is not granted. Provided that after birth the child lives in the territory of the state for 10 years, he is granted citizenship. Children born outside the country to Australian parents can also claim citizenship (this mainly applies to diplomats while on duty).

By origin

The current legislation of the country stipulates that all applicants for citizenship whose parents are Australians receive status in the appropriate manner. It does not matter where the birth took place. This can be used for all minors under 18 years of age at the request of a parent. Applicants aged 18-25 years submit a request independently, and undertake to provide proof of the absence of a criminal record. Registration of citizenship by origin has a significant drawback. If a parent is stripped of their citizenship status, their child is also stripped of their Australian citizenship.

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By naturalization

Here is the standard procedure for obtaining citizenship if a migrant has a desire. In such a situation, civil status is granted subject to a number of conditions. You will have to pass a written test on your knowledge of the legislative framework and the state language. You must take an oath of allegiance to the British Crown. The applicant must prepare and submit all requested documents. There is also a requirement of residence in the country for 4 years, and continuous residence in Australia in the last 12 months as a permanent resident.

Upon family reunification

On the territory of this state, the right of migrants to obtain citizenship through family reunification is secured. This is allowed not only in the case of marriage, but also through other family ties. In such a situation, you will have to obtain appropriate permanent residence, which is granted from spouse to spouse, parent to child (or vice versa). It also provides for the awarding of permanent residence to a future life partner (fiancé or bride of an Australian citizen).

As a businessman or entrepreneur

In this country, it is allowed to open a new business or acquire an existing company. To become an Australian citizen through business immigration, you must meet the following criteria:

age at the time of application no more than 54 years;
evidence of competence and successful conduct of the case;
business project or other strategy plan for successful entrepreneurship;
absence of criminal records, health problems and criminal history;
good health of the applicant and his family.

You also have to confirm your real plans for doing business in Australia. The legislation of this country is loyal to entrepreneurs and investors, therefore it allows you to obtain citizenship in a simplified manner.

As a talented specialist

If necessary, you can obtain citizenship as a highly qualified specialist in a certain narrow field. Such applicants are entitled to temporary or permanent residence rights. Russians can move to Australia with the appropriate visa 189 (independent category with permanent residence) or 190 (sponsored category with application). Australia is constantly in need of qualified workers and managers, which allows them to apply for accelerated granting of citizenship, but the registration procedure itself does not change in this situation.

As a major investor

The Australian authorities launched this program back in 2012, which has already attracted a lot of investment into the economy. When investing more than $5.5 million, simplified granting of citizenship is provided.

Buying real estate

Many people mistakenly believe that purchasing property in this country makes it possible to apply for a simplified procedure for granting citizenship. In practice, this applies only to entrepreneurs whose investments in real estate are included in the accounting of general investments for the acquisition of permanent residence.

Important! Of course, the process of obtaining citizenship is complemented by the mandatory provision of necessary documentation and verification.

Main methods and grounds for obtaining Australian citizenship

In Australia, there are several grounds for foreigners to obtain citizenship of this country. Some can hardly be considered very common, but they are still worth mentioning.

Let me just say a little for those interested that the difference between a permanent resident and a citizen is just a couple of things. The first is that an Australian citizen is required to vote in elections. If you don't vote, it's a fine. The second point is that a non-citizen cannot be president or be in parliament. These are the two main big differences.
Sydney Online
https://immigrant.today/article/10067-pro-poluchenie-avstralijskogo-grazhdanstva.htm

Citizenship by birth

Citizenship by birth is assigned automatically. The following have the right to it:

children born in the marriage of two Australian citizens. If only the mother or father of the baby has Australian citizenship, this will not prevent him from obtaining citizenship of the Commonwealth of Australia;
children who were found within Australian borders, but whose parents could not be identified. The first five years of a foundling's life can still change his citizenship if his parents or at least one of them are discovered. In this case, the issue of citizenship will be considered based on the citizenship of the identified parents or parent. After five years, the question of the foundling's Australian citizenship becomes finally resolved;
children of stateless persons living in Australia. This category of persons who do not have a specific citizenship is called stateless;
natives of Papua, born before 1975.

Natural naturalization

If you are unlucky enough to be born in Australia or Papua, then you can only obtain an Australian passport through naturalization. This involves going through all or almost all of the stages of immigration mentioned above. The vast majority of Russians and Ukrainians who became Australian citizens were able to do so through naturalization.

The residence requirement for citizenship may be reduced for several categories of immigrants. These include:

foreign spouses of Australian citizens;
persons who have received citizenship of the Commonwealth of Australia for special services to it;
direct descendants of Australian citizens;
persons regaining lost Australian citizenship;
foreigners who obtain citizenship by investing and are recognized as particularly large investors;
participants of the professional immigration program who have professions that are particularly in demand in the Australian economy.

Citizenship by marriage to Australian citizens

You can come to Australia to get married with a special fiancé/groom visa, which is issued to foreigners who intend to marry an Australian citizen. However, the latter must apply for such an entry permit from the Australian immigration authorities. The visa is valid for nine months. If the marriage took place during this period, then you can take the certificate and safely go for a residence permit. If the wedding does not take place, then the foreign citizen loses the right to legal stay in the territory of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Marriage to an AU citizen leads to obtaining a country passport within three years

A marriage certificate not entered into in Australia or New Zealand will require legalization under local law. Initially, the foreign spouse will be issued a temporary residence permit valid for one year. Next, you should transform it into a permanent place of residence. The foreign life partner of an Australian citizen will need to live there for at least two years and only after that apply for citizenship. Of this period, only the last year must be permanently residing on the Fifth Continent (the tightening of immigration legislation and the rules for granting citizenship to foreign life partners have not affected).

The Australian Migration Service will definitely monitor the mixed marriage union closely to determine whether it is initially fictitious. To confirm the factuality of the relationship, one should lead a lifestyle typical of a normal family: living together under one roof, running a household and taking care of filling the family budget together, spending vacations with one’s spouse.

Special services to the Commonwealth of Australia

Providing significant service to Australia in defending its interests in the international political arena, victories under the Australian flag at international sporting competitions, etc. can be considered by the Australian government as a basis for issuing a Commonwealth of Australia passport to a foreign citizen. Outstanding foreign scientists, artists, and world-class journalists can also apply for it.

In this case, citizenship is assigned, as already mentioned, by a separate decision of the government of the country. No additional requirements in the form of compliance with the residence qualification, passing testing, or confirmation of financial independence are provided for this category.

First of all, as a person who spent years of his life in Australia, received a residence permit, permanent residence and lived in Australia, I can tell you a lot about life there. Why Australia? So because all the other countries that are attractive to the Russian-speaking highly intelligent intelligentsia have already tightly closed their doors, which were wide open until the collapse of the scoop.
Alexei
https://strelokizluka.livejournal.com/photo/album/345/?mode=view&id=5191

Citizenship for descendants of Australians

If there were Australian citizens in the applicant’s family no more than at the level of grandparents, then with the help of appropriate documents this can be confirmed and citizenship can be obtained in an accelerated manner.

If a potential repatriate intends to seek to obtain Australian citizenship, then he needs to collect all supporting documents and apply with them to the Australian embassy in his country. There he will receive a visa intended for repatriates. You can use it to enter Australia and apply for a residence permit. But the repatriate will be a temporary resident for only a year, then he will receive permanent residence, in which he must live for another two years. And only after a cumulative period of three years can citizenship be obtained.

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Restoration of citizenship

Lost Australian citizenship can be restored. Since in this country citizenship is not deprived, you can only renounce it on your own initiative. For example, a woman married an American and accepted United States citizenship, renouncing Australian citizenship. But as they say, it didn’t work out and I had to return to my homeland. The former Australian has the right to regain her citizenship. To do this, she will need to document the fact of its presence in the past, as well as explain in writing the reasons for the loss and the desire to restore Australian citizenship.

In this case, the issue of restoring citizenship will be considered for about six months, and during this period the applicant will live in Australia with a temporary residence permit. If the decision is positive, citizenship will be issued without the need to obtain permanent residence.

Compared to other countries, programmers in Australia have good salaries; a specialist with five years of experience can easily find a position for 100,000–120,000 Australian dollars per year. Taxes, however, will be 30–35% depending on the amount. You also need to have a pension fund, where the employer will contribute another 9–12%. But living expenses are also not small, so there is no point in coming here just for the money.
Anna Fiofilova
https://dou.ua/lenta/articles/ukraine-australia/

Citizenship for particularly large investors and businessmen

The immigration policy of the Commonwealth of Australia is not only relatively loyal, but also pragmatic. Australia has always been interested in attracting foreign capital to its economy and its authorities have created a comfortable investment climate. One of the methods in this case is a special immigration program for large representatives of foreign capital.

If a foreign investor plans to invest at least 2 million US dollars in the development of Australia, then such an investment is considered a large one. But several conditions must be met. In Australia there are donor regions, and there are subsidized regions. The latter usually include the central and northwestern parts of the Fifth Continent, as well as the Australian island territories. The government has developed programs to support and develop these areas of the country. If a foreign investor can invest the specified amount or more in them, then he acquires the right to obtain citizenship out of turn. Investments must last for at least three years and demonstrate their effectiveness. Therefore, in the first year, a particularly large foreign investor receives a residence permit for 12 months, then remains in permanent resident status for another two years. If the authorities recognize that the investment was successful, then the owner of the capital can proceed to obtain Australian citizenship.

In Australia the currency is the Australian dollar, which is equal to 0.7 US dollars

Senior management of transnational corporations with foreign citizenship, as well as directors of large companies, can apply for accelerated acquisition of citizenship within three years. In this case, the issue of conferring citizenship is considered separately in each case at the government level.

Persons with permanent residence can join the Australian Army, Navy or Air Force, but not as officers. Local law allows this. If an immigrant has served in the armed forces for six months or more, he can apply for citizenship out of turn. Also, a similar opportunity is available to those who were transferred to the reserve for health reasons earlier than this period and to those who have been in the operational reserve of the Australian Army for at least nine months.

Professional Immigration and Citizenship

Representatives of professions that are especially in demand in the Australian economy can also apply for citizenship. Their list can be found on a specialized government website.

Representatives of the scientific community, university teachers with scientific degrees, designers, and so on will be able to obtain citizenship in an accelerated manner. But for this you will need to obtain a very high assessment of professional skills at the stage of obtaining a work visa. Relation from the employer to the immigration authorities, participation in special government programs will provide grounds for requesting citizenship after three years.

We looked at the main ways to obtain citizenship of the Commonwealth of Australia. For most of the above categories of candidates, the residency requirement may be reduced. Australian immigration legislation is generally very variable. The rest of the immigrants who move to Australia under the family reunification program, for study, employment, and so on, will need to comply with the standard residency requirement - three years with a residence permit, and then another four years with permanent residence. And only after this can you apply for citizenship.

Sydney is the business center and largest city in Australia

How to obtain Australian citizenship for a Russian in 2021

Australia is considered one of the most attractive countries for migration of foreign citizens, as it combines the most favorable climate for living with the best living conditions for modern people. But not everyone can obtain citizenship here. To obtain it, a person must reside for a long time. In addition, it must meet certain requirements. But in general, this country is welcoming to foreign immigrants, including Russians. Therefore, if desired, a law-abiding Russian citizen will be able to obtain an Australian passport without additional problems.

Primary requirements

If a Russian is planning to obtain Australian citizenship, he should be aware that he will be subject to the same requirements as candidates from other countries. A foreigner must:

have the status of a permanent resident of the country, for this he must have the appropriate residence permit;
he must have lived legally in the country for at least 4 years, and he must not have left the country for the last year;
the total number of months that a person has been absent from Australia over the past 4 years is allowed to be no more than 12;
a foreigner must prove his desire to live in Australia for a long time;
have good recommendations and characteristics about yourself from previous places of work and residence in another country.

If the foreigner meets all these requirements, he can begin the procedure to obtain citizenship.

One of the important points for contacting the Australian immigration authorities is the preparation and collection of mandatory documents. These include:

Completed application form. It has different shapes depending on the age of the applicant. For those aged 18-60, Form 1300t is required, and for all other aliens, Form 1290 is required. This form is also used for incapacitated adult applicants.
Identification documents of a person, in total no less than 3 pieces. They must reflect the applicant's name, gender, date of birth, photograph, signature, as well as current place of residence in Australia. Typically, such documents include a visa, a foreign passport and a certificate of residence.
A special questionnaire on Form 1195 called;

A similar package of documents is issued for children, but various certificates are not required.

Submitting an application

There are 3 main ways in which you can apply for Australian citizenship. These include:

Using an official government website. It is recommended to attach photocopies of all other documents to the completed application. As an answer, an interview will be scheduled, to which you must appear with the originals of the required papers.
Using Australian Post, which will deliver the papers to the nearest departmental office for accepting applications from foreigners. Copies of documents certified by a notary should be attached to the application. Original documents are brought only to the interview.
Use long distance mail or courier service to transfer documents to the Immigration Department in Melbourne. Documents from persons currently located on another continent are sent here. Only photocopies of documents are also attached to the application.

Everyone can choose the most suitable method for themselves. But the most common of them is the first option, since it requires less time and physical investment from the applicant. Moreover, it is the fastest.

Interview

If the application received is approved, the candidate will be sent an invitation to an interview. He must appear at the appointed time to be interviewed and take the examination. Before the interview begins, an authorized officer verifies the originals of all required documents and the candidate’s compliance with the established requirements for obtaining citizenship.

During the interview, the employee asks questions about the person’s place of residence, activities, as well as his future plans after receiving citizenship.

The second stage is passing the test. Its completion is mandatory for all legally capable applicants from 18 to 60 years of age. To successfully pass the exam, you must answer 60% or more correctly. The exam can be taken an unlimited number of times until the desired result is achieved.

The test consists of about 20 questions that relate to:

history of the country and symbols;
Australian lives;
rights and responsibilities of a citizen of the country.

If the applicant's age is not suitable for testing, then the authorized officer must check during the interview the basic knowledge of the English language, the immigrant's understanding of the essence of the application, as well as his responsibilities and rights.

Finally, you will need to pay a fee of 120 Australian dollars and wait for the application to be reviewed. If the result is positive, the foreigner will receive a ceremony.

This event is scheduled within 3 months after the decision is made. On it, a person is issued a certificate of citizenship. At this ceremony, the new citizen must take the oath of citizenship. Minor children included in the application also receive Australian citizen status.

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Nuances and advantages

It is important to know what the main nuances are when obtaining and after obtaining Australian citizenship. These include:

All newborn children in Australia are considered citizens of the country if their parent had citizenship or permanent resident status at the time of birth.
Children born in Australia and who have lived in Australia for more than 10 years are eligible for citizenship regardless of their parent's status. Only children of diplomats are considered as exceptions. They are not eligible for citizenship for this reason.
Australia allows dual citizenship, so Russian citizens do not have to renounce Russian citizenship. When such persons are in Russia, they use their rights under a Russian passport, and an Australian passport has no effect.
Officially, the Australian government allows dual citizenship.

Requirements from applicants

An Australian candidate must meet the following requirements:

be of legal age;
stay in Australia with permanent residence status (for most categories of immigrants the period is four years) and do not leave the country during this period for more than three months in total;
speak English;
know the rights and responsibilities of an Australian citizen;
confirm your knowledge of the main milestones of Australian history and traditions of society;
not be convicted and have no problems with Australian legislation;
have a legal, stable source of income of a sufficient level;
intend to reside in Australia after obtaining citizenship.

What is the list of documents for permanent residence and citizenship

The list of documents required to obtain permanent residence and citizenship is largely similar. Below we present the contents of the basic package of documents for obtaining permanent residence, and then we will tell you what documents will complement the package for obtaining citizenship.

So, to obtain permanent residence in Australia you will need:

the applicant's birth certificate;
his foreign and domestic passports;
three photos. The photographs are in color, on a light background, without corners, taken no earlier than six months before submitting documents to the immigration service;
document on residence permit in Australia;
basis for requesting permanent residence;
certificate of no criminal record in your home country;
documents confirming that the applicant has a legal source of income, it is sufficient and stable;
medical certificate confirming the absence of diseases that pose a social danger. It must be obtained only at a local public clinic;
rental agreement for at least one year;
receipt for payment of administrative services.

If we are talking about obtaining citizenship, then to all of the above should be added:

a certificate stating that the applicant is a bona fide taxpayer;
When obtaining citizenship, you must submit four photographs;
confirmation from the Australian Ministry of Internal Affairs that the applicant has not been prosecuted during the previous period of residence in the country (and a certificate of good conduct in the home country will no longer be required);
positive test results for English proficiency and integration into Australian society;
a written description of their intentions regarding second citizenship (whether the applicant plans to keep the second passport or surrender it upon receipt of the desired Australian one).

There is a good chance that immigration officials will want to see several additional documents, depending on the reason for the status request.

All submitted documents must be in English. For translations, it is best to contact specialized agencies, where they can be certified with an apostille.

Foreign minors acquire Australian citizenship at the same time as their parents. The list of documents for them is minimal and consists of a birth certificate and a photograph. The rest of the documentation is filled out by the parents. Children under 16 years of age are not required to personally sign their consent to become an Australian citizen. After 16 years, it must be written in one’s own hand.

In the case where a minor takes citizenship of the Commonwealth of Australia only with his father or only with his mother, then whichever parent is absent must express his consent to this action. The consent is drawn up in the form of a notarized document translated into English. The absent parent must indicate the Commonwealth of Australia as the country where his child takes citizenship. If for some objective reason it is not possible to submit such consent from the absent parent, then in this case supporting documents are required.

Translations are certified by an apostille

Testing and exam

To immigrate to Australia, you must pass an English language test. The examination part itself consists of several separate blocks:

an audition is required;
will have to demonstrate speaking skills;
you must pass a written exam;
The test must be supplemented with reading.

Each module is assessed individually, followed by an overall grade. Based on the results, the examinee receives appropriate confirmation of successful or unsatisfactory testing. If necessary, the applicant can take the exam again after appropriate preparation if he failed previously.

Important! During the examination, special attention is paid to English language skills for students applying for a study permit.

Procedure for registration and receipt of an Australian citizen passport

The applicant submits an application for citizenship and documents to the Immigration Department of the Commonwealth of Australia. It is advisable to first familiarize yourself with the basic requirements for future citizens on the official website of the Australian Migration Institute. This is a special government organization that studies immigration trends in the Commonwealth of Australia and makes recommendations to the government on how to optimize this process. Expats can highlight lots of useful tips here and get a theoretical assessment of their chances of getting an Australian passport.

When filing a citizenship application, the applicant is interviewed. Unlike, for example, obtaining a visa, its results will not be fundamental, but they can still have a certain influence on the authorities’ decision to issue citizenship. The interview will be conducted by employees of the Migration Department. They will be interested in what area of the economy the future Australian citizen is going to use his skills in, where he is going to live, whether he intends to invite relatives to his place in the future, and so on.

When acquiring citizenship, you must undergo testing . As already mentioned, innovations in the immigration legislation of the Commonwealth of Australia, which appeared in 2017, have significantly tightened the requirements for those tested. If with regard to knowledge of the English language they have become only slightly more strict, the integration test has completely changed its form. Now the main emphasis is on the candidate's knowledge and acceptance of Australian values, knowledge of the history of the country, the founders of the state and its current top officials, the foundations of the constitution, and so on. The integration test is, of course, conducted in English. It has two parts - written and oral. The written part of the test consists of 100 questions. It is considered passed if correct answers are received to at least 60 of them. Then comes the turn of the oral part, which is designed to detail the degree of integration of the foreigner into the local society. In fact, in the oral part there will be many questions from the written one, but the answers to them should be given in more detail. In addition, you must know the national anthem by heart.

The cost of a passport issued for 10 years (in Australia, the document will need to be renewed every decade) is US$282. For applicants over 75 years old, it will be $142. Payments for notary services and translation services should be added to the costs.

After submitting your application for citizenship, you can receive your Australian passport in about six months. The legislation allows one year for this, but, as a rule, everything happens faster.

You can obtain a certificate of citizenship either at the Migration Department or at the City Hall. The inclination of native British people towards officialdom is manifested in everything: the presentation of a document necessarily takes place in a solemn atmosphere, the new citizen is obliged to take an oath of allegiance to Her Majesty and the Constitution of the AU (Australian citizens are considered subjects of the British Queen). The passport itself can be obtained from the Migration Department in two weeks, and the cost of its production will be another 50 dollars.

Video: procedure for obtaining an Australian passport

Is dual citizenship possible in Australia?

Australia recognizes dual citizenship. The only condition is that the second state must also adhere to this principle, otherwise, when receiving an Australian passport, the previous one will have to be abandoned.

Reference! In Australia, it is also possible to have more than two citizenships (for example, triple citizenship). A country recognizes multiple citizenship if the other countries of which the person is a citizen also agree to this principle.

It is also useful to read: Is it possible to obtain dual citizenship in Russia and Kazakhstan

Why they may refuse and what to do in this case

Australian authorities may not grant citizenship for a variety of reasons, the main ones being:

obtaining citizenship by fraud;
false information reported about oneself;
problems with Australian legislation;
lack of a legal source of income or its very low level;
problems with documents;
the potential danger that the candidate poses to the Commonwealth of Australia.

In case of refusal, the reason must be indicated. A negative decision can be appealed in an Australian court. The appeal will be considered within a month. The more correct and well-reasoned it is drawn up, the more likely it is that the court will make a decision in favor of the appellant.

So, about Australia: the circle of friends, buddies and acquaintances is rapidly increasing, which we are sincerely happy about. In addition to our company, which has already become a family for two years, consisting of the same Melburnians and Sydneysiders, “fresh blood” is also slowly and surely pouring into our ranks. Going to various kinds of seminars and courses bear fruit not only in terms of gaining interesting and useful knowledge, but also in making new contacts, making new acquaintances and meeting very interesting people and accomplished personalities.
Nata
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