An ‘eligible New Zealand citizen’ in this instance is an individual who arrived in Australia with a New Zealand passport, and:
- they were in Australia on 26 February 2001;
- they were in Australia for 12 months in the two years prior to 26 February 2001; OR
- they have been assessed as a Protected Special Category Visa holder and have been issued with a Centrelink certificate clarifying that they were living in Australia at this time.
Please note, however, a Protected Special Category (subclass 444) Visa holder may be entitled to additional benefits to the above.
Although the Australian citizenship pathways can be lengthy and confusing, it is an important process in order to obtain the benefits of being an Australian citizen.
After lodging an Australian citizenship application, an applicant will typically be invited to undertake an interview and sit the citizenship test. After these have occurred, the applicant is required to wait for a decision from the Department of Home Affairs.
If the application is approved, the applicant will be notified by the Department of Home Affairs and then be required to attend a citizenship ceremony and make the Australian Citizenship Pledge. Only after this has occurred, the applicant will be able to be granted Australian citizenship.
If you would like to discuss the suitability of any of the above options for you, or if you would like assistance in applying for Australian citizenship then please do not hesitate to contact our office to discuss your options with one of our team members.
