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OMARA

About Us
What We Do
Migration Tools
- Skilled Visa Point System
- Business and Investment Visa Point System
Our Process
State Nomination
Stay up to date
OMARA

Australian Citizenship (By Descent)

You can use this common way to become an Australian citizen if one (or both) of your parents was an Australian citizen when you were born overseas.

Overview

Eligibility (per DOHA guidelines)

Step by Step (per DOHA guidelines)

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Overview

COST

Become an Australian citizen by descent if you were born outside Australia and one (or both) of your parents at the time of your birth was also an Australian citizen at that time.

COST

From AUD230; AUD95 for each sibling who applies at the same time as you.

Eligibility (per DOHA guidelines)

You must have been either:

Born outside Australia on or after 26 January 1949

You may be eligible if you were born outside Australia and one or both of your parents at the time of your birth, was also an Australian citizen.

Your parent will need to have spent at least 2 years lawfully in Australia before you apply if they became an Australian citizen:

by descent, or
by adoption outside Australia under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption or bilateral arrangement.

If you are 18 years old or over at the time you apply, you must be of good character.

Born outside Australia through an international surrogacy arrangement

You must also meet this criterion:

Character requirement

You must be of ‘good character‘ if you are 18 years or over.

Good character is the ‘enduring moral qualities of a person’.

When we assess good character, we consider whether you are likely to:

uphold and obey the laws of Australia

We will consider:

any recorded criminal convictions
obligations you may have to a court in Australia or overseas
your association with people of concern
incidents of reported domestic violence
whether you have been honest in your dealings with the Australian community, including providing false or misleading information in relation to a visa or citizenship application

Step by Step (per DOHA guidelines)

You need to meet our requirements before you apply.

Check your eligibility

You need to give us evidence that you meet our requirements.

Identity documents if 16 or older

We need evidence of your identity from birth to present.

Give us 3 documents that together will show us your:

birth name, date of birth and gender
photograph
signature
current residential address

We also need official evidence of any change of name.

If we are not satisfied of your identity, we can’t approve your citizenship application.

Evidence of date of birth and any changes of name

Provide a full birth certificate that shows your parents’ names. If you cannot give us a birth certificate, provide a family or household registration document or any other collection of documents issued to you prior to your arrival in Australia that collectively confirm your identity from birth

Documents showing evidence of a change of name include:

an official (non-commemorative) marriage or divorce certificate
change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
other official documents that show links between names you have been known by

Photograph and signature

Examples of documents include:

Australian driver’s licence
pages from your passport (photo, personal details, passport issue and expiry dates)
national identity card
UNHCR document
aircrew identity document
seafarer identity document
military identity document
proof of age card
student card

Evidence of residential address

Examples of home address documents include:

electricity, gas or water bill
rates notice
rental contract
bank statement

Evidence of identity in the community

Give us a completed identity declaration and a passport-sized photograph. Get them both signed by someone with the correct authority.

Follow our step-by-step advice for completing the declaration and certifying photographs.

Complete Form 1195 Identity Declaration (276KB PDF) if you apply online.

If you apply on paper, complete the identity declaration in the citizenship application form.

Identity documents if 15 years or younger

Give us documents that together will show us your:

birth name, date of birth and gender
photograph and current name if available

We also need proof of any change of name and a completed identity declaration.

Evidence of date of birth and any changes of name

Provide a full birth certificate that shows your parents’ names.

If you cannot give us a birth certificate, provide:

family or household registration document
passport or travel document if any
proof of links between birth name and current name if applicable

Evidence of identity in the community

Give us a completed identity declaration and a passport-sized photograph. Get them both signed by someone with the correct authority.

Follow our step-by-step advice for completing the declaration and certifying photographs.

Complete Form 1195 Identity Declaration (276KB PDF) if you apply online.

If you apply on paper, complete the identity declaration in the citizenship application form.

Responsible parent documents

The responsible parent who signs your application will need to provide:

proof of identity documents that together will show us their signature, photograph and current address
any orders relating to custody, guardianship or parental responsibility for you if applicable
proof of adoption if you were adopted overseas

Good character documents

We need documents to assess whether you are of good character if you are 18 or over.

Spent convictions

You must declare all spent convictions in your application.

A conviction may be considered spent if:

it is 10 years since the date of the conviction (5 years for juvenile offenders)
the person was not sentenced to imprisonment for more than 30 months
the person has not re-offended during the 10-year period (5 years for juveniles)
a statutory or prescribed exclusion does not apply

We are allowed to ask you for this information to assess your application.

Penal clearance certificates

If you have spent a total of 12 months or more outside Australia in the last 10 years, you need to give us overseas police certificates from every country, including your home country, where you have spent a total of more than 90 days since you turned 18.

Ask the country’s government or law enforcement authority for a certificate.

We might ask you to provide a penal clearance certificate in other circumstances as well.

Australian National Police Check

If you are 18 years of age or over and are applying in Australia, we will request a police check on your behalf from the National Police Checking Service.

If you are 18 years of age or over, applying from outside Australia and have spent more than 90 days in Australia, you will have to organise your Australian police clearance certificate. Complete the National Police Check application on the Australian Federal Police (AFP) website.

We only accept Complete Disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the AFP. We do not accept standard disclosure certificates or national police certificates issued by a state or territory police force.

Supporting documents

You will need to give us extra documents to support your claims to Australian citizenship.

Evidence of parent’s Australian citizenship

Examples of documents that show one of your parents was an Australian citizen when you were born:

full Australian birth certificate
Australian citizenship certificate or naturalisation certificate

Provide proof of any other citizenships held by your Australian citizen parent if applicable, such as a certificate or letter showing the date and how they got that citizenship.

Documents about residency in Australia

If your parent became an Australian citizen by descent or by adoption, provide evidence that they have spent 2 years lawfully in Australia, such as:

school records
employment records
any documents issued by an Australian government agency

If you do not have any evidence of your parent having resided in Australia you can contact the National Archives of Australia.

You will not need to give us this if you have always been stateless.

Photograph

We need a passport-sized photograph for the application.

The photograph must be:

less than 6 months old
good quality colour
a full-face view of your head and shoulders
taken against a plain, light coloured background

You can be wearing untinted prescription glasses or show only your face if you wear a head covering for religious reasons.

We do not accept laser copies of photographs.

The same person who completes your identity declaration must certify your photograph

Online application

How to prepare documents for an online application in ImmiAccount.

Translate

Have all non-English documents translated into English.

If you are applying in Australia, use a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

If you are in another country, check the website of an Australian Government embassy or consulate in that country for translation advice.

Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited. But on each translation, they must include their:

full name
address and telephone number
qualifications and experience in the language they are translating

These details must be in English.

Scan

Scan all original documents (English and non-English) in colour.

The scans must be legible and meet our requirements.

If a document is more than one page, save it all as one file.

When scanning photographs, do not place them on a piece of paper. Attach the scanned photograph to your identity declaration form.

Note: You do not need to have any documents certified.

Attach

Attach a document only once, even if you are using it to show more than one thing.

Learn more about attaching documents.

Paper application

Applying online is our preferred way for you to apply and helps us to process your application faster.

If you are unable to apply online, follow our instructions for using a paper application.

Translate

Have all non-English documents translated into English.

If you are applying in Australia, use a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

If you are in another country, check the website of an Australian Government embassy or consulate in that country for advice on acceptable translators.

Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited. But on each translation, they must include their:

full name
address and telephone number
qualifications and experience in the language they are translating

These details must be in English.

Certify

Get all documents certified. This includes:

non-English documents
English translations

Copies of original documents must be certified by a person who:

is an Australian citizen
works in a designated occupation
is not related to you by birth, marriage or de facto relationship

Follow our step-by-step advice for certification of original documents.

Keep

Keep a copy of your completed application.

Applying online is our preferred way for you to apply and helps us to process your application more quickly.

Online application

See how to submit your citizenship application online in ImmiAccount.

An authorised person must complete an identity declaration form and sign your photograph.

Provide an Australian postal address in your application if possible. This will ensure that we send your certificate quickly and securely via registered post.

Paper application

Applying online is our preferred way for you to apply and helps us to process your application more quickly.

If you are unable to apply online, complete Form 118 Application for Australian citizenship by descent (506KB PDF).

An authorised person must complete the identity declaration in the form and endorse your photograph.

Provide an Australian postal address in your application if possible. This will ensure that we send your certificate quickly and securely via registered post.

Send your application, documents and fee payment to us by post to the address on the form.

Payment of the application fee

For information about the fee payment, see how to pay.

If we need anything further from you, we will contact you.

Our preferred way to communicate with you is by email. If you have given us permission to contact you this way, regularly check you inbox (and junk mail).

Our Processing times will give you an idea of how long it will take for a decision.

Additional documents

We may ask for additional documents or originals. We will contact you directly if needed.

Change in circumstances after applying

You will need to tell us if you have changed your address or other details since applying for citizenship.

If you applied online, log in to ImmiAccount and follow the instructions on how to update us.

If you posted us a paper application, complete Form 929 Change of contact and/or passport details (172KB PDF) and send it to the address on the form.

New step description

We will notify you in writing once we make a decision on your application.

Approval

You become an Australian citizen on the day we approve your application.

Refusal

We will send you a letter explaining the reasons for refusing your application. You have the right to ask for the decision to be reviewed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) .

Your letter will tell you where you can lodge an application for review and time limits for lodging your application.

If you become a citizen by descent you do not have to make the citizenship pledge or attend a ceremony.

If you applied on or after 1 July 2021, and your application is approved, we will print and mail an Australian citizenship certificate for each approved applicant/s.

How we send your citizenship certificate depends upon the postal address you provide in your application. If your postal address is outside Australia, we may send your certificate to you, or to the closest Australian Embassy or Consulate. If we send your certificate to the closest Australian Embassy or Consulate, we will notify you of how you can collect the certificate.

Please provide an Australian postal address in your application, if possible. This will ensure that we send your certificate quickly and securely via registered post.

For an Australian postal address, allow two weeks after approval for printing and postage of your certificate. For an address outside Australia, allow around six weeks. Timeframes for delivery may be longer depending upon the operation of mail services where you live.

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Send us an enquiry today to get started on your visa application.

Full Name:

Email Address:

Contact Number:

Current Location:

Current Visa:

Details:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I Need To Attend A Citizenship Test Or Ceremony?

No. Once your application is finalised, if it is approved you will be given an Australian Citizenship By Descent extract, which can be used to show that you are an Australian citizen when applying for an Australian passport.

2. Will I Be Granted A Bridging Visa During The Application?

No, you will not receive a bridging visa for this application. If you are applying for this citizenship while in Australia, you will need to ensure you have a valid Australian visa to allow you to remain onshore for the process, otherwise you will need to leave the country when your visa expires and wait offshore for the citizenship application to be finalised.

Do You Have Any Further Questions?

We understand that you may have specific questions about your own unique situation, so if there is anything you need to know that is not addressed on this website, do not hesitate to contact us.

Why choose us?

At Carevisa Australia, we make sure that our clients are looked after. We will manage your visa case with the highest level of care, and guide you throughout every step of the process. We are here to help you in any way, and assist you with any Australian migration related queries you may have.

Book an Appointment

Make an Enquiry

Contact Us

COST

COST

You must have been either:

Born outside Australia on or after 26 January 1949

Born outside Australia through an international surrogacy arrangement

You must also meet this criterion:

Character requirement

Identity documents if 16 or older

Evidence of date of birth and any changes of name

Photograph and signature

Evidence of residential address

Evidence of identity in the community

Identity documents if 15 years or younger

Evidence of date of birth and any changes of name

Evidence of identity in the community

Responsible parent documents

Good character documents

Spent convictions

Penal clearance certificates

Australian National Police Check

Supporting documents

Evidence of parent’s Australian citizenship

Documents about residency in Australia

Photograph

Online application

Translate

Scan

Attach

Paper application

Translate

Certify

Keep

Online application

Paper application

Payment of the application fee

Additional documents

Change in circumstances after applying

Approval

Refusal

Start your migration journey today

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I Need To Attend A Citizenship Test Or Ceremony?

2. Will I Be Granted A Bridging Visa During The Application?

Do You Have Any Further Questions?

We understand that you may have specific questions about your own unique situation, so if there is anything you need to know that is not addressed on this website, do not hesitate to contact us.

Why choose us?

At Carevisa Australia, we make sure that our clients are looked after. We will manage your visa case with the highest level of care, and guide you throughout every step of the process. We are here to help you in any way, and assist you with any Australian migration related queries you may have.