How to Apply for Australian Citizenship - Refugee and family members fact sheet

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr

Guidance for refugees and their family members who are Australian permanent residents on applying for Australian citizenship and the steps involved. Explains citizenship rights, the need to provide correct genuine documents, and how inconsistent information may result in visa refusal or cancellation. Covers pathways through general eligibility, including continuous residence and permanent residence requirements, plus specific provisions for stateless children and evidence for children born in Australia. Includes document gathering and eligibility steps covering age, character, English and knowledge requirements, and links to Australia.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

How to Apply for Australian Citizenship

Information and key warnings

Pathways to become an Australian citizen

General eligibility

Step One: Check your eligibility

Age

Permanent residence

General residence requirement

Character requirement

Knowledge of Australia and English

Close and continuing link to Australia

Step Two: Gather your documents

How to Apply for Australian Citizenship This fact sheet is for refugees and their family members who are Australian permanent residents. It explains how you can become an Australian citizen and the steps to take to apply for citizenship. Australian citizens have the right to travel on an Australian passport, work in certain Australian Government jobs, and the right and the responsibility to vote in elections and serve on juries. Some countries do not allow dual citizenship. If you are a citizen of another country, you should check if becoming an Australian citizen will affect your citizenship of that country. RACS cannot provide advice about the citizenship laws of other countries. It is very important that the information you provide in a citizenship application is correct and the documents are genuine. If the documents you provide in a citizenship application have information that is different to information otherwise provided to the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) , you should seek legal advice. Inconsistent information may lead to visa refusal or cancellation. You can request a copy of your previous immigration records under Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation. If you need help doing this, contact RACS. Pathways to become an Australian citizen Most refugees become Australian citizens by meeting the general eligibility requirements for citizenship. These include being in Australia with a valid visa continuously (not unlawful) for 4 years and being a permanent resident for at least one year before applying to become an Australian citizen. See below. Some children born in Australia can apply for citizenship if both their parents were stateless (did not have citizenship of any country) at the time of their birth. If this applies to you, please refer to the RACS Fact Sheet – “Citizenship application process for Stateless Children”, available here. Some children born in Australia become Australian citizens without having to apply. They just need to apply for evidence that they are Australian citizens. Children born in Australia who do not need to apply for Australian citizenship are children who either have: • One parent who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident at the time of the child’s birth; or • Been ordinarily resident in Australia for 10 years since birth. If this applies to you, please refer to the RACS Fact Sheet – “Evidence of Citizenship for Children Born in Australia – One Parent is an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident or Child is Ordinarily Resident in Australia for 10 Years”. More information on general eligibility, as well as what to expect after you apply, is set out below. General eligibility Step One: Check your eligibility When you apply for citizenship, you must meet the following requirements: 1. Age You must generally be aged 16 or over, or a child aged 15 or under included in a parent or guardian’s application. Children aged 16 or 17 must apply on their own and cannot be included in a parent or guardian’s application. If you are a parent or guardian applying on behalf of a child aged 15 or under without the consent of any other parent or guardian, or a child aged 17 or under applying on your own, you should seek legal advice. 2. Permanent residence You and any other person included in the application must be an Australian permanent resident. If you are a New Zealand citizen, you should seek legal advice. 3. General residence requirement If you are aged 16 or over, you must generally have been: • Living in Australia on a valid visa for the past 4 years, including as an Australian permanent resident for the past 12 months (see residence calculator) ; and • Not outside of Australia for more than 12 months in the past 4 years, including more than 90 days in the past 12 months. Children aged 15 or under included in a parent or guardian’s application do not need to meet the general residence requirement. 4. Character requirement

FAQs

Who is this fact sheet for?

It is for refugees and their family members who are Australian permanent residents.

What can happen if the information in a citizenship application is inconsistent?

If the documents contain information different from what is provided to the Department, legal advice should be sought. Inconsistent information may lead to visa refusal or cancellation.

What are the general eligibility residence requirements?

Applicants aged 16 or over generally must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for the past 4 years, including as a permanent resident for the past 12 months, and not been outside Australia for more than 12 months in the past 4 years (including no more than 90 days outside in the past 12 months).

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr