steve99

We had our interviews for Citizenship earlier this afternoon, we were both sweating that we'd forget the rights/privelidges etc.
What a breeze it was, we had an hour appointment for both of us, we were done in less than 10mins
The guy had a quick check of our forms, checked our ID etc. told us he was going to ask about the rights/privelidges and gave us a printed version of them whilst he was typing stuff in.
I commented on how my revision skills werent as good as when I was back in school.. he then said so do you think you'd get 80% right, we both nodded. He said ok im sure you would to, and we were done
We've just got to wait now till the local council let us know of our ceremony date. Probably a couple of months.
We were so stunned by the quickness of it that I completely forgot to question whether he knew anything about the new 3 year rule...

Steve

NewOZ

I heard the premier talking about discussing Anti-Terror laws with gov. end of this month,
not sure if that include toughen citizenship

any one has more info?!

brisnick

didn't hear anything, but have now booked my interview for 3 weeks today.

i did notice from citizenship website that the last changes took 7 weeks from introduction of the bill to royal assent. (feb 17, 2002 to apr 4, 2002).

Thebridge

Does anybody know if the proposed legislation will apply to the ‘old’ Permanent Residents? I have been in Australia for one year and 7 months and I feel very comfortable in this place. I am planning to stay here for a long time; however, I am very disappointed to feel myself as a ‘foreigner’ for another year.

In my opinion, the only way to formally ‘belong’ to the place is taking up the citizenship. I think that it is unfair and unreasonable to deprive the ‘old’ PR from the possibility to take up the citizenship in the promised time. The original rule is that the PR may opt to take the citizenship after two years of residence in Australia. This step is very important for me because I want to formalise my ties with Australia.

Changing the rule in the ‘middle of the game’ is what the Third World countries do and it is a characteristic of an unpredictable country.

I hope that the Government and the Community will reach a reasonable outcome in this field, which should not affect in a discriminatory way the expectations of a lot of people who came here with honest intentions, to start a new life, to work hard and to enjoy the benefits of living in a predictable and nice country.

It is just my opinion,

Regards,

Thebridge

The answer is below....

Citizenship changes 'heavy handed'
By Tamara McLean
08-09-2005
From: AAP
PLANS to force migrants to wait an extra year before seeking Australian citizenship were reactionary and heavy handed, rights groups said today.

Prime Minister John Howard proposed a raft of new policing and citizenship measures today, under a wide-ranging counter-terrorism regime.
The changes include increasing the waiting period to obtain citizenship from two to three years.

The Federal Government also wants all applications to be security-checked so citizenship can be refused on security grounds.

Islamic Friendship Association of Australia founder Keysar Trad said the year-long extension to the waiting period for citizenship would be unsettling for new migrants, and would bring little good.

"I don't see the wisdom behind this at all," Mr Trad said.

"The extension is disconcerting and it certainly makes a mockery of the requests for people to integrate easily."

It was doubtful the change would help curb terrorism, he said.

"I don't see how extending the period by 12 months is going to do anything to find which migrants are terrorists," Mr Trad said.

"All it will do is delay smooth integration and settling down."

Australian immigration lawyer Michaela Byers also criticised the announcement, saying the new conditions would act as a deterrent for law-abiding permanent residents.

"To make thousands of law-abiding permanent residents go through that extended process is a very heavy-handed reaction," Ms Byers said.

"Right now the Government is trying to encourage 900,000 permanent residents to become citizens, and they're having trouble doing that under current law.

"Further restrictions on citizenship will only act as more of a deterrent, and that's the last thing we should be doing."

There was little evidence of any gains to be made from such changes, Ms Byers said.

"I don't think there's real proof that any terrorists have become Australian citizens so this is a knee-jerk government reaction," she said.

Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia chairman Abd-Elmasih Malak said the Government must be careful not to overreact.

"There's no easy answer to the problem of terrorism, but more objective, rational thinking is needed rather than just a reaction to somebody's behaviour," Mr Malak said.

"We should be careful not to allow the criminals to dictate to us how we react."

The federation would be "happy to discuss any legitimate, fair and just process which ensures protection of the community's security but at the same time protects people's individual rights", Mr Malak said.

"I think it's time to think about alternative ideas to give a really comprehensive response," he said.

National Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman said it was reasonable to extend the application period, but he was concerned the terms for refusal would be too broad.

"With citizenship applications being refused on security grounds, our concern is the wide and vague meaning of security," Mr O'Gorman said.

Thebridge

I forgot to say that this article was published in news.com.au on 8-9-2005

KatieStar

I know how u feel. It is half one in the morning and I have ben up with my baby Ezekiel for two hours. He has just gone over to sleep. I have been net surfing while feeding and winding him.

As to the citizenship changes I must admit to being disapointed. I am looking forward to being a proper Ozzie asap. I feel I am here for good now and want to make a proper commitment when I can.

Katie

JAJ

Nobody knows yet. You'll have to wait and see.



Jeremy

Thebridge

Jeremy,

If the proposed law comes into force without taking into account the situation of the ‘old’ PR, is there any other judicial option to appeal the decision of DIMIA if they are going to reject the application of the ‘old’ PR because of the new residence requirement?

I want to live in a safe country and I supported the Government in many fields, but I can’t accept the extension period of one year to take up the citizenship. It is unreasonable not to distinguish between the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ PR.

My intention is to live with my family in Oz for a long time and I am committed to this country. However, it is unacceptable to be deprived of a basic and essential right, which is to be a fully integrated person in the new country. This is only achieved when you are a citizen and I feel that one more year is a long time for this important purpose.

I agree to tighten the security checking process of the applicant. However, I don’t understand why the Immigration Department needs more time. They have one year before the applicant comes to settle in Australia and two more years while the applicant is in Oz. Is it not enough?

Cheers

JAJ

Absolutely not. It will be the law of the land clearly stated in an Act of Parliament.

You can always write to your federal MP and give your views on the matter. Something like an exemption for existing PRs could be added within committee stage as it's a detail rather than the principle of the bill.

Even after it increases to three years, it will take less time to become a citizen in Australia compared to many other countries, for example:

- Canada has a three year residence period (but they are taking almost 18 months to process applications)
- New Zealand now has five years
- the United Kingdom, Ireland and USA have a five year residence requirement (reduced to three for spouses of citizens)
- France and Sweden have a five year requirement
- Germany requires 8 years
- Switzerland demands 12 years (more in some cantons).


Jeremy

banjo

if it is your intention to live in Australia for 'a long time' then why does one more year make so much difference? And.....is being granted citizenship of any country really a 'basic and essential right' .....or is it a privilage and/or reward for your commitment to that country as demonstrated over a period of time?

seang

Longer wait to access certain benifits(Uni's etc etc) therefore the posponement of certain plans.

Genuine De-facto / spouse visa holders now have a longer wait adding to an already long period.

Effects everyone in different ways

banjo

yeah...the implications for the spouses are really terrible I think....I don't know much about it, but just from what Pollyanna (and others) have said. I would suggest writing to your MP and making the point.

NewOZ

How can i contact the PM?????????

I wanted to buy a house but now i dont feel settled.
i have to wait an extra year

all my plans will change based on this New Legislation

Thebridge

I agree with you Banjo. Citizenship is a privilege given to the people who are committed to the country. However, there were certain rules or laws at the time your Permanent Residence was granted. One of these rules stated that after two years of Residence in Australia, you can be considered an Aussie if you exercise the option to take up the citizenship (so you can vote, travel without the requirement of the RRV, etc). Citizenship is an optional privilege, remember that 900,000 people don’t want to exercise that option.

Then, after two years I was going to be considered a fully integrated person in this society. Ok, again, I agree, citizenship is not a right, it is a privilege. But the respect of the human being is a right that everybody has.

The Government may impose a 10 years waiting period to get the Citizenship but from now, which means without affecting the existing PR who want to be legal citizens.

Look at the new citizenship law in NZ and you will see that the NZ Government changed the rules from April 2005 but they took into account the situation of the existing PRs, who have to wait the same period as before the law came into force.

One more year is not “the end of the world� but it is clearly unfair to change the rules for the existing Permanent Residents. You can expect to see this randomly behaviour of the Governments in the Third World countries, not in one of the most reliable country of the world.