Your experience of the citizenship interview
#1
Your experience of the citizenship interview
We have our citizenship interview booked for the 24th of April. I have read through the blurb on the citizenship website about the rights and responsibilities as an Aussie citizen. I think that is all the preparation we need to do, other than sort the paperwork we have to take with us.
I was wondering how other people had found their interview. Was it pretty relaxed? or more of a grilling?
I was wondering how other people had found their interview. Was it pretty relaxed? or more of a grilling?
#2
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
Fairly relaxed - I knew all my rights and responsibilities off by heart but interviewer gave hubby a quick prompt at one point
Very very helpful guy we had in sorting out son aged 16 to have ceremony at same time.
Paperwork is possibly the most important thing as well as the criminal record check they do.
Enjoy
Very very helpful guy we had in sorting out son aged 16 to have ceremony at same time.
Paperwork is possibly the most important thing as well as the criminal record check they do.
Enjoy
#3
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
Just out of interest, how long does it take from the moment one is legally able to apply for citizenship until one can have a new shiny australian passport?
Thanks
Thanks
#4
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
1. how long to DIAC take to process your application; then
2. how long does it take your council to invite you to a ceremony.
Each step takes between 1-3 months in most cases. Most people, therefore become citizens in 3-6 months from application.
However some do have to wait longer. All the current publicity of citizenship has anecdotally caused more applications and hence some longer waiting times. Also, not all councils take their responsibilities to organise citizenship ceremonies as seriously as they should.
As soon as you have attended your citizenship ceremony and made the Pledge of Commitment you are an Australian citizen. Not before, however.
You can apply for an Australian passport as soon as you are a citizen. Processing time around 10-15 days normally.
#5
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
Two variables:
1. how long to DIAC take to process your application; then
2. how long does it take your council to invite you to a ceremony.
Each step takes between 1-3 months in most cases. Most people, therefore become citizens in 3-6 months from application.
However some do have to wait longer. All the current publicity of citizenship has anecdotally caused more applications and hence some longer waiting times. Also, not all councils take their responsibilities to organise citizenship ceremonies as seriously as they should.
As soon as you have attended your citizenship ceremony and made the Pledge of Commitment you are an Australian citizen. Not before, however.
You can apply for an Australian passport as soon as you are a citizen. Processing time around 10-15 days normally.
1. how long to DIAC take to process your application; then
2. how long does it take your council to invite you to a ceremony.
Each step takes between 1-3 months in most cases. Most people, therefore become citizens in 3-6 months from application.
However some do have to wait longer. All the current publicity of citizenship has anecdotally caused more applications and hence some longer waiting times. Also, not all councils take their responsibilities to organise citizenship ceremonies as seriously as they should.
As soon as you have attended your citizenship ceremony and made the Pledge of Commitment you are an Australian citizen. Not before, however.
You can apply for an Australian passport as soon as you are a citizen. Processing time around 10-15 days normally.
#6
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
Thanks for your replies.
While on the subject of passports maybe someone can answer this question. Does becoming an Aussie citizen cancel out a permanent residency visa, meaning that an Aussie passport would be needed to reenter Australia?
While on the subject of passports maybe someone can answer this question. Does becoming an Aussie citizen cancel out a permanent residency visa, meaning that an Aussie passport would be needed to reenter Australia?
#7
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,233
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
yes precisely, your PR visa is no longer relevant, you will need an Australian passport instead
#9
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
Two variables:
1. how long to DIAC take to process your application; then
2. how long does it take your council to invite you to a ceremony.
Each step takes between 1-3 months in most cases. Most people, therefore become citizens in 3-6 months from application.
However some do have to wait longer. All the current publicity of citizenship has anecdotally caused more applications and hence some longer waiting times. Also, not all councils take their responsibilities to organise citizenship ceremonies as seriously as they should.
As soon as you have attended your citizenship ceremony and made the Pledge of Commitment you are an Australian citizen. Not before, however.
You can apply for an Australian passport as soon as you are a citizen. Processing time around 10-15 days normally.
1. how long to DIAC take to process your application; then
2. how long does it take your council to invite you to a ceremony.
Each step takes between 1-3 months in most cases. Most people, therefore become citizens in 3-6 months from application.
However some do have to wait longer. All the current publicity of citizenship has anecdotally caused more applications and hence some longer waiting times. Also, not all councils take their responsibilities to organise citizenship ceremonies as seriously as they should.
As soon as you have attended your citizenship ceremony and made the Pledge of Commitment you are an Australian citizen. Not before, however.
You can apply for an Australian passport as soon as you are a citizen. Processing time around 10-15 days normally.
#10
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
Obviously they had marked my card from the outset.
#11
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Cairns
Posts: 3,918
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
We were asked our rights and responsibilities, brief chat, easy peasy.
Our interview was September 2006, recieved confirmation of being successful in November 2006 and our citizenship ceremony was March 2007.
You can opt to have your ceremony in a different shire, I asked the dept, as we needed our citizenship by end of March this year and at one point it looked like we might not get it, so they suggested we go to Townsville for ours, if we wanted an earlier ceremony but didn't need to in the end.
Our interview was September 2006, recieved confirmation of being successful in November 2006 and our citizenship ceremony was March 2007.
You can opt to have your ceremony in a different shire, I asked the dept, as we needed our citizenship by end of March this year and at one point it looked like we might not get it, so they suggested we go to Townsville for ours, if we wanted an earlier ceremony but didn't need to in the end.
#12
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
We were asked our rights and responsibilities, brief chat, easy peasy.
Our interview was September 2006, recieved confirmation of being successful in November 2006 and our citizenship ceremony was March 2007.
You can opt to have your ceremony in a different shire, I asked the dept, as we needed our citizenship by end of March this year and at one point it looked like we might not get it, so they suggested we go to Townsville for ours, if we wanted an earlier ceremony but didn't need to in the end.
Our interview was September 2006, recieved confirmation of being successful in November 2006 and our citizenship ceremony was March 2007.
You can opt to have your ceremony in a different shire, I asked the dept, as we needed our citizenship by end of March this year and at one point it looked like we might not get it, so they suggested we go to Townsville for ours, if we wanted an earlier ceremony but didn't need to in the end.
#13
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
we had a strange interview.
Hubby is half English/half Vietnamese, but only speaks English and only had British nationality (until we got the Aussie one as well).
The heavily accented Indian-heritage interviewer only asked questions of hubby not me (white, Welsh) and bombarded him- seemed to think his English might be not fluent!
Very wierd! Still we did not fail...
Hubby is half English/half Vietnamese, but only speaks English and only had British nationality (until we got the Aussie one as well).
The heavily accented Indian-heritage interviewer only asked questions of hubby not me (white, Welsh) and bombarded him- seemed to think his English might be not fluent!
Very wierd! Still we did not fail...
#14
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
Thanks for all your replies, it would seem that the interview isn't too much of a big deal as long as you can speak English. I was worried my mind would go blank when I got into the interview room, but if they prompt you that should not be a drama. Thanks again.
Katie
Katie
#15
Re: Your experience of the citizenship interview
We found the whole process really easy. We filled the online application form in on 18th March and had our interview on 24th March. By 27th march we'd received letters confirming our application had been approved.
The interview itself was really straightforward. Mr GG and I were interviewed seperately, but the applications linked, so we'll be going to the ceremony at the DIAC offices in Sydney together (we were told it would be in 2/3 months' time).
They just checked our documents, did a police check, asked us about the rights and responsibilities (I got them the wrong way around ) and that was it. Whole process (including queueing - they were stoopidly busy, even on a Saturday morning) took about 20 minutes.
The interview itself was really straightforward. Mr GG and I were interviewed seperately, but the applications linked, so we'll be going to the ceremony at the DIAC offices in Sydney together (we were told it would be in 2/3 months' time).
They just checked our documents, did a police check, asked us about the rights and responsibilities (I got them the wrong way around ) and that was it. Whole process (including queueing - they were stoopidly busy, even on a Saturday morning) took about 20 minutes.