lock collector

This may or may not be of interest ...

I recently applied for citizenship, did the whole application online & took all of about 15 mins. Cost AU$120.

Once lodged you then get a message to phone to make an appointment at your states dimia office for an interview - this can be months away. A faster choice is to turn up without an appointment, but you can sit there all day waiting. My appointment was about 10 weeks after my application was lodged.

The interview took all of about 10 mins, just asked duties & privaledges of citizenship (there on the email you get) just learn them and repeat, Easy.

Less than a week and a letter in the post confirming that all is OK and that citizenship is granted, however it is not legal until you attend a presentation which can take up to another 3 months.

So - done, when I have the bit of paper I can get and hold both UK & aussie passports and will not have to queue with the foreigners at either heathrow or Perth ..

Paul

Wendy

Good Post Congratulations on your citizenship

RayZor

May I ask how long you need to wait before applying etc...is it two years sincve arriving on a PR visa?

Ray

lock collector

Yes two years - and you must be in Aus for the whole two years.

Paul

JAJ

Not necessarily continuously however (you can take vacations, for example, but you must then add on the time you've missed).

movetoperth

You can also call and book your interview before you have filled out the application, ie before your 2 years is up. I called andbooked mine about 4 weeks before the date i could fill in my application, got it for 2 weeks after my 2 years was up, filled out the forms on the first possible date and that was that. Still had to wait 6 months for the ceremony though

Lynn

JAJ

That seems to be happening to quite a few people. It is completely unacceptable for councils to have such long waiting lists, perhaps things would change if people complained to their local councillors. Or wrote to their federal MPs to get DIMA Citizenship Section to put pressure on the council to organise more ceremonies.

DIMA's own policy states clearly that no-one should have to wait more than 3 months after approval for a ceremony.

Pomster

we lodged our applications in Nov, had the interview 4th Jan....still no sign of a ceremony.

Council blame DIMIA, and DIMIA say it is up to the councils. DIMIA did say that ceremonies are so popular in Vic that there may be a 6 month wait- well surely councils should hold ceremonies more often?

Not impressed so far.

JAJ

No excuse. In areas with a high number of applicants, councils are expected to organise ceremonies monthly. Some councils are very good and do just that, others are not.

Have you had your approval letter? The council can do nothing until this point, but after that, it's mainly down to them to sort out a ceremony. How frequently are they being organised - if they are slack, you should be complaining to your local councillors.

The Bloke

Thought they had increased it now to three years?

JAJ

Legislation to do that is still before Parliament, not in effect yet.

movetoperth

I was told the same, to expect up to a 6 month wait, that was by Dimia, the council told me they couldn't do anything until they received the cerifiacte from canberra, and actually chased it up for me and gace us a date over the phone, i thought they were really helpful. They do hold ceremonies every month and i don't know of anyone who has had to wait more than 3 months before, maybe we were just "lost" in the system.

Lynn

The Bloke

Wouldn't be surprised if they sneak it and other changes in around Budget-time though, while everyone's attention is on the budget.

JAJ

There's no question of it being "sneaked in" - it's been before Parliament a few months now and the Senate has completed an inquiry into the Bill. It will get passed when it reaches the top of the list for consideration.

In any case, the Bill contains good news for certain people, including those who missed time limits to register as Australians by descent, and former Australian citizens who want their citizenship back.

Parliamentary time for other matters is limited during the Budget period.

Trevglas

My interview is tomorrow. I have checked on the Gold Coast council site and they have ceremonies each month down the convention centre
http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/t_standard.aspx?pid=108