andyaldy

Can anyone help me on this one, my husband and i along with our two children arrived here on 19 April 2005, we are coming up to the 2yr mark, which i understand we can apply for citizenship, we came on oz on my husbands skilled visa that he applied for from the uk, my question being that last year myself and the children went back to the uk for a holiday for 8 weeks, and my husband joined us for 3 of then, now does that mean he has to wait the extra 3 weeks then apply for citizenship on his own and we have to wait an extra 8 weeks, as we are all on his visa which was a skilled independent, or do you all have to apply together which means we have to wait the extra 8 weeks, sorry to sound so confusing on this.

biggy

To satisfy this requirement you must have been present in Australia as a permanent resident for periods totalling at least:

2 years out of the last 5 years, including at least 12 months in the last 2 years immediately prior to the date of lodgement.

JAJ

You can apply independently but you will need to clock up the 2 years yourself. That means waiting an extra 8 weeks.

Children under 16 can be added to either parent's application. The residence period doesn't apply to them.

Pollyana

Just wondering......not that it applies to me, but......if the residency period doesn't apply to children, does that mean, in theory, that a child could validate the visa, then return to the UK - maybe to school for GCSEs or something - but still become a citizen on the strength of the parent having lived here for the 2 years, then applied and become a citizen, even though the child has lived abroad the whole time?

JAJ

In theory maybe, but DIMA would probably look for evidence that child was "settled" in Australia as well, even if they weren't looking for 2 years residence.

Also - once child turns 16, normal requirements usually apply instead.

If child's future is going to be in Australia I can't really see why he or she ought to be spending time in the UK education system anyway.

sj oldfield

You can probably call up now to make an appointment for the interview...........there is quite a long wait for this appt, so you would have easily satisfied the residency requirement by then.