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Citizenship test - worth it?

Citizenship test - worth it?

Old Mar 5th 2008, 7:31 pm
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Default Citizenship test - worth it?

Ah dear, tis that time in ones migrant life where they feel obliged to take the plunge and get citizenship, only I really can't be arsed! Apparently if I'd submitted the application when i should have done (Oct 07) I wouldn't have to sit this test, only obviously, I didn't and now have to make that special trip to Centrelink! So I tested myself online and failed - thought i should therefore read the book, passed online (just one of those self check thingys) but now can't be bothered. So it gives me the right to vote (whoopeedo) and the right for consular assistance (don't I get that via British citizenship anyway). The only 'real' reason for me to do it, is our kids UK passports have expired - so no pressure really! Works out I can sned an application off to canberra to renew the boys UK passports at a cost of over $300 each. Anyone know the cost for aussie passports? Am I committed to the country - well hell yeah! Do i really want to be fined for choosing not to vote - ummmm nope! Are there any other incentives for doing this?
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 9:39 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by glittababe
Are there any other incentives for doing this?
Dunno if you know my story GB, but this is a subject very close to my heart.
The long and short of it is I lived there for 11 years as a kid, parents seperated and didn't get me citizenship before we returned to the UK so I now have to apply for 47SV resident return/close ties visa.
IMHO, the citizenship opens many doors for your children when they are older to leave Australia and return if and when they choose; not having the hassles we all have of applying for visas.
I am biased, so hopefully there will be some other comments to help your decision.
J x
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 9:43 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by glittababe
Ah dear, tis that time in ones migrant life where they feel obliged to take the plunge and get citizenship, only I really can't be arsed! Apparently if I'd submitted the application when i should have done (Oct 07) I wouldn't have to sit this test, only obviously, I didn't and now have to make that special trip to Centrelink! So I tested myself online and failed - thought i should therefore read the book, passed online (just one of those self check thingys) but now can't be bothered. So it gives me the right to vote (whoopeedo) and the right for consular assistance (don't I get that via British citizenship anyway). The only 'real' reason for me to do it, is our kids UK passports have expired - so no pressure really! Works out I can sned an application off to canberra to renew the boys UK passports at a cost of over $300 each. Anyone know the cost for aussie passports? Am I committed to the country - well hell yeah! Do i really want to be fined for choosing not to vote - ummmm nope! Are there any other incentives for doing this?
Don't bother then.
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 9:51 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by glittababe
Ah dear, tis that time in ones migrant life where they feel obliged to take the plunge and get citizenship, only I really can't be arsed! Apparently if I'd submitted the application when i should have done (Oct 07) I wouldn't have to sit this test, only obviously, I didn't and now have to make that special trip to Centrelink! So I tested myself online and failed - thought i should therefore read the book, passed online (just one of those self check thingys) but now can't be bothered. So it gives me the right to vote (whoopeedo) and the right for consular assistance (don't I get that via British citizenship anyway). The only 'real' reason for me to do it, is our kids UK passports have expired - so no pressure really! Works out I can sned an application off to canberra to renew the boys UK passports at a cost of over $300 each. Anyone know the cost for aussie passports? Am I committed to the country - well hell yeah! Do i really want to be fined for choosing not to vote - ummmm nope! Are there any other incentives for doing this?
if you dont get citizenship then after your visa runs out you will have to apply for a RRV every thime you leave Oz. I couldnt wait till I was eligible for my citizenship, and when we did have our ceremony, it was an awesome experience that I shall never forget. I didnt think it would make much difference getting a cert letting me stay here forever...but it made a huge difference, and made us more accepted in the community, a year on when we say to peeps we r citizens we still get the...awe good on ya mate, and often a hug from complete strangers......
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 10:17 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by biggy
if you dont get citizenship then after your visa runs out you will have to apply for a RRV every thime you leave Oz. I couldnt wait till I was eligible for my citizenship, and when we did have our ceremony, it was an awesome experience that I shall never forget. I didnt think it would make much difference getting a cert letting me stay here forever...but it made a huge difference, and made us more accepted in the community, a year on when we say to peeps we r citizens we still get the...awe good on ya mate, and often a hug from complete strangers......
Well apparently i do get a native plant! Didn't realise about the RRV - we have no plans to leave oz at the moment, but may visit the uk in a few years. The mere fact that the boys UK passports have expired concerns us as we use them for domestic flights within oz. We've been told as a family of 5, the citizenship stuff will set us back a few $$$'s. We're weighing up whether its cheaper to just renew their UK ones????
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 10:29 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by glittababe
Well apparently i do get a native plant! Didn't realise about the RRV - we have no plans to leave oz at the moment, but may visit the uk in a few years. The mere fact that the boys UK passports have expired concerns us as we use them for domestic flights within oz. We've been told as a family of 5, the citizenship stuff will set us back a few $$$'s. We're weighing up whether its cheaper to just renew their UK ones????
You can never be deported either.
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 10:30 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

I kind of think if you make Aussie your home you should be proud to take on the same rights and duties a citizen does. It's an act of faith to the country you've chosen. Like an adopted child, just as good as your biological child.

Perhaps if you were going to lose something (eg. your UK citizenship... which you won't) then I could understand. I also appreciate that even WITH citizenship there will be locals who will always think of you as being not one of them. Protestations of citizenship will never measure up to the real thing to some. However, it's not about them. It's about you and if you want to enjoy living in Aussie with all the perks of a citizen why shouldn't you risk doing jury service.. maybe never in your life time? Voting is one small thing we can give ourselves. If it's about not measuring up to the test.. then maybe you shouldn't be a citizen. We don't want people claiming to be Aussies who can't pass a simple test where all the answers are readily available in the first place!
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 10:33 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by Amazulu
You can never be deported either.
That's the main reason I'd do it. You take all that time trying to get in, you want to make sure they can never change the rules and kick you out or not let you back in

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Old Mar 5th 2008, 10:33 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by glittababe
Ah dear, tis that time in ones migrant life where they feel obliged to take the plunge and get citizenship, only I really can't be arsed! Apparently if I'd submitted the application when i should have done (Oct 07) I wouldn't have to sit this test, only obviously, I didn't and now have to make that special trip to Centrelink! So I tested myself online and failed - thought i should therefore read the book, passed online (just one of those self check thingys) but now can't be bothered. So it gives me the right to vote (whoopeedo) and the right for consular assistance (don't I get that via British citizenship anyway). The only 'real' reason for me to do it, is our kids UK passports have expired - so no pressure really! Works out I can sned an application off to canberra to renew the boys UK passports at a cost of over $300 each. Anyone know the cost for aussie passports? Am I committed to the country - well hell yeah! Do i really want to be fined for choosing not to vote - ummmm nope! Are there any other incentives for doing this?
Call me old fashioned but if you can't take the oath and mean it then don't bother.
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 10:33 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by glittababe
Ah dear, tis that time in ones migrant life where they feel obliged to take the plunge and get citizenship, only I really can't be arsed! Apparently if I'd submitted the application when i should have done (Oct 07) I wouldn't have to sit this test, only obviously, I didn't and now have to make that special trip to Centrelink! So I tested myself online and failed - thought i should therefore read the book, passed online (just one of those self check thingys) but now can't be bothered. So it gives me the right to vote (whoopeedo) and the right for consular assistance (don't I get that via British citizenship anyway). The only 'real' reason for me to do it, is our kids UK passports have expired - so no pressure really! Works out I can sned an application off to canberra to renew the boys UK passports at a cost of over $300 each. Anyone know the cost for aussie passports? Am I committed to the country - well hell yeah! Do i really want to be fined for choosing not to vote - ummmm nope! Are there any other incentives for doing this?
It's worth bearing in mind that people die for the right to vote and have a say in how their country is run around the world.

But if you can't be arsed with it then just don't bother with the obvious inconvenience it brings to your life.
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 10:37 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by glittababe
Well apparently i do get a native plant! Didn't realise about the RRV - we have no plans to leave oz at the moment, but may visit the uk in a few years. The mere fact that the boys UK passports have expired concerns us as we use them for domestic flights within oz. We've been told as a family of 5, the citizenship stuff will set us back a few $$$'s. We're weighing up whether its cheaper to just renew their UK ones????
a British child passport is $187

Oz child passport is $100

Citizebship is $240 per adult the kids dont pay
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 10:39 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by allankate
That's the main reason I'd do it. You take all that time trying to get in, you want to make sure they can never change the rules and kick you out or not let you back in

Allan
There was a case in Perth a few years ago. 2 young English guys, married to Aussies but were only PR. They got involved in a pub brawl that got out of hand and they were convicted of Assault. They ended up getting deported even though they were married to Aussies.

Citizenship is important. The test is a piece of piss anyway.
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 10:40 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by renth
Call me old fashioned but if you can't take the oath and mean it then don't bother.
True....

In our case we did it becuase it was what we really wanted. This is our home now and we wanted the freedom that comes with being a citizen (having a passport, being able to have a say in who governs the country) not to mention it can open doors for certain jobs that require citizenship.

Since we did it I have felt more like I belong here. It's nice when people assume you are English and you can point out that actually you are an Aussie. e.g. in our post office there is one woman who is always a bit sour faced. OH popped in the other day for an ID check for a new credit card, one of his bits of ID was his citizenship cert. She commented on it and was nice as pie after that!!!
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 10:53 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

my PR interview was a hoot, I was interviewed by a Gujerati Woman who spent 5 years in London, so we just talked about food and travel.

I took citizenship before the test , so that was just a ceremony, which my 4 year old called boring.......

this is classic :

http://www.nicholsoncartoons.com.au/...ash.php?id=215
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Old Mar 5th 2008, 10:59 pm
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Default Re: Citizenship test - worth it?

Originally Posted by renth
Call me old fashioned but if you can't take the oath and mean it then don't bother.
Thats kinda my view - only if I take the oath, obviously I will mean it, as I love living here, I class oz as my home (my Mum's side of the family are from Sydney) and never felt 'right' in the UK (if that makes sense). However, I don't want to be fined for choosing not to vote, especially when I don't agree with a lot of the polical viewpoints (aside from the good old green party). Hopefully I'll never do anything that wrong that I'd get deported and I don't intend to leave oz in the next few years - so why pay all that money? The majority of my mates are aussies (only have a handful of friends that are expat UK) and in their minds, whether you've become a citizen or not, you are still a pommie migrant and always will be - so certainly not equal to those born and bred here. Hard to hear, but when your sat at a bbq with your mates and the subject comes up, its something very close to their hearts. It begs the question whether we'll ever be accepted? The same can be said for migrants in the UK - think how they get treated?

The 'only' reason i would be doing it at the moment, is for my children. I want to do it when I'm ready, but with the kids passports expired, I feel I'm being pushed into it.

Can just one parent do it? Might send hubby along instead!
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