JAJ

1. The residence calculator at http://www.citizenship.gov.au will tell you when you can apply.

2. Look at forms 124 and 1027i and make sure you have all the documentation they will need to process your application.

3. The impending change will likely increase the number of applicants and hence processing time, so I'd look at applying as soon as possible. Countless numbers of people put it off (or don'tthink about it) and then regret it once they have left.

Jeremy

bondipom

I was looking here http://www.citizenship.gov.au/info/changes2005.htm and on the link and cannot see the info. What is the URL for your info?

bondipom

The legislation is scheduled to go before parliament in the next couple of weeks and according to the announcement the laws will come into place as soon as they are passed. I am eligible in November. I might even make an Australia Day ceremony.

JAJ

It's in the same place! Here's the text in full (from the above link).


Proposed Changes to Citizenship Legislation - announced 8 September 2005

On 8 September 2005, the Prime Minister announced the government will introduce legislation to further boost its counter-terrorism laws with a range of proposals to deter, prevent, detect and prosecute for acts of terrorism. The proposals included changes to citizenship legislation.

In summary the changes are:

- extending the residency requirement by 12 months to 3 years
- providing for security checking of citizenship applications, so that they can be refused on security grounds
- extending revocation provisions to include serious criminal offences for offences committed in the period between approval of an application and acquisition of citizenship

The Prime Minister's media release is at: http://www.pm.gov.au/news/media_rele...lease1551.html

Timing of changes

Draft legislation to give effect to these changes is expected to be available for introduction in the Parliament in the coming weeks. Only after the legislation has passed through the Parliament will these changes take effect.

The draft legislation will also give effect to changes announced by the Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs on 7 July 2004.

Residency requirements
The provisions in the Act covering residency requirements for Australian citizenship will be amended. The proposed change is an increase in the current residency requirement from 2 year to 3 years. Once the legislation has been amended an applicant for Australian citizenship will be required to be present in Australia as a permanent resident for a total of 3 years in the five years before making the application. This includes a period of one year in the two years before the application is made.

Security
A new provision in the Act will prohibit the approval of a citizenship application if that person is identified as a risk to Australia's security. The prohibition will apply to all applications for citizenship, including applications for citizenship by descent, citizenship by conferral and applications for the resumption of Australian citizenship.

Revocation
The revocation provisions within Australian citizenship legislation will be extended. Under current legislation a person can have their Australian citizenship revoked if they committed a serious offence prior to being approved to become an Australian citizen, and are convicted for 12 months or more for that offence after lodging the application. This provision in the Act will be extended to enable revocation for a serious crime committed at any time up until the person becomes an Australian citizen by making the pledge of commitment, provided that they are convicted for 12 months or more for that offence.

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I've highlighted the relevant text in bold.



Jeremy

Storini

It's worth saying that the consequence of this if you are caught by it, e.g. did not move within 2 years of being granted the PR visa, then it would appear that you will require a new Residents Return Visa (RRV) if you plan to leave and re-enter Australia during the period between the PR visa expiring and before you acquire citizenship and an Oz passport. It's not impossible they will extend the validity of existing PR visas but I haven't seen anything to that effect. RRV's cost $ and requrire demonstration of a substantial connection to Oz, I believe.

rapitts

shit, I've only got 9 months before I hit the 2 years mark, oh well not a big problem I guess.

Good some good points, not forced to vote

Its a bit stupid to increase the number of years because of terrorism, however I guess there is some hidden agenda to these changes as well.

rapitts

the new change also includes the following :
http://www.citizenship.gov.au/info/transcript.htm (see 7th July 2004)

banjo

we've also only got 4 months....currently we would be eligable to apply 18 Jan 2006. What about you Badge?

brisnick

i've only got three weeks. i've been a PR for over 2 years but have had 3 overseas trips (NZ, NY and UK) in that time.

bugger!

anyawy, the PMs media release says:

11. Citizenship

We will continue to work on visa and citizenship security and character checking processes but will move immediately to strengthen our citizenship provisions including:

extending the waiting period in order to obtain citizenship by 12 months to three years

brisnick

two more things.

how do you arrange a citizenship interview? i was under the impression you applied via the forms, and they called you for an interview? can you arrange for an interview before you apply (or at the same time)?

also, the july 2004 changes include this:

"introducing a discretion to allow for periods of up to twelve months spent in Australia on a temporary visa prior to application to be counted as permanent residence if the applicant was involved in activities beneficial to Australia during that period"

as i have been in oz since march 2001 (and since jan 2002 on a 457 or PR visa) maybe that will count anyway, although a definition of how my activities during that year were beneficial to australia would be needed.

Amanda&Paul

When do you reckon this'll come into effect? Is it like the UK - takes months for changes to come into effect/have they said? We are eligable in three and a half months!!

woodyinoz

Due to time out of the country we have to wait until the 29th Sept.... before we can apply. 20 days and counting. Going to be close hey!
Ohh well if it doesn't happen we weren't going anywhere so waiting a year really wont hurt that much.

steve99

Ditto,
Got mine booked for next Tuesday.
I'll be doing everything I can to try and get the ceremony organised for as soon as possible.
Once we've been given the green light at the interview I'll see if they can give us any further information on when they think the changes will take effect.
Good luck with yours
Steve

banjo

Apparently applying in person is the quickest route. I also was only aware of being able to apply via the internet or post office, but you can ring 131800 and arrange for an appointment at your local DIMIA office. You take all your paperwork, photos, fee etc. with you and they sort it. Apparently sometimes they will approve your application straight away (guess that will change with extra security checks), but usually takes up to two weeks and then you just have to have the ceremony. Make sure you know the rights and responsibilities bit.

bondipom

I am in a state of sleep deprivation and currently need bold.