Chef69

I did my citizenship test today. i am now on the way to becoming an aussie. But I am only doing this as I don't have to give up my Irish passport or citizenship. I will still have my irish passport for travelling around Europe. This is the best gift that i could give my Children.

geordie downunder

For a UK citizen you can have dual nationality so doesn't seem to be a problem.Other countries make you give up their nationality,then it would take some serious thinking.

In the old days travelling on an OZ passport was a problem as you needed a visa before travel.The UK passport could be stamped on arrival so I travelled on a UK p/port.Now the OZ p/port is stamped on arrival so I haven't had a UK p/port since around 96 I think.

Children should also take out nationality too.There have been some cases where they have been brought here young and then deported in their 30s or 40s after a number of crimes.Some of them did not even realise they were not Australian as they had never left the country so never needed a p/port.

Could be a faulty memory but I think there was a jock murdered somebody in Sydney in the 60s.After his 25 years in nick they released him and then deported him to the UK,I think he had dual nationality but that didn't stop them from deporting him.Could be a faulty memory so DIMIA or whatever they are called now would be the people to question...When I came here they stressed that if I was a naughty boy I would be deported,no questions asked.

Centurion

You can't deport a citizen of your own country dual nationality or no. You can only revoke someone's PR visa/other visa and deport them.

sunshine23

I cannot empathise how important it is to get citizenship. I was born in the UK but came to Australia when I was 6 I was never made a citizen and returned to the UK when I was 25. 18 years later myself and husband decided we wanted to live back in Australia. It took us 2 years and a lot of money to get my permanent residency back (very hard visa to qualify for). If I had been a citizen we would have only had to get my hubby a spouse visa. We have been back in Australia for just over a year now and will be getting citizenship as soon as we qualify next year.

Sunshine23

JAJ

Not always - depends on the country and your personal circumstances. I can't really understand why, if someone has settled in Australia and sees Australia as home, they would want to hang onto the citizenship of their old country which forbids them from becoming Australian.

Australian citizens cannot be deported, except for offences committed before becoming an Australian citizen.

leftfield

Yes it does depend on your personal circumstances. Therefore surely it is easy to understand that some people would want to keep the citizenship of their old country?

JAJ

Maybe some would, although sooner or later it doesn't make sense to continue being a foreigner if your home and identity are in Australia.

This is particularly the case where it is the former country causing the problem, not Australia. Many people from countries like this do not appreciate being told to obtain proof (from DIAC) that they are not Australian citizens before they are allowed to renew their passports.

Ruskee

Out of interest, how many of you that opted for citzenship would have done so if it meant that you were compelled to relinquish your British Passport?

I love Australia and I'm proud to live, work and call it home but I'd struggle to give up my purple PP.

The reason I ask is that I have heard rumors that the days of dual nationality may be numbered with individuals expected to choose one or other. This may be a rumor with no basis.

Centurion

I would suggest that rumor is actually an entire work of fiction with no basis whatsoever.

Australia modified its laws only recently to allow dual citizenship and the UK isn't about to retrospectively insist that the millions of people (and I would think tens of millions) with dual citizenship choose or face deportation. The cost alone to the government would be astronomical and the consequences devastating politically not to mention it is perhaps one of the most pointless things to do and achieves nothing.

That said, in this fairy tale scenario I would chuck my UK passport away. If I still had it and it hadn't expired already, which it has. Australia is my home and despite never forgetting where I came from this is where I have ended up and its only right I stand up and be counted for the country I chose to live in.

leftfield

Maybe people like to keep their options open?

JAJ

Bear in mind that many countries do not allow people to renounce or otherwise give up their citizenship, even if they want to (which can cause a range of other problems).

bcworld

If the PR was granted before 1st July 2007 you require 2 years of permanent residence prior to the citizenship application. Otherwise, you require 4 years of lawful residence (temp, provisional, permanent) of which 1 year must be permanent residence.

JAJ

Perhaps although options are not as open as they appear to be ... if you leave Australia for too long (as a PR) and don't meet the requirements for a Resident Return Visa, the option to return closes down.

I can understand people deciding to hang on to their original citizenship as a short/medium term option - eg until elderly parents have passed away, or younger siblings have grown up, etc.

But I cannot see why someone settled in Australia for a long period of time, with no real ties overseas, would choose not to be Australian citizens just because their old country forbids them from doing so.