2 years for us too!

Well done guys...

Well done guys, have met you a few times at Sophia's organised get-togethers in Rockingham, but missed the last one in December. We passed our two-year mark in July, but waited until September before applying because hubby had been out of the country on business trips so much. Turns out it didn't matter, he's working for an Australian company and the trips were all business ones, so they wouldn't have been counted anyway.

We were naturalised (ie became citizens) at the Australia Day ceremony on Mandurah foreshore. It was packed, there were 100's of families, and we had to stand on the stage and say the oath in front of all those people, I haven't been that nervous since my wedding day, worried that I would fluff my lines! My Mum was here on a holiday, so that was nice having one relative there! And the kids were featured on the front page of the Coastal Times which was brilliant, they got recognised for weeks afterwards, people jokingly asking for their autographs.

Don't forget, once you become a citizen, your visa gets cancelled. You don't need a visa to be in this country, obviously, as an Australian citizen! An easy oversight to make, and not much fun if you go abroad on holiday and arrive back at the airport to find they won't let you in! Once you have your citizenship papers, apply for an Aussie passport - yet more forms to fill in, the last we'll ever have to do I hope!

Well we finally applied for citizenship, had the interview just waiting now for the ceremony which should be in the next few months, what a relief, with all the problems we have had we have made it, it just goes to show stick with it, we could have easily given up and gone home believe me, but we didn't and still here to tell the tale, not to say we didn't shed bucket loads of tears!! it's such an emotional rollercoaster ride,

Councils normally have 2 citizenship ceremonies each year (if there are sufficient numbers there one of these is usually Australia Day 26th January). If you wish to short circuit the procedure, telephone the Mayors office at your local council and explain that you require immediate access to an Australian passport for travel reasons. Make an appointment and the ceremony will be carried out privately. You can still have photographs taken and guests to accompany you.