Loop2168

Hi all

Bit of background on me, i'm on a 186 PR visa, granted Nov 2015, after 3 years on a 457, Currently living in UK since August 2016, originally planning on returning to Australia before August 2017, I want to apply for citizenship next year, so i did not want to go over the 12 months outside Australia rule.

With the changes to the citizenship requirement from 1 year of PR to now 4 years i'm left wondering when il actually become eligible to apply for citizenship

I have looked on the immigration website and although i can see the announcement about the changes there all the other info on the citizenship application pages still refers to the rules under the old policy - To have lived in Australia on a valid Australian visa for four years immediately before applying
must have been a permanent resident for the 12 months immediately before making an application even the application form still shows all the old requirements, strange as they state no one applying from 20 April 2017 will be dealt with under the old policy only the new.

Anyways i guess i'm just after abit of advice, if i were to go back in the next couple of weeks, would i only have to complete another 2.5 years of PR then i could apply for citizenship? or would i need to wait 4 more years? I can't see it anywhere clearly about those 4 years of PR needing to be all lived in Australia or if there is the same no more the 12 months outside the country as per the old policy.

Im sure this is the case, just been overthinking so much the last few days, any advice would be great

Jilliebee

It does state in the proposal that you will need 4 years as PR immediately before applying with no more than 12 months outside of Australia in that time. Obviously these are the proposed guidelines - anything can happen before it becomes current legislation x

Loop2168

Thanks Jillibee, I was sure I'd seen it somewhere but couldn't find it tonight.

I'm sure it'l all become clearer in the coming days/weeks. A grandfather policy for people already on the pathway to citizenship under the old policy would be fair, after almost 6 years in Australia I'm not sure how much more intergrated I could become by waiting another 3/4 years on PR 🙈 I understand this policy for newcomers on PR but for those of us who have already spent years in Oz on legitimate visas it's quite disheartning that the goal post have been moved so much and seemingly overnight. It makes me worry what else they would change. My PR status suddenly doesn't feel so secure anymore.....

I shall continue to jump through the hoops to make australia my home, I love the country more than my own!

louie

Can I ask where you saw that please?

Le_Main

It's on p9 of this DIBP paper

https://www.border.gov.au/Reportsand...ship-paper.pdf


Cheers

verystormy

The new rules are active now.

louie

Thanks. I hadn't seen that.