Passport or Australian Citizenship By Descent- Which is Better?
 

Hi.

My wife is Australian and so our 18 month old daughter can claim citizenship by descent. She already has a UK passport.

We are planning to get her registered as an Australian Citizen by descent & thought that she could travel on her UK passport when we emigrate.

Will this be enough or should we also obtain an Aussie passport for her before we leave?

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Ian

Re: Passport or Australian Citizenship By Descent- Which is Better?
 

Australian citizens are normally expected to enter and leave Australia on an Australian passport. There is no problem with your daughter holding both Australian and British passports.

Bear in mind that your daughter is not an Australian citizen until her application for Australian citizenship by descent is processed. She would need a migration visa if you wanted to bring her to live in Australia as a non-citizen.

Re: Passport or Australian Citizenship By Descent- Which is Better?
 

Ian,

When and if your daughter has been properly registered as an Australian citizen by descent, she will need to enter Australia as a citizen, as Jeremy pointed out.

An Australian citizen (whether by descent or birth) cannot be granted any Australian visa. The citizen must enter Australia on either an Australian passport, or on a foreign passport with what is called an Australian Declaratory Visa which isn't actually a visa but an administrative document.

And ADV is only available to certain Australian citizens who meet the ADV's eligibility criteria, and is more costly than an Australian passport.

See http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/931.pdf for more details.


Peter

Re: Passport or Australian Citizenship By Descent- Which is Better?
 

Thanks JAJ.

Have now filled out the descent form and will do the passport as soon as we have received this back.

Thanks
Ian

Re: Passport or Australian Citizenship By Descent- Which is Better?
 

Thanks for your reply Peter,

Will sort out the passport as soon as we have received the confirmation of Citizenship by descent back - especially as this will be the cheaper option!

Thanks
Ian

Re: Passport or Australian Citizenship By Descent- Which is Better?
 

Hi
My daughter has Australian and Irish citizenship. She only has an Irish passport though. We travelled back to Australia less than a year ago, and we just got an ETA visa for her, and that was after she was already registered as a citizen by descent, just because I thought it would be easier at immigration rather than pulling out the citizenship certificate.

There was no probelms or questions asked about an Australian citizen being granted a tourist visa.

That said, when we migrate later in the year back to Australia, I think I would feel more comfortable with her posessing an Australian passport, but it's a shame spending so much money on two passports for an infant, but I think it's just easier.

The only hassle is waiting for an available appointment for the interview with the consulate because it's a first passport - the wait could be months. It was last time I spoke to them.

Good luck.