Been an Australian permanent resident for at least a year? You could be eligible for citizenship before changes on 1 July 2018.
After a number of months of discussion in parliament as to whether the proposed citizenship requirements will be applied retrospectively, the Government has confirmed that citizenship applications received on or after 20 April 2017 will be processed under the current citizenship laws until 1 July 2018 when changes will apply.
The decision has opened up a window of eligibility for those who have been Australian permanent residents for at least one year and who meet all other citizenship eligibility requirements. The proposed requirements state that you’ll need to have permanent residence for 4 years before becoming eligible for citizenship. If this were to be passed into legislation, those who have been Australian permanent residents for 1 to 3 years will need to wait until the 4 year mark and meet a number of additional requirements, such as a stand-alone English test in order to become eligible. Read about the proposed citizenship requirements here.
As the changes have been designed to strengthen the requirements to become an Australian citizen, it’s clear that the proposed changes could soon make it more difficult to apply for citizenship from 1 July 2018. If you have been an Australian permanent resident for at least a year we therefore encourage you to find out if you are eligible for citizenship under the current legislation and if so, to apply without delay.
The new citizenship requirements have been heavily debated in the media and received significant opposition in the senate. While the Government has confirmed that new citizenship legislation will be in effect from 1 July 2018, it is possible that further amendments are made before being passed into law. The Immigracious team will keep you updated on any news and developments as they arise.
If you are interested in becoming an Australian citizen and you have been a permanent resident for at least one year, find out if you are eligible for citizenship with our complimentary visa assessment or speak to a migration agent on 08 6263 4406 or by email at hello@immigracious.com.au
Source:
Immigracious Migration Agents
Department of Immigration and Border Protection
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