PATHWAY TO AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP

Who qualifies for Australian citizenship?

• Permanent residents, including eligible New Zealand Special Category (subclass 444) visa holders — apply by conferral

• People born in Australia, in certain circumstances — citizenship by birth

• People born overseas with a parent who was an Australian citizen at the time of birth — citizenship by descent
   

This page focuses on citizenship by conferral — the pathway most permanent residents use. If you're not yet a permanent resident, see how to reach PR through the 482 to 186 TRT pathway, the 494 to 191 regional pathway, or the partner visa pathway before working through the residence requirement below.
 

What is the general residence requirement?

To apply for citizenship by conferral, the day before you apply you must:

• have been living in Australia on a valid visa for the 4 years immediately before you apply

• have held a permanent visa, or a Special Category (subclass 444) visa, for the last 12 months immediately before you apply, and

• not have been absent from Australia for more than 12 months in total across those 4 years, including no more than 90 days in the 12 months immediately before you apply.
   

All three conditions apply together — meeting the 4-year residence history doesn't help if you haven't held permanent residence for the required 12 months, and vice versa.
 

The 12-month rule

Your total time outside Australia across the full 4-year residence period cannot exceed 12 months, no matter how it's split across trips.

Three trips of 5 months, 3 months, and 4 months add up to exactly 12 months — right at the ceiling. This is a separate condition from the 90-day rule below; you can pass this one and still fail the more recent test.
 

The 90-day rule

You cannot have been outside Australia for more than 90 days in the 12 months immediately before you apply. This is a rolling 12-month window measured back from your intended application date, not a fixed calendar year, so the relevant window shifts depending on when you plan to lodge.

Even if your total absence across the 4-year period is well under 12 months, exceeding 90 days in this final window on its own delays your eligibility.
 

Does time on a temporary or bridging visa count toward the 4 years?

Partly. The 4-year residence period can include time on a valid temporary visa, as long as you held a valid visa throughout — but the separate 12-month permanent residence condition can only be satisfied by time actually held as a permanent resident (or eligible New Zealand Special Category visa holder).

Temporary visa time never counts toward that second condition.

Any period without a valid visa — even a single day as an unlawful non-citizen — breaks your lawful residence and resets the 4-year count from the date you again become lawful. A bridging visa only counts toward the 4 years if you were already a lawful non-citizen when it was granted.
 

What if you've already exceeded 90 days or 12 months?

It delays your eligibility rather than disqualifying you permanently. Your eligibility date moves forward until a rolling look-back from a later application date shows you're back under both caps.

For example, someone who spent 100 days overseas in the past 12 months — 10 days over the cap — becomes eligible once enough time living in Australia has passed that a fresh 12-month look-back brings the total back under 90 days.
 

Special residence requirement for frequent travellers

An alternative test can apply for people whose work requires regular international travel where it's in the national interest — historically covering roles like distinguished talent visa holders, ships' crew, senior businesspeople, research scientists, and representative athletes.

Under this alternative, you must have been present in Australia for at least 480 days during the 4-year period, including at least 120 days in the 12 months immediately before applying. This pathway needs supporting evidence and can't be combined with certain other ministerial discretions.
 

How to check your own travel history

Request your international movement records directly from the Department — this is free of charge — or check your visa status through Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO).

The Department's own Residence Calculator lets you enter your permanent residence date, lawful residence date, intended lodgement date, and every trip in and out of Australia over the last 4 years to estimate whether you currently meet the requirement. Results are an estimate only — your actual eligibility is assessed against the Department's own movement records at the time you lodge.
 

Exemptions and special circumstances

• Children under 16 don't need to meet the general residence requirement, but must be permanent residents and apply on a parent's application (or their own, with parental consent).

• Children aged 16 or 17 must meet the residence requirement unless doing so would cause them significant hardship or disadvantage — they apply on Form 1290, signed by a responsible parent.

• People born in Papua before 16 September 1975 to an Australian-citizen parent (as currently defined) may have a separate exemption pathway.

• Members of the Australian Defence Force, and in some cases their family members, may be exempt from the standard residence requirement, including those discharged due to a service-related medical condition.

• Spouses or de facto partners of an Australian citizen who spent time overseas together may still meet the requirement if they can show a close and continuing association with Australia — see our permanent partner visa guide if you reached PR through this pathway.

• Ministerial discretion can apply in cases of significant hardship or disadvantage more broadly — these applications are assessed case by case and are granted only in exceptional circumstances.
   

How much does it cost to apply?

The standard citizenship by conferral application (Form 1300t, general eligibility) costs AUD $595. A concession fee of AUD $85 applies if you hold a valid Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card as the primary cardholder — Health Care Cards, Student Cards, and Seniors Health Cards don't qualify. There's no fee for a child aged 15 or younger applying on the same form as a responsible parent.

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Citizenship application fees are set under the Australian Citizenship Regulation 2016 and are indexed to the consumer price index every 1 July (see how this affected other visa fees from 1 July 2026), so confirm the current amount on the Department's fee schedule before you pay.

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The application process

1. Verify your eligibility using the points above and the Department's Residence Calculator, and gather your required documents, including original police certificates and certified copies if applying on paper.

2. Submit your application and payment online through ImmiAccount for faster processing (paper applications are only available in specific circumstances, such as fee exemptions).

3. Attend a test or interview appointment. If you're between 18 and 59, expect an invitation to sit the citizenship test; some applicants are invited to an interview instead if exempt.

4. Respond promptly to any request for more information — an unanswered request is a common cause of delay.

5. Receive our decision in writing.

6. Attend your citizenship ceremony. Most approved applicants attend a ceremony to take the Australian Citizenship Pledge, with invitations usually sent about four weeks beforehand. Check the Department's citizenship processing times page for current ceremony wait times.

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Common challenges we help clients with

• English requirements — guidance toward the right English course or exemption pathway

• Document verification — ensuring your paperwork, including certified copies and police certificates, is accurate and complete

• Professional support — a registered migration agent guiding you through each stage of the process

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If you're currently an Australian permanent resident planning to apply for citizenship, book a consultation with our Registered Migration Agents (MARN 1572961) to make sure you're well prepared before you apply.