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Citizens of New Zealand who have been living in Australia for 4 years will be eligible to apply directly for Australian Citizenship without having to become permanent residents from July 1, 2023.
The change delivers on an Australian Government commitment made by the Prime Minister in July 2022 to ensure viable pathways to Australian citizenship for New Zealand citizens living in Australia.
This change applies to New Zealand citizens who hold a Special Category (subclass 444) visa (SCV) and arrived in Australia after 26 February 2001, as well as children born to parents who hold these visas.
In fact, from 1 July 2023, any child born in Australia on or after 1 July 2022 to an SCV holder may automatically acquire Australian citizenship at birth.
It is very important to note that the new provisions will not apply to citizenship applications submitted before 1 July 2023. Meaning that if you submit your citizenship application before this date, and you do not meet the eligibility requirements, your application will be refused and you will not be entitled to a refund.
Applications for Australian Citizenship can be made online, through your Immi account and generally cost A$490. Applicants aged 16 or 17 at the time of application cost A$300 and applications for those under 15 years of age can be attached and processed alongside parental applications at no extra fee.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and trade estimates that approximately 670,000 New Zealand citizens reside in Australia and the two countries enjoy very close military, political and economic ties.
In most cases refused applications can be appealed, but extra costs associated with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal can reach into the thousands and it is strongly recommended that applicants contact a registered migration agent to consult on eligibility to ensure an application is successful.
Easy Migrate boasts over 20 years experience providing expert advice on all visa, residency and citizenship matters to migrants from a diverse range of backgrounds, including those migrating from New Zealand.
Your future, as well as that of your loved ones should never be left to chance and the best way to a secure future living and working in Australia is to contact our trusted team of agents and lawyers before engaging any government resources.