Australian Citizenship Legislative Changes Update
These amendments and the new fees will commence on 1 January 2016
- Foreign currency exchange
Acceptable foreign currencies for payment of citizenship application fees will be determined by the conversion instruments Payment of Visa Application Charges and Fees in Foreign Currencies and Places and Currencies for Paying Fees which are updated in January and July each year.
- Increase in citizenship application fees
Amends Schedule 3 of the Citizenship Regulations to change the fees set out in this schedule payable for certain citizenship applications. The new charges can be found below:
| Changes to amounts for citizenship application fees | ||
| Provision | Before Amendment | From 1 Jan 2016 |
| Citizenship by descent – person born outside Australia to an Australian parent.Applications made at the same time under section 16 of the Citizenship Act (Application and eligibility for citizenship) by 2 or more siblings. | $120 | $230 |
| Citizenship by descent – person born outside Australia to an Australian parent.An application under section 16 of the Citizenship Act (Application and eligibility for citizenship), other than an application mentioned in table item number 1. | $120 | $230 |
| Citizenship through adoption – person adopted in accordance with the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. Applications made at the same time under section 19C of the Citizenship Act (Application and eligibility for citizenship) by 2 or more siblings. | $120 | $230 |
| Citizenship through adoption – person adopted in accordance with the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.An application under section 19C of the Citizenship Act (Application and eligibility for citizenship), other than an application mentioned in table item number 3 | $120 | $230 |
| Citizenship by conferral – general eligibilityAn application under section 21 of the Citizenship Act (Application and eligibility for citizenship), other than an application mentioned in table item numbers 5 to 14 or items 14B to 15D, if the applicant claims eligibility on the basis of the criteria in subsection 21(2) of the Citizenship Act. | $260 | $285 |
| Citizenship by conferral – other than general eligibility – citizenship test not required.An application under section 21 of the Citizenship Act (Application and eligibility for citizenship), other than an application mentioned in table item numbers 5 to 14B or 15C and 15D. | $130 | $180 |
| Citizenship by conferral – general eligibility – applicant previously passed citizenship test in association with a previous application.An application (the new application) under section 21 of the Citizenship Act (Application and eligibility for citizenship), other than an application mentioned in table item numbers 5, 6, 7A, 14 and 15C, if: (a) the applicant claims eligibility on the basis of the criteria in subsection 21(2) of the Citizenship Act; and (b) the applicant previously made an application (the old application) on or after 1 October 2007; and (c) under the old application, the applicant sat a test as described in paragraph 21(2A)(a) of the Citizenship | $130 | $180 |
| Resumption of Australian citizenshipAn application under section 29 of the Citizenship Act (Application and eligibility for resuming citizenship), other than an application mentioned in table item number 16. | $70 | $210 |
| Renunciation of Australian citizenshipAn application under section 33 of the Citizenship Act (Renunciation) | $285 | $205 |
| Notice of evidence of Australian citizenshipAn application under section 37 of the Citizenship Act (Evidence of Australian citizenship), other than an application mentioned in table item numbers 19 or 19A. | $60 | $190 |
- Application and transitional provisions
Amendments made by these changes apply to applications made under a provision of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007, made on or after 1 January 2016
Source: MIA
