If you are a PR Visa holder and lived in Australia for a specified time, you can apply for Australian citizenship. You have to apply for the same by conferral under the Australian Citizenship Act of 2007 (Section 21). The entire process takes part in 2 phases – The first is the interview, and finally the citizenship test.
You have to score a minimum of 15 points out of the total 20 in this test and it judges you on 3 main parameters:
- Your basic English language knowledge.
- Your knowledge regarding the privileges that you enjoy as an Australian citizen and your responsibilities that come along with it.
- Your commitment towards Australian values which are based on 3 fundamentals, equality, respect, and freedom.
You can visit Citizenshipaustralian.com to take their practice tests or enroll in their preparation courses so that when you sit for the official test, you are well prepared and you can pass the official test on the very first attempt. This course prepares you on the theoretical aspects of the Australian citizenship test by giving you detailed concepts about Australia, its tradition, history, and citizen privileges.
Citizenship interview
During the interview, a designated minister will check for:
- Your identity,
- And your eligibility.
For this interview, carry all your original documents mentioned in the appointment letter including the original copy of your identity documents as well. While electronic documents are accepted, certified copies are not accepted during the interview. Do not bring your children during the interview or the test.
Once, your eligibility is confirmed, you get to the next step which is the citizenship test.
Citizenship test
The test consists of 20 MCQ-type questions in which you have to answer at least 15 correctly (75% passing) and out of those 15, 5 questions based on Australian values must be correctly answered.
You must be 18-59 years of age for being eligible to sit for this test. After passing the test, your application will move forward for further processing, and once approved, you will be called for a citizenship ceremony that will make you a permanent citizen of Australia.
You can get a test exemption if you satisfy any of the following criteria:
- If you have mental or physical incapacity of any sort that prevents you from understanding the nature of your application or understanding the language.
- Such incapacity should be either permanent or long-term such as PTSD, physical inability due to stroke, or long-term depression.
- To prove your incapability, you must produce a written certificate from a psychiatrist, a medical practitioner, or a psychologist.
- All of these must be registered under their specific boards in Australia and their report must contain a formal diagnosis of your condition.
In case you fail the test, you can attempt it again at no extra cost on the same day or a later date after thorough preparation. Even if you fail the citizenship test, you can continue to enjoy the privileges of your PR visa and keep working in the country premises without any legal concerns.