How can a Russian citizen obtain Australian citizenship in 2021?

Australian Citizenship: Advantages and Disadvantages

In the country you can become both a citizen and a permanent resident of Australia. And the first has serious advantages over the second. A subject has the right to:

permanent residence in the country;
his child obtaining citizenship and it does not matter whether he was born on Australian soil or not;
the ability to cross the country’s border any number of times without the need to apply for a “return visa”;
visa-free travel to a wide variety of countries;
assistance to the diplomatic mission not only on Australian soil;
participation in elections at any level;
getting a job both in parliament and other government bodies;
serving in the Australian Armed Forces.

The above benefits require a number of responsibilities from the citizen, which many consider disadvantages:

live in accordance with the laws of the country;
participate in elections;
stand up for Australia in case of war;
You cannot refuse to serve as a jury in court.

Why are citizenship applications denied?

There are a number of justified reasons for a negative decision on an applicant’s application for an Australian passport:

mistakes were made when completing visa documentation;
the applicant does not meet the established visa criteria;
the candidate knowingly provided false information;
migration offenses were committed;
the applicant has hidden intentions that do not correspond to the stated ones.

Australia has fairly strict legislation, which also provides for the revocation of civil status from a citizen for certain offenses.

Requirements for an applicant for citizenship

To obtain Australian citizenship you need to meet certain requirements put forward by the country's authorities:

Do not have a criminal record or have been reported to the police for violating public order.
Legal stay in the country is less than 4 years.
Live here as a permanent resident for 12 months.
The duration of absence from Australia during the required 4 years does not exceed 1 year, and in the year of obtaining citizenship - 90 days.

If these requirements are met, citizenship is obtained within 21-30 days.

Birth and origin

The easiest route to citizenship is for children born or adopted by Australians.

A law regulating these issues was passed in 1986. According to it, children have the right to citizenship:
Born from at least one citizen of the country;
Born permanent residents;
Adopted foreigners, provided that the procedure is formalized on the territory of the Green Continent.

The rule for automatically obtaining a passport by origin has been in effect since 1949. If the parent has Australian citizenship, then it does not matter where the baby was born. The flip side of the issue is that, unlike the United States, Australian citizenship is not fully based on the principle of soil, and therefore the mere fact of birth in local clinics does not give the right to citizenship.

Attention! Separately, it is worth noting that even children of illegal migrants can obtain a passport, provided that they reach a decade in the country, but the migration services here work very well and the chance of such success is not very great.

Australian citizenship: conditions for obtaining

There are 4 ways to obtain citizenship of this country:

By birth.
By adoption.
By origin.
According to the initial status, there may be several options.

By birth

Children born in the country before 08/20/1986 or later, from an Australian parent, automatically receive Australian citizenship.

Important! If the parents do not have an Australian residence permit and are in the country on a tourist, work or study visa, then giving birth in Australia does not give citizenship to their newborn child.

If a child who was born on this land and has lived here continuously for 10 years, automatically receives citizenship of the country upon reaching the age of 10. At the same time, the status of his parents is unimportant. This often happens to those children whose parents lived in the country illegally but gave birth in the country. But after any incident that brought the child to the authorities, the child’s status changes to the indicated one. The only exception is the children of diplomats who were born during their diplomatic mission.

By origin

Any Australian can give their child Australian citizenship, no matter where they were born. This can be used on any day, at the request of the parent, but no later than the child turns 18 years old. For children 18-25 years old, they submit such a document independently. This paper will need to be accompanied by a certificate indicating the absence of a criminal record in the country of his permanent residence.

This practice is also acceptable for families where one adult has the status of an Australian citizen, and other members have a permanent visa. Minor children are recognized as nationals of the country on an equal basis with their parents. But there is also a minus, because the situation can be reversed, and if the parent loses his status, then so does the child. This is an extremely rare practice, but it is enshrined in law.

By naturalization

Not all citizens of the Russian Federation understand the meaning of this word. This is a legal process for obtaining citizenship at the request of the candidate, which is regulated by the laws of the country. Most often, such permission is issued only if a number of conditions and requirements for applicants are met.

The Australian authorities have 3 requirements that must be met to obtain citizenship by naturalization:

Living in the country for 4 years with resident status and 12 months must be on a permanent basis.
Collect the necessary documents and submit them along with a signed oath of allegiance to the British crown, because. she has the formal status of head of Australia.
Take a written test on the history of the country.

Upon family reunification

In Australia, the right of family is inviolable, so family ties can be an excellent help in obtaining citizenship. Not only a girl can marry an Austrian (although this is a common practice) and obtain citizenship, this includes any family ties, and not just marriage relationships, even same-sex and civil relations.

The circumstances for family reunification are as follows:

Permanent residence to a legal spouse;
Permanent residence for the bride or groom, future life partner;
Permanent residence of a child to a parent and/or parents to a child.

As a businessman or entrepreneur

If a foreigner wants to do business in Australia or be an investor, then the authorities are sympathetic to this and are willing to help obtain citizenship. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a financial investment or an intellectual contribution to the development of the country. To become a business expat in Australia, you need to meet the following requirements:

at the time of registration, the applicant must be no more than 54 years old;
proven, successful experience of business or work in the country of permanent residence;
a business project or a documentary strategy for your activities at your place of residence;
capital is transparent and has no criminal origin;
absence of outstanding criminal records at the place of permanent residence of both the applicant and his family members;
the health status of the applicant’s entire family meets Australian requirements;
real plans for doing business, otherwise they will be deprived of citizenship and deported from the country for false information.

As a talented specialist

A woman or man with specific professional skills that will be useful to Australia is granted permanent or temporary residence. This is usually regulated by certain programs that are quite popular among citizens of the Russian Federation. Most often this happens according to one of two lists:

visa 189 - an independent category that gives permanent residence status;
visa 190 is a sponsored category, for which a petition is required from relatives or the authorities of one of the states of the country planning to hire the applicant.

For investment

This program was launched by the Australian authorities in 2012 and has already brought serious financial flows into the country that have gone towards economic development. Investors are met halfway in terms of citizenship as well. The amount of money invested in the country is at least $5.5 million. For such people there is a simplified procedure for obtaining an emigrant visa under subclass 888.

Buying real estate

Many people mistakenly believe that the best option to obtain Australian citizenship after marriage is to buy property on its land. In practice, this has an indirect meaning, and will make the authorities more loyal only for business visas, where it is necessary to confirm property and finances. Most often, this point is used by large investors who confirm their contribution to the country; the cost of real estate is included in the total amount required for permanent residence.

How to obtain Australian citizenship in 2019

Australian citizenship allows you to visit a number of countries without a special visa, including the EU countries, the USA and Canada. Loyal immigration legislation in this country allows you to obtain citizenship without losing your status as a citizen of another country. This is why many Russians are wondering how to become an Australian citizen in 2021.

Anyone wishing to obtain citizenship in Australia must fill out an application, the form of which depends on the age and health of the applicant. So, for persons from 18 to 60 years old, you need to fill out form 1300T, and for those who are older or younger than this age, you need to fill out form 1290. Also, the latter application is intended for people with disabilities who have lost hearing, sight or speech, and for people who are incapacitated.

Documentation

Australian consuls recommend submitting documents in advance, because... On average, a visitor visa is processed for about a month. To obtain a tourist pass, in addition to a photocopy of your passport, you must provide:

Receipt of payment of the consular fee.
Completed, signed Form 1419 application.
Permission to transfer information about the applicant to third parties.
Color photograph 3.5 by 4.5 cm - 1 piece, white background only.
Copies of previously used visas to other countries.
Confirmation of their bank and place of work about financial stability.
Real estate documents.
For businessmen, company registration certificates.
For students and schoolchildren - paper confirmation of their status from the educational institution.

Important! Documents must be in both Russian and English and have a translation from an accredited translator.

For children

To obtain a visa for a child type 101, 102, 117, his guardians must provide the following documents:

Payment of the visa fee.
Forms 47CH and 40CH completed and signed by the applicant and/or patron.
Passport-type photographs - 4 pieces.
Birth certificate.
Information from the sponsor about his citizenship status in Australia.
Certificate of no criminal record.
Written permission from guardians to enter and leave the country.

In other cases, additional papers may be required and they will depend on the type of visa and/or type of citizenship.

Australian Citizen Privileges

The Citizenship Law provides for the provision of the following to people who have received this status:

the right to vote and be elected;
the opportunity to receive the full amount of social assistance;
entry into the territory of other countries without obtaining permission to do so;
Opportunity to serve in the Australian Armed Forces.

Australian citizens can count on the support of the authorities if they find themselves in a difficult situation abroad. Their children born outside the mainland also receive government assistance.

Responsibilities

You must have knowledge of your rights and responsibilities to become an Australian citizen. In particular, the latter will be obliged to:

protect the country from possible invaders;
to appear in court as a juror if asked to do so by the authorized bodies;
cast your vote for one of the candidates in the elections.

A foreigner who decides to become an Australian must respect the country and follow its laws.

Testing and exam

To emigrate to the country you need to pass the IELTS test. These are the minimum English language standards, without which it is impossible to get a job in Australia. The test consists of 4 modules:

on listening;
in reading;
by letter;
in colloquial speech.

IELTS can be general or academic. Speaking and listening are the same, but reading and writing are different. The academic test is needed for students, pupils, and scientific workers, and the general test is needed for everyday needs. Each module has a separate assessment, which is included in the final grade.

Testing

Obtaining Australian citizenship also requires knowledge of the language, which is verified by passing a test. The nationality test is designed to evaluate a person's knowledge of the country, as well as his responsibilities and rights. It also shows how much a person knows English. Testing is carried out using a computer and is, of course, in English.

A person is asked 20 different questions, he needs to answer 17 correctly, and this is 75% of correct answers.

Testing is carried out in departments of the Department of Immigration and Nationality, as well as throughout Australia.

After testing, an additional interview may be scheduled, during which your knowledge of the English language, understanding of the benefits, and responsibilities of being an Australian citizen will be tested. Testing is carried out for people aged 18 to 60 years.

Consular fee and deadlines

In each case, the cost of the visa will be different. For example, a transit document to Australia is free, but for a guest document you will have to pay $110. It is allowed to pay in rubles.

From the time you apply for a visa, there may also be varying lengths of time to obtain permission or citizenship. On average, this process takes about 4 weeks, but may vary due to the following factors:

completeness of the package of documents;
speed of response by the applicant to additional requests;
speed of obtaining data from external organizations;
availability of places in the migration program;
increased interest and peak application period.

Who gets automatic citizenship?

There are the following ways to obtain automatic citizenship:

by birth;
through adaptation;
upon adoption.

Each of them has its own characteristics.

Read also: Emigration to Australia from Russia Do Russians need a visa to Australia?

Acquiring citizenship by birth

Citizenship is assigned automatically if a child is born in Australia, regardless of which state his parents belong to. Children become Australians after the age of 10 if they have lived on the mainland all this time. The exception is the case when a diplomat who carried out his activities in Australia had a child born on its territory.

Documentation

Papers for obtaining citizenship are submitted by an adult independently. For children, the application and necessary documents are sent by parents. Automatically assigned Australian citizen status based on a certificate confirming birth on the mainland.

By origin

A child automatically becomes an Australian if his parents (or one of them) are citizens of this state. It does not matter in which country the minor was born.

By provision

Moving to Australia for permanent residence from Russia involves initially obtaining a regular and then a regular visa. Permanent resident status in 2021 can be obtained by living on the mainland for at least 4 years. At the same time, a migrant can leave Australian territory for no more than 1 year during this period. You can then apply for the status you are interested in.

Granting citizenship: ceremony

It doesn’t matter whether marriage or another reason for applying for citizenship, after checking all the papers and receiving test results, the Ministry of Immigration notifies the applicant in writing of a positive answer. After this, within 30-90 days he will be sent an invitation to the citizenship ceremony, where he will take the oath of an Australian citizen, receive the appropriate certificate and become a citizen. This makes the tangible difference with a resident who is allowed to live on Australian soil, while a citizen has the right to do so.

Text of the oath:
From this time forward, under God, I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people, whose Democratic beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect, and whose laws I will uphold and obey.

Second citizenship

The attitude of the Australian authorities to this fact is as loyal as possible. And this despite the fact that the country’s legislation is considered extremely strict in the world. The qualification for citizenship, especially according to the principle of naturalization, is strict. Therefore, to become a citizen, a permanent resident must reside in the country for at least two years out of the 4 required. He also needs to stay permanently for 12 consecutive months out of the above two, and at least 90 days in the year of filing the application.

Compared to Canadian citizenship, this is 12 months less, which is an advantage. According to statistics, half of the people who have received Australian citizenship have passports from other countries.

Applying for citizenship step by step

If you describe the conditions step by step, then it all starts with arriving in Australia and obtaining a visa.

Step one - visa

A citizen of a foreign state can legally stay in Australia on any type of visa, but not less than four years in total. Of these, at the time of applying for citizenship, the applicant must have resident status (permanent visa) for twelve months.

Find out how to apply for visas and the necessary documents from our new article - “Australia and Oceania”.

Australia visa

It is also important to comply with the conditions of absence. You can be absent from the country for at least 12 months out of a total four-year period and at least 90 days out of the last 12 months.

By the way. If the foreigner was absent for subjective reasons, for example, was in his country under investigation, in prison or for psychiatric treatment, this time is not taken into account.

There are still concessions and relaxations in the already not too harsh migration legislation of Australia. In particular, the point that if the applicant is outside the territory of the country, but “as part of a single family” (meaning opposite-sex or same-sex partners in an officially registered marriage), and maintains close relations with the family, this is also not considered an absence .

If you have family in Australia and have close relationships with them, you may be away for more than three months out of the last twelve months when you apply

Step two - no criminal record

So, during all four years of stay in Australia (or not stay, but without losing ties with family), a foreigner can be judged after leaving the country, and even spend a certain period in prison, which will not be considered an absence. But a prerequisite is that he will stay in any other country for no more than 12 months. Theoretically, while maintaining ties with family, you can live in four different countries for 364 days over the course of four years, and even be in a local prison or under investigation. But if you have lived in any country for 365 days, you must provide a police clearance certificate from it.

certificate of good conduct

Step three - submission

Upon successful completion of the first two steps, a petition is submitted. A special application form for civil status can be completed and submitted online or submitted in person. At the same time, a fee is paid, which is 120 Australian dollars (about 5,400 Russian rubles).

Step four - determining the nature of testing

Passing the test is mandatory, but there are relaxing options here too. You can take the test either in writing or orally.

In order to successfully pass the Citizenship Test, you must score 60% correct answers.

In some cases, applicants are exempt from the written examination.

If they are under 18 years old.
If their age is over 60.
For problems with hearing and speech.
For mental disorders.
Australian-born people are stateless.
If the parents were Australian citizens but lost this status, and the applicant was born outside Australian territory.

Step five - taking the test

You must make an appointment for the written test or reserve an appointment for the oral interview. All tests and interviews are conducted in English.

The written exam lasts three quarters of an hour. You must answer 20 questions by circling the correct answer options. Errors are allowed - 60% of answers must be correct to accept the test. Questions about the history, culture and politics of Australia. If the test is passed with less than 60% correct answers, it can be retaken an unlimited number of times.

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

By the way. There is an online test preparation trainer and a special booklet in Russian that you can use to prepare for this exam.

Test preparation booklet. PDF version

File for download

During the oral interview, the screening officer will ask several questions that assess the applicant's English proficiency and understanding of the procedure (for example, whether a person with a mental disability understands that he or she is becoming an Australian citizen).

The applicant will be notified of successful or unsuccessful completion of both types of testing immediately after the end of the procedure.

Step six – citizenship ceremony

If you pass, you will be informed of the date and place where you will be assigned citizen status, which you will receive no later than 90 days later.

At a ceremony in the presence of the Minister of Immigration, the applicant takes the oath of office and receives a certificate of citizenship.

Australian Citizen Certificate

Step seven - obtaining a passport

The final chord of this exciting theatrical performance is receiving an Australian citizen passport. It may be different. For those who intend to travel frequently, a passport of 66 pages (thick) is intended. If you are not going to leave your new homeland often, a thin 37-page passport is enough.

If you plan to travel, choose a passport with more pages

Reversal of an Australian passport

Each subsequent page shows a unique part of the life of Australian flora and fauna

Pages 12 and 13 of the Australian passport

Beautiful and unusual Australian passport

What to do with previous citizenship? Australia has nothing against dual citizenship. But if the country of your original citizenship decides to unilaterally deprive you of it when you receive a new one, it makes sense not to become an Australian citizen. You can remain a permanent resident of this country for life.

Or, another interesting option is to again receive your “native” citizenship, which was taken away from you, but after the Australian one. This country does not object to its citizens obtaining any number of citizenships of other countries.

Australia is a country that allows dual and even triple citizenship