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Great news!
Eligible New Zealand citizens living in Australia for at least four years can now apply for Australian citizenship. The Australian Government announced this new direct pathway to citizenship, which takes effect on July 1, 2023. To qualify, you need to hold a Special Category Visa (Subclass 444) and meet the good character requirement.
The residence requirements for Australian citizenship are that you must be resident in Australia for four years, with one year as a permanent resident. You can have up to 12 months of absence from Australia in the four-year period, with no more than three months in the 12 months before applying for citizenship.
If your SCV was granted before July 1, 2022, you are deemed to be a permanent resident from 1 July 2022. If you satisfy the residence requirements above, you can apply for citizenship from July 1, 2023. Those who arrived after that date, will need to wait four years to satisfy the requirement.
In addition, any child born in Australia to an SCV holder on or after July 1, 2022, may automatically acquire Australian citizenship at birth. This exciting announcement means that many New Zealand SCV holders, can apply for citizenship from July 1, 2023.
Stay tuned for more information!
