Children aged 16 years and over are legally required to attend an Australian Citizenship Ceremony. Children under the age of 16 are not legally required to attend the ceremony, however they are welcome to attend.

The Shire of Chittering is unable to provide a ceremony date until we receive the Conferral Planning report from the Department of Immigration. These reports are sent to the Shire of Chittering as and when required. Once the Shire receives these, you will be contacted to discuss arrangements for a ceremony.

The process for applying for Australian citizenship varies depending on your eligibility.  There are a number of different application options with different eligibility requirements.

Generally to apply for Australian citizenship you will need to:

• Determine that you are eligible
• Gather your original documents
• Copy and certify your documents
• Complete and lodge your application

A decision on your application for citizenship will only be made after you have lodged a completed application form together with the required documents and fee.

For further information visit the Department of Immigration & Border Protection website.

 

The Shire of Chittering's citizenship ceremony runs for approximately half an hour. Refreshments are provided for recipients and their guests at the conclusion of each ceremony.

The Shire of Chittering allows for four guests per recipient (children are an exception).

If you have lost your citizenship certificate you will need to contact the Department of Immigration on 131 881 to arrange a replacement. The Shire of Chittering cannot issue or replace citizenship certificates.

In exceptional circumstances a private ceremony may be arranged. A letter addressed to the Office of the Shire President, stating the reason for the urgency is required with all private ceremonies. For all queries regarding early citizenship ceremonies please contact Customer Service on 9576 4600.

The cost of your application and time taken from lodgement to notification of a decision will vary according to your eligibility and which form you need to use to apply.  In some cases you may be able to apply for a concession or exemption.

The fees range from AU$20 up to AU$285.

Payment by credit card is preferred for most applications and is essential when applying online and for applications posted to Australia from overseas. Do not use debit cards for any application sent by post.

If you are lodging your application at an Immigration office outside Australia, the fee must be paid in the currency and by the method specified for that country.

Printable information on Citizenship fees is available.

To check the fee applicable to you visit http://www.citizenship.gov.au/applying/fees_forms_appeals/

The Citizenship Information Lines' number is 131 880. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Phone this number to obtain information about:

• application fees and processes
• citizenship ceremonies
• Australian citizenship affirmation ceremonies
• dual citizenship

If you have a question about your Australian passport call the Australian Passport Office on 131 232.

The waiting period for a citizenship ceremony once you have received the approval letter from the Department of Immigration is between five and six months.