Our Services

Citizenship
& Other Visas

Become an Australian Citizen

Citizenship & Other

Visas

You can become an Australian citizen in many ways. Conferral and descent are the most common ways to apply. To become a citizen by conferral you need to be a permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen holding a Special Category (subclass 444) visa (SCV) and meet certain criteria before you can apply. If you were born outside Australia and one (or both) of your parents at the time of your birth was also an Australian citizen at that time, then you could be eligible for Australian citizenship by descent.

This visa, subclass 155 and 157, allows you to return to Australia as a permanent resident if you leave the country after your travel validity expires or it expires when you are outside of Australia. If you leave Australia after your permanent visa travel facility has expired, you will not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident. If you wish to return to Australia as a permanent resident, you must apply for and be granted this visa before your arrival in Australia.

A bridging visa is a temporary visa. Depending on the bridging visa you apply for – Bridging visa A (BVA), B (BVB) and C (BVC) – it allows you to remain in Australia after your current substantive visa ceases and while your new substantive visa application is being processed, or leave and return to Australia during a specified travel period while your application for a substantive visa is being processed.

A refugee visa, subclass 200, 201, 203 & 204, and Protection visa subclass 866 allows you and your family to live, study and work in Australia indefinitely if you are subject to persecution in your home country. For this visa, your family are your partner, your dependent children, your partner’s dependent children, or other relative who is a dependent.

Citizenship

Resident Return Visa

Bridging Visa

Refugee Visa

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Citizenship

The most common way to become an Australian citizen is by conferral. You must be a permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen holding a Special Category (subclass 444) visa (SCV) when you apply. If you are 59 years or younger, you can include a dependent child 15 years or younger at no extra cost. The child must be a permanent resident.

Most applicants must sit the citizenship test. If you score 75% or more on the citizenship test, and answer all 5 questions on Australian values correctly, then you meet the knowledge requirement. If you are over 60 years old, you may have an interview to confirm your identity and show that you understand the nature of your application. You do not have to sit the citizenship test.

Our services include:

  • Citizenship by conferral
  • Citizenship by descent

Resident Return Visa (RRV)

There are no limits on the number of Resident Return visas (RRV) you can apply for. If you are already in Australia as a permanent resident, you do not need to apply for this visa if you do not wish to travel. If you leave Australia after your permanent visa travel facility has expired, you will not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident. If you wish to return to Australia as a permanent resident, you must apply for and be granted this visa before your arrival in Australia. You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa but not in immigration clearance.

If you hold an RRV, you should always be aware of the expiry date of the travel facility before any travel arrangements are made. You can check this on VEVO.

Our services include both subclass 155 and 157.

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a young Asian woman wearing a hat and white t-shirt standing with her suitcase

Bridging Visa

All bridging visas, (BVA), B (BVB) and C (BVC), are temporary visas and are applied for automatically as part of applying for a substantive visa. You can check with VEVO if your bridging visa is in effect.

The BVA and BVC do not support return travel to Australia. A BVB allows you to leave and return to Australia within the defined travel period while your application for a substantive visa is being processed. With all three visas, you can stay lawfully in Australia until your substantive visa application is finally determined.

Our services include:

Refugee & Protection Visa

There are four visa subclasses included in the Refugee category of the Humanitarian Program:

  • Refugee (subclass 200)
  • In-country Special Humanitarian (subclass 201)
  • Emergency Rescue (subclass 203)
  • Woman at Risk (subclass 204)

Priority is given to the most vulnerable applicants as a limited number of resettlement places are available each year. Your travel to Australia will be arranged by the Department at no cost to you. You must be outside Australia when you apply. You must also be outside Australia when a visa is granted. There is no visa application charge for this visa.

The Protection visa, Subclass 866, is for people who arrived in Australia on a valid visa and want to seek asylum.

It is important to declare all your family members, even if they will not be applying with you. If you do not declare a family member in your application, you may not be able to propose them for a refugee and humanitarian visa after you arrive in Australia.

This is a permanent visa. It lets you stay in Australia indefinitely. You become a permanent resident when you enter Australia. For citizenship purposes, your permanent residence starts on the day you enter Australia on this visa.

a mother and her son as refugees sitting on the floor covered with a blanket

frequently asked questions

Who is eligible to apply for Australian citizenship?

To be eligible, you must be a permanent resident, have lived in Australia for a certain period (usually 4 years, including 12 months as a permanent resident), be of good character, and pass a citizenship test.

Required documents include proof of identity, evidence of residency (such as a permanent visa), and supporting documents like birth certificates, passports, and police clearances.

The application fee for Australian citizenship is around AUD 540 for adults and free for children under 16 included in the same application as one of the parents.

Yes, you can apply online through the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs website using the ImmiAccount.

Processing times can vary, but it generally takes between 6 to 12 months from the date of application to the approval of citizenship.

The citizenship test assesses your knowledge of Australia and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship. Applicants between the ages of 18 and 59 need to take the test.

If you fail the citizenship test, you can retake it. There is no limit to the number of times you can attempt the test.

Yes, children can apply for citizenship, and their applications can be included in a parent’s application or submitted separately.

Yes, attending a citizenship ceremony is mandatory. During the ceremony, you will make the Australian Citizenship Pledge and receive your certificate.

Yes, you can travel overseas, but ensure you maintain your permanent resident status and keep the Department of Home Affairs informed of any changes in your circumstances.

What is a Resident Return Visa (RRV)?

Resident Return Visa allows Australian permanent residents to re-enter Australia after traveling overseas. It ensures that permanent residents maintain their residency status.

Permanent residents whose travel facility on their permanent visa has expired or is about to expire need to apply for an RRV to re-enter Australia.

An RRV can be valid for up to 5 years or 1 year, depending on your circumstances and how long you have lived in Australia.

To be eligible, you must be a current or former Australian permanent resident or a former Australian citizen and meet the residency requirement of spending at least two of the last five years in Australia.

You can apply for an RRV online through the Department of Home Affairs website using the ImmiAccount.

The application fee for an RRV is approximately AUD 425 for a 5-year visa and AUD 220 for a 1-year visa.

Processing times for RRVs can vary, but it generally takes between 2 to 10 days.

No, each family member must apply for their own RRV separately.

If your application is refused, you may be able to seek a review of the decision or reapply if you meet the eligibility criteria in the future.

Yes, you can apply for an RRV from outside Australia. Ensure you have access to your ImmiAccount and the necessary documents.

What is a Bridging Visa?

A Bridging Visa allows you to stay in Australia lawfully while your application for a substantive visa is being processed or while you make arrangements to leave the country.

There are several types of Bridging Visas, including Bridging Visa A (BVA), Bridging Visa B (BVB), Bridging Visa C (BVC), Bridging Visa D (BVD), Bridging Visa E (BVE), and Bridging Visa F (BVF).

A BVA allows you to stay in Australia while your application for another visa is being processed. It is granted if you apply for a substantive visa while holding a valid visa.

It depends on the type of Bridging Visa you hold. Some Bridging Visas come with work rights, while others may require you to apply for permission to work.

You typically don’t apply for a Bridging Visa separately; it is granted automatically when you lodge a valid application for a substantive visa while in Australia.

Travel rights depend on the type of Bridging Visa. For instance, Bridging Visa B (BVB) allows travel overseas, while others like BVA do not.

A BVE allows you to stay in Australia lawfully while you resolve your immigration status, typically granted to those who do not hold a visa or are making arrangements to leave Australia.

The validity of a Bridging Visa varies and is generally tied to the processing of your substantive visa application or until a certain event occurs, such as the expiry of another visa.

Some Bridging Visas allow you to study, while others do not. It’s essential to check the conditions of your specific Bridging Visa.

If your substantive visa application is refused, your Bridging Visa will typically remain valid while you consider your options, such as seeking a review of the decision or making arrangements to leave Australia.

What is a Protection Visa?

A Protection Visa (subclass 866) allows people seeking asylum in Australia to live, work, and study in Australia if they meet the criteria for refugee status or complementary protection.

You are eligible, if you are in Australia, to seek protection due to fear of persecution in your home country, and meet the definition of a refugee or are owed complementary protection.

You can apply online through the Department of Home Affairs website using the ImmiAccount or submit a paper application.

Processing times can vary significantly but generally range from several months to over a year, depending on the complexity of the case and the current caseload.

Yes, applicants can apply for work rights while their Protection Visa application is being processed, but this is subject to certain conditions.

If refused, you may have the right to seek a review of the decision through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) or other relevant bodies.

Required documents include proof of identity, evidence supporting your claim for protection (such as detailed statements and any relevant documents), and any other information that substantiates your case.

Yes, you can include eligible family members in your Protection Visa application.

A refugee is someone who cannot return to their home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution, while complementary protection is granted to those at risk of significant harm, such as torture or inhumane treatment, if returned to their home country.

Protection Visa holders can access a range of support services, including Medicare, social security benefits, education, and employment services, similar to other permanent residents.

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Trusted By

Our Customers

Amitava and Irene were fantastic throughout. I had a bad experience with a previous agency and they took me under their wing to proceed with my application and were very attentive and responsive. Would recommend.
Ciara Shorten

Ciara Shorten

Jan 2024
We are incredibly grateful to have found Amitava Deb and Irene at Debika Migration Services through a friend's recommendation. (We approached them to get my partner visa done.) Their expertise and dedication made my immigration journey a smooth and efficient process.

Shruthi S

Oct. 2023
I had a visa refusal for my 485 visa in 2020 by my own mistake. Amitava helped me to find lawyer and get a positive result in appeal! Also for my Vetassess Assessment, I received a negative result in 2021 by other agents. Amitava helped to get a positive outcome in my second application. The best agent I have met!

Kelly Zhu

Dec 2023
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