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Evidence of Citizenship

What is Evidence of Citizenship?

Evidence of Citizenship means obtaining an Australian Citizenship Certificate. To be certain if a person is eligible to apply for an Australian Citizenship Certificate, careful analysis must be made on an individual basis. Making assumptions or comparisons to other cases that may seem similar can be detrimental and cause significant issues down the track.

There are several reasons why you would apply for evidence of citizenship, these include:

  • Proof of Australian citizenship
  • Evidence used to apply for an Australian passport
  • Replace a lost or damaged certificate
  • Change of name or correction of details

How do I apply for an Australian Citizenship Certificate?

Citizenship Certificates can be provided to applicants who either have citizenship by:

  • Automatic Acquisition: a child born in Australia may have acquired citizenship automatically at their birth or on their 10th birthday.
  • Application by Conferral: a person may have received citizenship by conferral if they were considered a permanent resident prior to applying for and being granted Australian citizenship.
  • Application by Descent: a person may have received citizenship by descent if they were born outside of Australia to an Australian citizen parent, made an application for and granted Citizenship by Descent.
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Citizenship for Children

For the purposes of Evidence of Citizenship, the main focus will be on children born in Australia to *New Zealand parents who were subclass TY444 visa holders at the time of their child’s birth. A child born to TY444 New Zealand citizen parents is an Australian citizen if they were either:

  • ​Born in Australia and lived in Australia for the first 10 years of their life from 0 to the day of their 10th birthday, or
  • Born in Australia and either of their New Zealand parents were/are recognised as Eligible New Zealand citizens otherwise known as ‘Protected SCV’ holders at the time of the child’s birth, or
  • If a child is born in Australia to a New Zealand citizen parent and the other parent is an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or Eligible New Zealand citizen, they are an Australian citizen at birth, or
  • If a child is born in Australia to New Zealand parents between the 1st September 1994 and the 26th February 2001, they are Australian citizens at birth, or
  • If a child was born in Australia to New Zealand parents up to the 19th August 1986, they are Australian citizens at birth, or
  • If a child were born to New Zealand parents between the 19th August 1986 and the 31st August 1994, they would have had to live in Australia for the first 10 years of their life. Then they would have been automatically granted Australian citizenship on their 10th birthday.

Note: Children subject to the 10 year rule are not restricted from applying for citizenship if they travelled overseas for short holidays or trips between the ages of 0 and 10 years of age. Careful consideration and advice should be sought for children who were overseas for prolonged periods of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to apply for an Australian Citizenship Certificate?

Applications for Evidence of Citizenship can be made either online by creating an online ImmiAccount or via paper application.

​A responsible parent can apply for children who are under 16 years old and children 16 years old, and over can apply on their own.

How long does it take for a citizenship certificate application to process?

Processing times vary from month to month but in our experience it can take anywhere from 1 day to 6 weeks to process.

How much does it cost to apply?

​The Department of Home Affairs’ fee is $240 for each Citizenship Certificate.

Can Morunga Migration take care of my application for me?

We would love to assist you and your family in preparing and lodging an Evidence of Citizenship application on your behalf.

Our fees for preparing and lodging applications are provided following a consultation only. We must undertake a full assessment of your situation first.

What evidence is needed?

​If evidence is required to prove the first 10 years of residency, then you can include (but not restricted to) records such as immunisation and school records . You can use school reports or a letter from the school confirming years of enrolment between the child’s 5th and 10th birthdays.

​For children who were citizens at birth, evidence of parents’ immigration status is important. You can use the parent’s of the child’s birth certificate, Australian citizenship certificate, permanent visa or movement records.

​All other supporting documentation includes identity documents, proof of address, a passport sized photo and a Form 1195 – Identity Declaration.

Further details can be found on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Please note: The information we provide on our website and social media is intended as a guide and general educational resource only. The only way to know what is best for each individual case is to book an assessment. Erina is a highly experienced and knowledgeable registered migration agent who specialises solely in the migration matters of New Zealand citizens who live in Australia.

We can help you get started.

First step is to book a Consultation/Assessment with us online

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