Citizenship by birth
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I was born in Australia. Am I an Australian citizen?
Whether you are an Australian citizen by birth depends on the date of your birth.
People born in Australia on or after 20 August 1986 become Australian citizens by birth if at least one parent is an Australian citizen or a permanent resident at the time of the person’s birth.
A child born in Australia to parents who are not permanent residents or Australian citizens acquires Australian citizenship automatically on his or her 10th birthday provided the child is ordinarily resident in Australia. Children born in Australia to foreign diplomats do not acquire Australian citizenship.
People born in Australia before 20 August 1986 became Australian citizens by birth unless one parent was entitled to diplomatic privileges and immunities or was a consular officer of a foreign country.
Children born in Australia to New Zealand citizen parents
Between 1 September 1994 and 26 February 2001, people born in Australia to New Zealand citizen parents became Australian citizens at birth if the parents were present in Australia as Special Category Visa holders. However, if the parents were diplomats, official guests, members of crew of an aircraft or vessel, members of the New Zealand armed forces, or the spouse or dependant relatives of such persons, the child did not become an Australian citizen.
From 27 February 2001, people born in Australia to New Zealand citizen parents generally do not become an Australian citizen at birth unless at the time of the birth one of the New Zealand citizen parents:
- had been granted a permanent resident visa; or
- had become an Australian citizen; or
- was in Australia on 26 February 2001 as the holder a Special Category Visa; or
- was outside Australia on 26 February 2001 but had been in Australia as a holder of a Special Category Visa for a period totalling one year in the two years before that date; or
- had a Centrelink certificate, issued under the Social Security Act 1991, stating that the person was, for the purposes of the Act, residing in Australia on a particular date. These certificates are no longer issued.
More information is available.
See:
Fact Sheet 17 New Zealanders in Australia
Australia and New Zealand Social Security Arrangements
People born in Australia before 26 January 1949
Before 26 January 1949, the status of Australian citizen did not exist, and people born in Australia were British subjects.
The legal concept of Australian citizen was created on 26 January 1949 with the enactment of the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948, now known as the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. On that date, people born in Australia became Australian citizens automatically, whether they were in Australia or outside Australia.
British subjects or people naturalised as British subjects who had been ordinarily resident in Australia for the five year period between 26 January 1944 and 26 January 1949, became Australian citizens automatically on 26 January 1949.
I need proof of my Australian citizenship
You need to apply for evidence of Australian citizenship.
See: Proof of citizenship