Recent changes to Australian citizenship legislation

Main content

Click on the relevant link below to view changes to Australian Citizenship legislation which are contained within the Australian Citizenship Act 2007.

Citizenship Test

Information on the new citizenship test.

Residence requirements

Information on changes to the residence requirements.

Descent

The Australian Citizenship Act 2007 contains no age and time limitations for registration of citizenship by descent.

Citizenship by adoption in accordance with the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption

The Australian Citizenship Act 2007 provides for people to be registered as an Australian citizen if they were adopted overseas by an Australian citizen parent in accordance with full Hague Convention Intercountry Adoption arrangements.

Conferral

Terminology has been changed in the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 from the ‘grant of citizenship’ to ‘citizenship by conferral’. There are a number of other changes to the provisions for citizenship by conferral, including an extension of the residence requirement to 4 years lawful residence.

Resumption

I am a former citizen who renounced my Australian citizenship so that I could retain my other citizenship. Will I be able to resume my Australian citizenship under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007?

Revocation

Terminology has been changed in the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 from the ‘deprivation’ of Australian citizenship to ‘revocation’ of Australian citizenship.

The revocation provisions have been extended.