Australian Immigration Daily News

The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it will be delivering online citizenship ceremonies via secure video-link to enable those applicants who are already approved to continue to become Australian citizens.

Online citizenship ceremonies will be with the presiding officer and generally a single conferee, or a household group if they reside at the same location, and are shorter than traditional in-person ceremonies while still ensuring legal requirements are met. Ceremonies performed online continue to include integrity measures, such as identity checks.

Following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions across a number of jurisdictions, small in-person citizenship ceremonies are also being reintroduced from June 2020. The exact date is yet to be confirmed. These ceremonies must comply with current state or territory directives on the limits on small gatherings, and meet COVIDcSafe requirements.

Individuals will be contacted directly and invited to attend an online citizenship ceremony or a small in-person ceremony. There is no need to contact the Department or your local council about your ceremony. 

Generally, conferees have 12 months from their notice of approval to attend a ceremony and make the pledge of commitment, however, during the COVID-19 period, citizenship approval will not be cancelled if a conferee cannot attend a ceremony within this 12 month period. 

Applying for citizenship

New applications for Australian citizenship are being accepted.

Processing continues on all applications for Australian citizenship that have already been lodged with the Department. 

All in-person citizenship interviews and citizenship tests have been placed on hold. The Department will recommence citizenship interviews and citizenship tests when it is safe to do so.

Further information is available here:

https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/