Australian Citizenship 2026: Residence Requirement, Citizenship Test and Fees

To become an Australian citizen by conferral, most permanent residents must meet the general residence requirement: 4 years living in Australia on a valid visa, including the last 12 months as a permanent resident, with limited time overseas. Most applicants aged 18 to 59 must also pass a 20-question citizenship test, scoring at least 75% and answering all 5 Australian values questions correctly. As of October 2026, Home Affairs says 75% of applications are processed in 13 months.

Key points

• Residence: 4 years lawfully in Australia immediately before applying, including 12 months as a permanent resident.
• Absences: no more than 12 months in total outside Australia in the 4 years, including no more than 90 days in the last 12 months.
• Test: 20 multiple-choice questions, pass mark 15/20 (75%), plus 5/5 on Australian values. 45 minutes (90 for the Assisted Test).
• Processing: 75% in 13 months, 90% in 16 months (lodgement to ceremony), as of October 2026.
• Fees: changed on 1 July 2026. Home Affairs pages showed inconsistent figures in October 2026, so confirm the fee in ImmiAccount when you apply.

Who can apply by conferral

The main route for migrants is citizenship by conferral (general eligibility). According to Home Affairs, when you apply and when the decision is made you must be living in Australia and either hold an Australian permanent visa or be an eligible New Zealand citizen. You must also:

• meet the general residence requirement (unless an exemption applies)
• be of good character (if aged 18 or over)
• pass the citizenship test if you are aged 18 to 59 (with some exceptions)
• intend to live in, or maintain a close and continuing link with, Australia

Children under 16 do not need to meet the residence requirement, but must be permanent residents. They can be included on a responsible parent’s application.

If you are still working towards permanent residence, start with our Australian PR pathways guide.

The general residence requirement explained

Rule	Requirement
Time living in Australia on a valid visa	4 years immediately before the day you apply
Time as a permanent resident (or SCV holder)	The last 12 months immediately before you apply
Total absences in the 4 years	No more than 12 months
Absences in the last 12 months	No more than 90 days

Time on temporary visas (such as a Student, Temporary Graduate, Skills in Demand or partner visa) counts towards the 4 years, as long as you held a valid visa. Time unlawfully in Australia does not count.

Absence calculator walkthrough

Check your dates carefully before you apply. Here is how to do it.

1. Pick your planned application date. Count back exactly 4 years. This is your “residence period”.
2. Confirm your visa history. You must have held a valid Australian visa for the whole period you were in Australia during those 4 years.
3. Find your permanent residence start date. If you were granted PR in Australia, it is usually the grant date. If you were outside Australia, it is usually the date you first entered on the permanent visa. You need at least 12 months of PR immediately before your application date.
4. List every trip overseas in the 4 years. You can request your international movement records from Home Affairs if you are unsure.
5. Add up all days outside Australia in the 4 years. The total must be 365 days or fewer (12 months).
6. Add up days outside Australia in the last 12 months. The total must be 90 days or fewer.
7. If either total is too high, move your application date later and recalculate.

Worked example (hypothetical dates): Priya plans to apply on 1 November 2026. Her residence period runs from 1 November 2022. She arrived on a Student visa in August 2022, moved to a Temporary Graduate visa, and was granted PR in Australia on 15 March 2025. That gives her more than 12 months of PR by 1 November 2026. Her trips overseas total 140 days across the 4 years, which is under 12 months. But 100 of those days were in the last 12 months, which is over the 90-day limit. If she waits until the older trips fall outside the last 12 months and her recent absences drop to 90 days or fewer, she can apply.

Check your dates against the official residence requirement before lodging. Special rules apply to some people, including certain New Zealand citizens, Defence Force members, people in jobs that require regular travel overseas, and some partners of Australian citizens.

The Australian citizenship test

The citizenship test checks that you have a basic knowledge of English, understand Australian values, and know about Australia and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship.

Feature	Detail
Who sits it	Most conferral applicants aged 18 to 59
Format	20 computer-based multiple-choice questions
Pass mark	At least 15/20 (75%) and 5/5 Australian values questions
Time	45 minutes (Standard Test) or 90 minutes (Assisted Test)
Cost	Included in the application fee
Attempts	If you fail, another appointment is booked at no extra cost. After three unsuccessful appointments, the application may be refused

Who can take the Assisted Test

You may be offered the Assisted Test if you asked for it in your application and either completed at least 400 hours of English tuition under the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), or have a physical or cognitive impairment that prevents you from sitting the Standard Test even with support.

Who does not sit the test

You generally do not need to sit the test if, when you apply, you are under 18 or 60 or over, or have a permanent or enduring physical or mental incapacity, or a substantial impairment of hearing, speech or sight. You may still have an interview.

How to prepare

Home Affairs says to use only official resources. The testable section of the booklet Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond contains everything you need, and the booklet is available in 40 community languages. Failing the test does not affect your visa.

Citizenship fees in 2026

Citizenship application fees “usually increase on 1 July each year”, according to Home Affairs, and they changed on 1 July 2026. As of 11 October 2026, the Home Affairs general eligibility page still showed figures that did not match other published information, so we are not quoting a fee here until Home Affairs confirms it on its own site.

What we can confirm from Home Affairs:

• There is no extra charge for a child under 16 included on a parent’s application form.
• Concession fees apply for some concession card holders, and other fee concessions or exemptions apply in specific cases.
• The test is included in the application fee.
• Home Affairs cannot process your application if you do not pay the correct fee, so check the amount shown in ImmiAccount on the day you lodge.

For visa fees after the 1 July 2026 increase, see our Australia visa fees 2026 guide.

Processing times and the ceremony

As of October 2026, Home Affairs says it processes 75% of applications in 13 months and 90% in 16 months, usually measured from lodgement to the citizenship ceremony. Home Affairs says your ceremony will be held within 6 months of approval, although waiting times can vary. Check the live processing times page.

You become a citizen when you make the Australian citizenship pledge at the ceremony. You can then apply for an Australian passport. If you travel before you have an Australian passport, you need your other passport and a valid visa to return.

Your application may take longer if it is incomplete, if documents are missing, or if your identity or information takes time to verify.

Step-by-step: how to apply

1. Check eligibility using the residence rules and the steps above.
2. Gather documents: identity documents, evidence of PR, and overseas police certificates if Home Affairs asks for them (for example if you spent 12 months or more in total outside Australia since turning 18 and 90 days or more in one country).
3. Apply online through ImmiAccount and pay the fee shown.
4. Attend your appointment to confirm identity and sit the test (if required).
5. Wait for a decision, then attend your citizenship ceremony and make the pledge.

Can you keep your other citizenship?

Australia allows dual citizenship, but your other country may not. Check before you apply. Our guide to dual citizenship rules compares the US, Canada, UK and Australia.

What to do next

• Work out your earliest application date with the steps above, using your movement records.
• Start studying Our Common Bond now, especially the Australian values section.
• Visit the Australia hub for more guides, and check our updates page for fee or rule changes.
• If you have a character concern, long periods overseas or a complex visa history, speak to a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner before applying.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm current rules and fees on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au.