COVID-19 – Australian Citizenship Arrangements Update

The Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs The Hon Alan Tudge MP has released information regarding the processing of Australian citizenship’s during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applications for Australian citizenship are still being accepted by the Department of Home Affairs, however, citizenship interviews and citizenship testing has been put on a temporary hold. These restrictions will be removed once social distancing guidelines have been revised and relaxed by the Australian government.

The Department of Home Affairs has started holding citizenship ceremonies online via video link which will allow up to 750 people to have their citizenship conferred every day. These new capabilities enable ceremonies to go forward even though it is not currently possible for the traditional, in person ceremonies to take place.

Individuals who are not able to access the internet to take part in one of these ceremonies can work with the Department of Home Affairs to obtain their citizenship in a safe manor. 

People who were already awaiting their citizenship ceremony will be contacted by the Department in order to attend a video link ceremony.

For more information regarding this press release, click here.

If you are looking to apply for Australian citizenship in the coming months and have concerns regarding COVID-19 and how this may affect your application, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our team at Ethos Migration Lawyers.