Citizenship Processing Times
Last updated: 08 January 2021
This table shows how long it is currently taking to process citizenship applications.
A ‘decision’ includes applications that have been approved, refused, withdrawn and those that cannot be considered (invalid).
| Application type | Period counted | Timeframe for 75% of applications |
Timeframe for 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian citizenship by conferral (general eligibility and other situations)** |
From date of application to decision | 14 months | 18 months |
| From date of approval to ceremony | 6 months | 9 months | |
| From date of application to ceremony | 19 months | 29 months | |
| Australian citizenship by descent | From date of application to decision* | 4 months | 8 months |
| Evidence of Australian citizenship | From date of application to decision* | 5 days | 15 days |
* Allow an extra 10 days after approval of your application for printing and postage of your citizenship document. If you applied from outside Australia, postage will take longer.
** The processing times presented for the citizenship by conferral process include applications for which, in the reporting month, either:
- a decision outcome was reached; or,
- person/s who were included in the application acquired Australian citizenship by conferral by attending a citizenship ceremony and making the pledge of commitment.
As processing times may vary significantly due to a number of circumstances, these percentile figures are intended to provide a guide as to what might be expected for the majority of applications.
Percentile reports can be interpreted as follows:
- The 75th percentile – for 74 applications out of every 100, the timeframe was less than the 75th percentile figure shown.
- The 90th percentile – for 89 applications out of every 100, the timeframe was less than the 90th percentile figure shown.
Circumstances that affect processing times
Some factors can affect how long it takes to finalise your application.
If your application is affected by any of the following factors, it could mean that your application will take longer to finalise than an application not affected by these factors.
Factors that can affect the processing time of your application include:
- whether you have given us a complete application, including all the supporting documents
- how promptly you respond when we ask for more information or documents
- the time it takes to check the information you have given us
- the time it takes for information from other agencies, usually for character and national security requirements
- for applications for citizenship by conferral, where applicants are required to take the citizenship test, our ability to offer citizenship test appointments in the COVID-19 environment. Client service sites in regional Victoria remain closed at this time
- for applications for evidence and citizenship by descent, the time it takes for the postage of your citizenship document
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