# Useful Information on Australian PR, Australian Citizen, Australian Passport Holder



## MaddyOZ (Aug 16, 2011)

Australian Permanent Resident, Full Citizen, Passport Holder - What’s the Difference?

*Australian Permanent Resident*

Australian permanent residents are those who hold permanent residency visas, but are not citizens of Australia. They can remain in Australia indefinitely. These visas usually have validity of 5 years from the date of issue. As long as it is valid, they can leave and enter Australia any number of times.
In Australia, a notable feature of this visa is that the holder of this visa can stay in Australia even after the initial visa expires indefinitely without breaching immigration laws. If after the initial visa expires, the holder wants to travel to and from Australia, he has to obtain a Resident Return Visa. But if they stay outside Australia for too long, then they lose the permanent resident status. This type of visa is granted to skilled laborers and refugees usually. These visa holders enjoy most of the privileges of citizens. However, most of the states do not allow them to vote in Federal elections.

*Citizens of Australia*

So who is eligible to become a citizen of Australia?
Residents who have:
lived in Australia for at least 4 years, and
lived in Australia for at least 12 months as permanent residents

While this is the rule to be eligible for citizenship after July 2007, there is a different rule for those who have obtained permanent residence prior to July 2007. 

In that case an applicant must have:
lived in Australia as permanent resident for at least 2 years of the last 5 years, or
at least 12 of the last 24 months.

One would be automatically Australian Citizen if he fulfills the following conditions:
You were born in Australia prior to 20 August 1986;
OR
You were born in Australia after 20 August 1986, AND
one of your parents held Australian citizenship or an Australian permanent residence visa at the time of birth;
OR
You were born in Australia after 20 August 1986
neither of your parents held Australian citizenship or an Australian permanent residence visa, but you have spent the majority of your life in Australia prior to your 10th birthday.
In this case, you automatically become an Australian citizen on your 10th birthday.”

Now there is an added advantage of dual citizenship in Australia. One can be a citizen of another country and still be an Australian citizen while the other way round is left to the discretion of the other countries.

*Australian Passport Holder*

Australian passports are issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade only to citizens of Australia. There are different types of passports:
Standard passport issued for vacations and business trips
Frequent Traveler passport for frequent travelers
Senior passport for those aged more than 75 years
Diplomatic passports to the Australian diplomats
Official passport to those representing Australian Government.

A report says - ”An Australian passport is conclusive evidence of a person’s identity and citizenship, and provides the holder with unfettered right of entry to Australia.” If a person is married to a citizen of another country, it will not entitle the spouse to hold an Australian passport.

Australian citizens should enter Australia on their own Australian passport only. A child cannot be included on a parent’s passport. No pages can be added to Australian passports. It has to be renewed in the normal way.
An Australian citizen who has dual citizenship can enter or leave Australia only with the Australian passport. They are exempted only when they have been issued Australian Declaratory Visa.

Now citizens are even issued an ePassport. Most of the Australian passport offices have facilities for this and one has to make appointment with the local Australian passport office if he wishes to avail this facility.

If a person is born outside Australia, he must produce Australian Citizenship Certificate for issue or renewal of passport.

The following terms and conditions are to be fulfilled if one has to obtain Australian passport:
Full Australian birth certificate (if born after 20/8/1986 you will also need evidence that one parent was an Australian citizen or permanent resident at the time of your birth); or
Australian citizenship certificate; or
Previous Australian passport issued after 20 Aug 1986 and valid for at least 2 years.

Source : australialiveworkplay website.


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## uroojs (Mar 24, 2011)

Can you clarify one thing.... my sister is a holder of Permanent Residence Visa 175 and had a baby boy three days back. Her spouse is also on the same visa , that means the new born will get an Australian citizenship/ passport right away?


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## MaddyOZ (Aug 16, 2011)

uroojs said:


> Can you clarify one thing.... my sister is a holder of Permanent Residence Visa 175 and had a baby boy three days back. Her spouse is also on the same visa , that means the new born will get an Australian citizenship/ passport right away?


Yes.. as per the regulations given in the citizenship website..if a new baby is born when the parents are having PR, Then the new born baby can become Aus citizen by birth.

Sent from my ipad using Expat Forum


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

If the baby is born in Australia then the answer is Yes the baby is an Australian Citizen at birth and can immediately apply for an AU passport by using the birth certificate as proof of Australian Citizenship. 

Your sister and her spouse are still PRs until they apply for AU Citizenship.

When travelling your sister and her husband would travel on their home country passports and the baby would travel on his Australian passport. If visiting Pakistan then the baby would need at least a Pakistan visa on his Australian passport.





uroojs said:


> Can you clarify one thing.... my sister is a holder of Permanent Residence Visa 175 and had a baby boy three days back. Her spouse is also on the same visa , that means the new born will get an Australian citizenship/ passport right away?


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## stormgal (Sep 30, 2009)

MaddyOZ said:


> If a person is married to a citizen of another country, it will not entitle the spouse to hold an Australian passport.


this clause here is great! ..too many hearts broken because people try to marry the passport and not the person!


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## MaddyOZ (Aug 16, 2011)

stormgal said:


> this clause here is great! ..too many hearts broken because people try to marry the passport and not the person!


hahaha, yes. Another one goes like this...'Children born in Australia to parents who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents, automatically acquire Australian citizenship on their 10th birthday if they have lived most of their life in Australia'.

So the first 10 years will he/she be an expatriate infant / boy / girl?


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

The first ten years they are a dependent on the parents visa (i.e. student visa). Once the child reaches age 10 and parents have not acquired PR then the child automatically becomes an Australian Citizen.



MaddyOZ said:


> hahaha, yes. Another one goes like this...'Children born in Australia to parents who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents, automatically acquire Australian citizenship on their 10th birthday if they have lived most of their life in Australia'.
> 
> So the first 10 years will he/she be an expatriate infant / boy / girl?


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## uroojs (Mar 24, 2011)

What about children not born in Australia and are on 175? My daughter is currently 6 , will she gets an Australian passport if any one of the parents get the passport or does she has to complete her individual period to qualify for aus passport?


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## MaddyOZ (Aug 16, 2011)

uroojs said:


> What about children not born in Australia and are on 175? My daughter is currently 6 , will she gets an Australian passport if any one of the parents get the passport or does she has to complete her individual period to qualify for aus passport?


Once she reaches 10 yrs and if parents are AUS citizens, then i guess your daughter will be eligible for AUS Passport by then. 

Parents and children must satisfy 4 yrs lawful residence is AUS to become eligible for AU Citizenship. So if your daughter migrated to AUS with you as a dependant then the same law applies to her as well. 

Only birth in AUS when parents are PR makes the child eligible for citizenship by birth.

Cheers.


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## MaddyOZ (Aug 16, 2011)

Visa requirements for Australian citizens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Australian Passport holder can travel across 179 countries with On arrival Visa / Visa free stay up to certain period.


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

When the parents apply for AU Citizenship the children also get it at the same time it is granted to the parents. On the Citizenship application you need to put all your immediate family members. 




uroojs said:


> What about children not born in Australia and are on 175? My daughter is currently 6 , will she gets an Australian passport if any one of the parents get the passport or does she has to complete her individual period to qualify for aus passport?


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## MaddyOZ (Aug 16, 2011)

*About Dual Citizenship*

It is possible to hold citizenship of two or more countries if the law of those countries allow. This is known as dual, or multiple, citizenship. People can become dual citizens automatically, or after being granted citizenship of another country. 

For example, an Australian citizen may automatically gain citizenship of another country through marriage, while a permanent resident of Australia may become a dual citizen by becoming an Australian citizen.

Prior to 4 April 2002, Australian citizens who became citizens of another country lost their Australian citizenship automatically.


Australian Citizenship – Dual citizenship


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## lifeisgood (Mar 30, 2010)

stormgal said:


> this clause here is great! ..too many hearts broken because people try to marry the passport and not the person!


Can you post the official link to this info plz?


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## stormgal (Sep 30, 2009)

lifeisgood said:


> Can you post the official link to this info plz?


First sentence - 

Australian Citizenship – Spouse or partner of an Australian


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## lifeisgood (Mar 30, 2010)

stormgal said:


> First sentence -
> 
> Australian Citizenship – Spouse or partner of an Australian


thanks..


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## janemccurdy (Jan 25, 2012)

*jane*

thanks for that - if i do renew my daughters oz passport, then we can apply for a family visa then?


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## conf (Feb 3, 2012)

MaddyOZ said:


> Once she reaches 10 yrs and if parents are AUS citizens, then i guess your daughter will be eligible for AUS Passport by then.
> 
> Parents and children must satisfy 4 yrs lawful residence is AUS to become eligible for AU Citizenship. So if your daughter migrated to AUS with you as a dependant then the same law applies to her as well.
> 
> ...


I did enquiry this about children having to satisfy the residence requirements and they told me they do not need to satisfy. Provided the parents satisfy the residency requirement the children will get the citizenship. I will need to ask this again to reconfirm.


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## fad.618619 (Aug 6, 2012)

hello everyone,
i have just got a quick question about citizenship criteria. citizenship website says that you also need to provide proof of your arrival in Australia. i actually lost my original passport which had the stamp(proof of arrival) but i do have a photocopy of the plane ticket. u reckon that would b sufficient.


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## wesmant (Feb 10, 2012)

Hi all, 

two question about double or multiple citizenship. 

Does the "new Australian" need to declare Australian citizenship to the other country? As some country doesn't allow multiple citizenship? but this new Astralian may want to keep the old citizenship.

secondly, how to use the passports when travelling? must use both? or just one of the passports?


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## Guest (Aug 6, 2012)

Yes if the country you were originally a citizen of demands it you must declare it. Many countries accept but do not recognise duel citizenship some strictly forbid it and strip you of citizenship of your country of birth, such as India.


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## wesmant (Feb 10, 2012)

_shel said:


> Yes if the country you were originally a citizen of demands it you must declare it. Many countries accept but do not recognise duel citizenship some strictly forbid it and strip you of citizenship of your country of birth, such as India.


Hi Shel, 
referring to the must declare as I underlined above, is it required by Aust Govt? I am particularly interested on the Aust Government stand 

thanks


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## Guest (Aug 6, 2012)

You mean when you apply for australian citizenship? Then yes, you must declare all citizenships and visas ever held from applying for visas right through to citizenship. I know the Australian Government informs the UK when British Citizens become Australian, not sure about other countries.


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## wesmant (Feb 10, 2012)

_shel said:


> I know the Australian Government informs the UK when British Citizens become Australian, not sure about other countries.


I see, got it. Thanks Shel


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## tapan.upadhyay (Jan 20, 2013)

*Enquiry about Citizenship*

Hi,
Thanks for your valuable information. but i have a question that would be great if you guys solve it.

I am a permanent resident of Australia. I got my PR on Jan-2007, i came to australia in May 2007, stay here for a week and Move to US for 4 years, I came back on July 2011 and staying here from the last 1 and 1/2 years, 

Now my question is :

According to the rule before 2007, People who got PR before July 2007 need to stay in Australia for 2 years and they are eligible for citizenship.

* Am I eligible for this as u got my PR before July 2007 and my 2 year will be completed in July 2013 ?

If i check there website its says that i need to stay in Australia for 4 year to become citizen.

That would be great if anybody help me for this or connect me with the right person who can guide me for this.

Thanks
Tapan


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## ozbound12 (Mar 23, 2012)

tapan.upadhyay said:


> Hi,
> Thanks for your valuable information. but i have a question that would be great if you guys solve it.
> 
> I am a permanent resident of Australia. I got my PR on Jan-2007, i came to australia in May 2007, stay here for a week and Move to US for 4 years, I came back on July 2011 and staying here from the last 1 and 1/2 years,
> ...


The pre-2007 rule no longer applies as the transitional period ended in 2010. As such, you'll have to have been resident in Australia for 4 years to be able to apply for citizenship.

Australian Citizenship – Changes to the citizenship residence requirement on 1 July 2010

There's a residence calculator on the website which should help you figure out when you can lodge your application.


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## klumsyboy (Feb 15, 2013)

*Does Aust, PR married to Aust. Citizen still need to stay in Australia 2 yrs out of 5*

Hi, Immi phone queue takes forever. 

If my wife has Australian permanent residency and I am an Australian Citizen and we both go to Singapore for 6 to 8 years, and I return with her to Australia, what happens to her PR? 

She will not have eligibility for the 5 year RRV because she has left Australia for over 5 years and will not meet the 2 out of 5 years test. 

What visa will she use to come back to Australia?

Both our babies are less than 2 years old and Australian Born Australian Citizens.

Please let me know and any references to official documents/website pages would be great.


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## ozbound12 (Mar 23, 2012)

Your wife would probably qualify for an RRV based on her substantial personal ties to you and your children (who are Australian citizens) but since she doesn't meet the residence requirement for a 5-year RRV, she will probably only be issued an RRV for one year.

You might find this helpful: http://www.singapore.embassy.gov.au/files/sing/Resident Return Visa checklist.pdf


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