Australian Citizenship Application Fee
The Australian Citizenship application fee for 2023 has been set. All those who wish to apply for Australian Citizenship must pay the fee applicable as outlined below.
Australian Citizenship Application Fee – 2023
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- Adult: $285 per application
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- Child: $180 per application
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- Child Under 16: No application fee
The fee listed above is to be paid for each application for Australian Citizenship. The fee is non-refundable, so make sure to submit only valid applications in order to avoid additional fee.
The standard time to process a citizenship application is approximately six to eight months. Additional time may be required if the application is incomplete or additional supporting documents are required.
In some instances, the processing time may be further delayed if the applicant is a Visitor Visa or Student Visa holder, or is under a criminal investigation.
Benefits of Australian Citizenship include the right to hold an Australian passport and unrestricted entry into Australia, the right to work in Australia without restriction, and access to government social security payments and certain government-funded services.
Other Fees
Other potential fees include but are not limited to:
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- Skills Assessment Assessment: Between $150 to $450, depending on profession.
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- Criminal Record Check: From $55 – $269.
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- English Test: From $80 to $390.
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- IELTS Test: From $175 to $330.
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- Medical and Character Check: From $90 per person.
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- Visa Fee: From $1,060.
These fees are subject to change without notice. For further information, contact the relevant Australian government department or Australian Immigration Office. In light of the Federal government’s proposed changes to the Australian citizenship application fee, the Department of Home Affairs has announced that the current fee for 2023 will remain unchanged.
The new fee, which was scheduled to come into effect 1 July 2020, will now remain fixed at $ 285 per person. This is an increase from the current fee of $ 255, and was introduced as part of the government’s efforts to recover the cost of processing applications.
The amendment was due to come into effect this month but the Home Affairs Department stated it was “unable to adjust the fee due to the current economic circumstances and backlog of applications.”
The fee increase applies to applications lodged from 1 July 2020 and any incomplete applications submitted before 1 October 2020 but completed after that date. Applications lodged before 1 July 2020 will not be affected by this change.
It is important to note that the Australian Citizenship Application Fee applies only to applications lodged from 1 July 2020 and does not apply to any subsequent visa or citizenship applications.
The Home Affairs Department also states that the fee does not apply to those applying for certain humanitarian visas or applications which relate to a stateless person who has been born in Australia.
The decision marks the third time the Australian Government has delayed the citizenship fee increase in the past two years. This is a critical issue, as the introduction of the fee could mean an additional $53 per person on the cost of achieving citizenship.
Those who are interested in learning more about the application process in Australia are encouraged to contact the Australian Government or their local Department of Home Affairs for further information.
It is important for potential applicants to understand the implications of the proposed fee increase and to remain informed about further changes which may be announced.