How to become an Australian citizen in 2026: every step from residence to the pledge
Most permanent residents become Australian citizens by conferral. There are five steps: meet the residence requirement, apply online, attend an appointment for your interview and citizenship test, receive the decision, and make the pledge at a ceremony. The figures below come from the Department of Home Affairs. Some of its pages could not be opened directly when we checked on 22 October 2026, so we say where a figure comes from; check each one on the Department's site before you apply. This is general information, not legal advice.
Step 1: meet the residence requirement
The general residence requirement, as the Department's Residence Calculator sets it out:
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Lawful residence | Four years living in Australia on a valid visa immediately before you apply |
| Permanent residence | The last 12 months of those four years as a permanent resident (or on a Special Category visa, subclass 444) |
| Absences | Not more than 12 months outside Australia in the four years, and not more than 90 days in the last 12 months |
Use the Department's Residence Calculator rather than counting by hand; the link is below. Other eligibility rules apply too, such as good character and an intention to live in or keep a close connection with Australia; the application form lists them.
Step 2: apply online
Adults usually apply online with form 1300t (general eligibility). Children aged 15 or younger can be included in a parent's application. The Department's fee list sets the fee, with a lower concession fee for some applicants; check the current amount on the Department's fee page before you pay, as fees are set by regulation and change.
Step 3: the interview and the citizenship test
Most applicants aged 18 to 59 are invited to an appointment to confirm their identity and sit the citizenship test. The test is 20 multiple-choice questions in English on a computer, in 45 minutes. You pass with at least 15 of 20 (75%) and all five questions on Australian values right: a strong score on the rest cannot make up for a missed values question. The fee you paid covers the test. Every question comes from the testable section of Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond.
Prepare here: sit the free Australian citizenship practice test without an account. Each paper is a new draw of 20 with five values questions, marked by both parts of the pass rule. With a free account, the questions you miss come back for review and the exam page shows your chance of passing, and which topic would raise it most. The test guide covers the appointment.
Step 4: the decision
After your test the Department decides your application and tells you in writing.
Step 5: the ceremony and the pledge
If approved, most people become citizens by making the Australian citizenship pledge at a ceremony, usually run by the local council. You become an Australian citizen when you make the pledge.