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Australian Citizenship CeremoniesThe Sunshine Coast Regional Council conducts citizenship ceremonies on behalf of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). Council's role is to provide a forum at which people can state their Pledge of Australian Citizenship, after which they receive their Certificate of Australian Citizenship, duly dated and signed. From that date on, they are Australians. You must apply for Australian citizenship through the DIAC. You cannot acquire Australian citizenship automatically by having lived in Australia for a certain time or by marrying an Australian citizen. Applying for Australian Citizenship Citizenship test Most people applying for citizenship will need to pass the citizenship test before they lodge their application. Applicants who lodged an application for citizenship before 1 October 2007, or are aged under 18 years and over 60 years are not required to sit the citizenship test. Application forms and information are available from offices of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Migrant Resource Centres and major post offices. Important information Once you have applied for your citizenship, DIAC will notify you in writing once your application is approved. The confirmation letter from DIAC will state: “Congratulations, you are accepted to be an Australian citizen and the Local Council will contact you". DIAC will then send the names to the Local Council. Council only receives notification from DIAC of successful applicants on a monthly basis. A recipient may receive their letter of approval from DIAC some three to four weeks before Council receives notification. There are hundreds of recipients receiving their citizenship every month within the Sunshine Coast region. Normally, the first 100 will be added onto the next available ceremony. If you are not in that first 100, you will automatically be added into the following ceremony. Council then sends out invitations to the recipients seven / eight weeks prior to the event. Council will then order the certificates from DIAC once everyone has RSVP three weeks prior to the event. If there is a child who is under 16 years, they will be added onto the dependent parent’s application and will automatically receive a citizenship certificate at the ceremony. If the child is over 16 years of age, they will need to apply for their citizenship on a separate application through DIAC. They will need to follow this up with DIAC as each applicant can vary. Citizenship ceremonies Dates and venues Ceremonies are held on a regular basis (approximately once a month or every 6 weeks depending on the Mayor’s availability) and are held during the week. The only ceremony held on a public holiday is on Australia Day every year (26 January). Venues are subject to change across the region. For details regarding the date and venue for the next citizenship ceremony contact council's customer service centre. Private citizenship ceremonies Council may only arrange a private ceremony when citizenship is required urgently or when a private ceremony is specifically requested by the recipient. The recipient must provide a valid reason with evidence why a public ceremony is not appropriate. A private ceremony is held in the council chambers in Nambour at a date and time mutually convenient to the recipient and the Mayor. These ceremonies take only a few minutes and are arranged by contacting council's customer service centre. Contacts Department of Immigration and Citizenship Sunshine Coast Regional Council |
Print this PageLast Updated 31-Aug-09