There are many benefits of becoming an Australia citizen. You are entitled to vote in government elections, you can live in Australia indefinitely, you can re-enter Australia freely, you can get support from the Australian embassy overseas, your children can become Australian citizens, you cannot be deported to your home country and you can get financial support for education, among other beneficial rights and entitlements.
An amendment to the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 has been proposed that will make it more difficult for applicants to gain Australian citizenship. Some of the proposed harsher requirements include extending the good character requirement to include applicants under 18 years of age, extending the requirement to not approve citizenship applications if the applicant has committed an offence in certain circumstances to applications under any stream, and making it mandatory for the Minister to cancel a person’s approval to become an Australian citizen if there are concerns as to the person’s identity or concerns that they pose a risk to national security.
It is also proposed that certain decisions made by the Minister for Immigration will not be subject to merits review, essentially meaning that to challenge these decisions, there must be an error of law. These decisions include revoking a person’s citizenship or cancelling or refusing an approval for citizenship if the Minister is satisfied that the decision was in the public interest.
If the amendment is passed through Parliament, it will be harder to become an Australian citizen. If you want to become a citizen before these changes take place, it is important that you apply for Australian citizenship as soon as possible. Our team of migration lawyers are happy to help you in your quest to become an Australian citizen, and with experience and efficiency will be able to help you secure citizenship before these changes take place. To start your citizenship application today, contact us on (07) 3229 4025 or at mail@themigrationplace.com.