Quick answer: To apply for Australian citizenship by conferral you generally need 4 years of lawful residence in Australia immediately before you apply, including the last 12 months as a permanent resident. Within those 4 years you can be absent for no more than 12 months in total, and no more than 90 days in the final 12 months. Any time spent in Australia without a valid visa breaks the count. The rules below are current as of October 2026.
By Chun Qiu, Lawyer & Registered Migration Agent, HWC Legal Melbourne
Last updated: October 2026
Getting permanent residency is a milestone, but for many families in Melbourne the real finish line is Australian citizenship: an Australian passport, the right to vote, no more Resident Return Visas, and certainty for children. The most common reason we see people apply too early, or get a refusal they did not expect, is a misunderstanding of the Australian citizenship residence requirement. This guide explains how the 4-year rule actually works, how to count your days, and what to check before you pay the application fee.
The general residence requirement in one table
According to the Department of Home Affairs, on the day you apply you must meet all three of these tests at the same time:
| Test | What it means | Common trap |
|---|---|---|
| 4 years lawful residence | You have been living in Australia on a valid visa for the 4 years immediately before the day you apply | A gap with no visa (even a short one) inside the 4 years means you do not meet it |
| 12 months as a permanent resident | You have held a permanent visa (or a New Zealand SCV) for the last 12 months before you apply | Your PR “start date” is not always your grant date if the visa was granted offshore |
| Absence limits | No more than 12 months outside Australia in total during the 4 years, including no more than 90 days in the last 12 months | One long trip in the final year can push your eligibility date back |
You must also be a permanent resident both when you apply and when the decision is made, and in most cases you must be in Australia when your application is decided.
How to work out your earliest eligibility date
Your earliest date to apply is the later of two dates, and then you check the absence limits against that date.
- Find your lawful residence start date. This is usually the date you first arrived in Australia on a visa, provided you have held a valid visa continuously since then (student, 485, 482, partner, visitor and bridging visas all count while you are in Australia). Add 4 years.
- Find your permanent residence start date. Home Affairs says your PR starts on the date the permanent visa was granted if you were in Australia at the time, or the date you first entered Australia on the permanent visa if it was granted offshore. Add 12 months.
- Take the later of the two dates. That is the earliest date you could meet the time requirements.
- Check absences. Count every day outside Australia in the 4 years before that date (maximum 12 months in total) and in the final 12 months (maximum 90 days). If you are over, move the date forward and check again.
- Confirm with the official Residence Calculator before you lodge, using the travel dates on your passport or your Department movement records.
Example 1: student to PR in Melbourne
Mei first arrived in Melbourne on a student visa on 10 November 2022 and stayed on valid visas ever since. Her skilled PR was granted while she was in Australia on 5 March 2025.
- 4 years of lawful residence: reached on 10 November 2026
- 12 months as a PR: reached on 5 March 2026
- Earliest date (the later of the two): 10 November 2026, provided her absences are within the limits
Many people in Mei’s position assume they can apply one year after PR. They cannot: the 4-year test still applies.
Example 2: long trip home in the final year
Jason has lived in Australia for 7 years and has held PR for 3 years. In the past 12 months he spent 4 months in China caring for a parent. He meets the 4-year and 12-month tests, but he has been absent for more than 90 days in the last 12 months, so he is not eligible yet. He needs to wait until the days outside Australia in the rolling 12-month window fall to 90 or fewer, and must also stay within 12 months of total absence across the 4 years.
What counts, and what does not
| Situation | Counts towards the 4 years? |
|---|---|
| Time in Australia on a temporary visa (student, 485, 482, partner 820, visitor) | Yes, as lawful residence (but not towards the final 12 months as a PR) |
| Time in Australia on a bridging visa | Yes, a bridging visa is a valid visa |
| Time in Australia with no visa (unlawful non-citizen) | No, and it breaks the 4-year period |
| Time overseas, on any visa | Counts as an absence; the totals must stay within 12 months and 90 days |
| Time on a permanent visa while in Australia | Yes, towards both the 4 years and the 12 months |
Ministerial discretion: limited, not automatic
The Australian Citizenship Act 2007 allows the Minister to treat some periods more favourably in specific situations. Examples listed by Home Affairs include unlawful or temporary periods caused by an administrative error, temporary residence where refusing would cause significant hardship or disadvantage, and time overseas as a PR for the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen who kept a close and continuing association with Australia. These discretions require evidence and are assessed case by case. They should never be assumed.
The other requirements you must meet
- Good character: criminal history, visa compliance and honesty in past applications are all considered.
- Intention to live in Australia or maintain a lasting link with Australia while overseas.
- Citizenship test (most applicants aged 18 to 59): 20 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes. You need at least 15/20 (75%) overall and all 5 Australian values questions correct. The test is included in the application fee.
- Identity documents and, for most applicants, attending an appointment in person.
- Pledge of commitment at a citizenship ceremony. You become a citizen on the day you make the pledge, not on the day you are approved. In Melbourne, ceremonies are usually run by your local council.
Fees and processing times (as of October 2026)
| Application fee (general eligibility, Form 1300t) | AUD $595 |
| Concession fee (eligible applicants) | AUD $85 |
| Child 15 or under on a parent’s application | No extra fee |
| Application to decision (90% of applications) | 5 months |
| Approval to ceremony (90%) | 6 months |
| Application to ceremony (90%) | 11 months |
Fees usually increase on 1 July each year, and processing times are updated monthly, so check the official pages on the day you apply.
Common mistakes that delay or sink an application
- Applying exactly one year after PR without checking the 4-year test.
- Counting travel from memory. Home Affairs assesses your eligibility using its own movement records at the time of lodgement. Small differences of a few days matter when you are close to a limit.
- Forgetting a gap between visas, for example a period after a visa expired and before a new application was lodged. That gap can mean you were unlawful and the clock restarts.
- Booking a long overseas trip after applying. You must usually be in Australia for the decision, and you need to be a PR when the decision is made. If your PR travel facility (usually 5 years) has expired, you may also need a Resident Return Visa to come back.
- Not disclosing character issues, including overseas convictions or past visa refusals.
- Not thinking about your other citizenship. Some countries do not allow dual nationality. For example, under China’s Nationality Law a Chinese national who settles overseas and voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality automatically loses Chinese nationality. Get advice on the consequences before you pledge.
Step-by-step: applying for citizenship by conferral
- Run the official Residence Calculator and keep a copy of the result.
- Gather identity documents (passport, birth certificate, evidence of any name change) and a recent photo.
- Apply online through ImmiAccount and pay the fee.
- Attend your appointment and sit the citizenship test if required.
- Receive the decision, then wait for your council ceremony invitation.
- Make the pledge of commitment, then apply for your Australian passport.
If you are still on the way to PR, you may find our guide on the Subclass 155 Resident Return Visa useful for travel planning, and our article on what the proposed changes to the 5% deposit scheme mean for PR holders explains why many buyers are now checking their citizenship timing. For help with your own situation, see our Melbourne visa and migration lawyer services.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for Australian citizenship 1 year after getting PR?
Only if you also have 4 years of lawful residence in Australia immediately before applying and your absences are within the limits. Holding PR for 12 months is only one of the three residence tests.
Does time on a bridging visa count towards citizenship?
Yes. Time in Australia on a bridging visa is time on a valid visa, so it counts towards the 4 years of lawful residence. It does not count towards the final 12 months as a permanent resident.
How many days can I be outside Australia before applying for citizenship?
No more than 12 months in total during the 4 years before you apply, and no more than 90 days in total in the 12 months immediately before you apply. Both limits must be met.
When does my permanent residence start for citizenship purposes?
If your permanent visa was granted while you were in Australia, it starts on the grant date. If it was granted while you were overseas, it starts on the date you first entered Australia on that permanent visa.
How long does Australian citizenship take in 2026?
As of October 2026, Home Affairs reports that 90% of conferral applications are decided within 5 months, and 90% of applicants reach a ceremony within 11 months of applying. Times change monthly.
What is the pass mark for the Australian citizenship test?
You must answer at least 15 of 20 questions correctly (75%) and get all 5 Australian values questions right. You have 45 minutes.
Official sources (checked October 2026): Home Affairs: Become a citizen (permanent residents) · Home Affairs: Residence Calculator · Home Affairs: Citizenship test · Home Affairs: Citizenship processing times · Australian Citizenship Act 2007
Not sure if you can apply yet? Talk to HWC Legal.
We check your residence dates, travel history, visa gaps and character issues before you lodge, so you apply once and at the right time.
Email: info@adjmigration.com · Phone: 0402 672 808 · WeChat: service_au1
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This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Citizenship eligibility depends on your individual circumstances and requires individual assessment. Information is current as of October 2026.
