What are the Australian citizenship requirements for a permanent resident?
The Australian citizenship requirements covered here are residence, absence limits, the test, the application fee and being in Australia at approval. For the full eligibility list, use the Home Affairs citizenship page for permanent residents, updated 30 September 2026; this page is not a complete eligibility checklist.
- Residence: section 22 of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 requires 4 years’ residence immediately before applying, including the last 12 months as a permanent resident.
- Absences: section 22(1A)–(1B) allows no more than 12 months away overall, including no more than 90 days in the final year.
- Test: the Home Affairs citizenship test page says most applicants aged 18–59 sit the test.
- Fee: Form 1298i, July 2026 edition, lists $595 for general eligibility, with specified concessions.
- Approval location: the Home Affairs citizenship page says approval cannot occur while you are outside Australia.
Meeting the residence requirement is therefore one part of becoming eligible, not confirmation that every citizenship requirement has been met.
The citizenship residence requirement
The citizenship residence requirement is a period measured backwards from your application date. Section 22(1) of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007, in the compilation in force from 4 June 2026, requires presence in Australia for the preceding 4 years, no presence as an unlawful non-citizen during that period, and permanent residence throughout the immediately preceding 12 months, subject to the statutory absence allowances.
The Department’s wording is more practical: the Home Affairs citizenship page for permanent residents, updated 30 September 2026, says you must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for 4 years immediately before applying, with a permanent visa or Special Category visa for the last 12 months.
Earlier lawful residence on temporary visas can therefore contribute to the 4-year period; the whole period does not have to be permanent residence. Home Affairs’ New Zealand entitlements page, updated 19 February 2026, also states that Special Category visa holders count as permanent residents for citizenship purposes.
Absences and the citizenship residence calculator
The 90-day rule means no more than 90 days outside Australia in the 12 months immediately before applying. It sits within a separate overall allowance: section 22(1A)–(1B) of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 permits up to 12 months’ absence across the preceding 4 years.
Both limits matter. A person whose absences fit within the 4-year allowance is not yet within the general residence requirement if their absences exceed 90 days in the final year. Conversely, staying within 90 days in the final year does not resolve excessive absences across the full period.
The calculator strip first compares the two anniversary dates: 4 years from the start of lawful residence and 12 months from the start of permanent residence. It then checks the entered absence totals against the limits in section 22. If absences exceed a limit, the anniversary date alone is not a reliable application date; the relevant travel periods must be recalculated for a later proposed date.
An absence taken within the 858 travel facility still counts towards the citizenship absence limits. This follows from section 22’s absence rules: permission to travel does not itself keep the citizenship residence calculation on track.
When an 858 holder's permanent residence starts for citizenship (grant day, or first entry if granted offshore)
An 858 holder’s permanent-residence period for citizenship starts on the grant day if granted in Australia, or on first entry on the visa if granted outside Australia, according to the Home Affairs 858 page, updated 4 September 2026.
For an offshore grant, clause 858.611 of the Migration Regulations 1994 requires first entry before a date specified by the Minister. There is no general first-entry date stated in that provision; check the date specified for your grant rather than assuming a standard deadline.
Example: granted in Australia
Suppose your visa is granted in Australia on 1 May 2026, after 4 years living here on valid temporary visas. Applying the Home Affairs start-date rule and section 22, the 12-month permanent-residence period determines the earliest residence date: 1 May 2027, provided absences remain within both limits. This is a worked calculation, not a finding that all citizenship criteria are met.
Example: granted outside Australia
Suppose your first entry on the visa is 2 June 2026, with no earlier Australian residence. Applying the same rules, the earliest residence date is 2 June 2030, provided absences remain within the limits. The 4-year period determines this date; an earlier offshore grant does not start the permanent-residence period for citizenship.
The talent-visa residence discretion and the 858
The Home Affairs citizenship page for permanent residents, updated 30 September 2026, describes a residence discretion for regular overseas work. Its wording names Distinguished Talent and Global Talent visa holders processed through a pathway where “the Department did not invite the person” to apply for their visa.
National Innovation visa holders are always invited: clause 858.211 of the Migration Regulations 1994 requires a written invitation. They therefore do not appear to fit that wording. This is a reading of the Department’s wording, not a definitive ruling on an individual application or a statement of the discretion’s full terms.
The Australian citizenship test
The Australian citizenship test has 20 multiple-choice questions and a 45-minute time limit, according to the Home Affairs citizenship test page, updated 19 September 2025. Most applicants aged 18–59 sit it.
To pass, the same Home Affairs page requires 75% overall and all 5 Australian values questions correct. An overall score of 75% is not enough if a values answer is wrong. Home Affairs also states that refusal is possible after three unsuccessful test appointments; it does not describe refusal as automatic.
The Home Affairs 858 page says applicants aged 18 and over must sign the Australian Values Statement at the visa stage, after reading or having the Life in Australia booklet explained. That visa-stage requirement is separate from the citizenship test’s values questions.
Citizenship application fee and processing time
The citizenship application fee is $595 for general eligibility, according to Form 1298i, July 2026 edition. The schedule lists $85 for Pensioner Concession Card holders and no fee for a child under 16 included on a parent’s form.
1 July fee update: the Home Affairs citizenship page for permanent residents, updated 30 September 2026, says fees usually increase on 1 July. Check the current Form 1298i before paying.
The Home Affairs citizenship processing page, updated 21 September 2026, gives these application-to-decision figures:
| Proportion of applications decided | Time from application to decision |
|---|---|
| 25% | 40 days |
| 50% | 47 days |
| 75% | 85 days |
| 90% | 5 months |
The same Home Affairs page reports 90% within 6 months from approval to ceremony, and 90% within 12 months from application to ceremony. These are published processing figures, not a deadline promised for your application.
Applying for citizenship from overseas
Yes, you can apply from overseas, but the application cannot be approved while you are outside Australia, according to the Home Affairs citizenship page for permanent residents, updated 30 September 2026.
Applying overseas does not remove the residence limits. Section 22(1B) of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 still requires absences of no more than 90 days during the 12 months immediately before applying, alongside the overall 4-year allowance.
Frequently asked questions
How long after PR can I apply for Australian citizenship?
Under section 22(1) of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007, the general residence requirement includes at least 12 months as a permanent resident and 4 years’ lawful residence overall, subject to the absence limits.
What is the 90 day rule for Australian citizenship?
Section 22(1B) allows no more than 90 days outside Australia in the 12 months immediately before applying.
How much does Australian citizenship cost?
Form 1298i, July 2026 edition, lists $595 for general eligibility.
What is the current wait time for Australian citizenship?
The Home Affairs citizenship processing page, updated 21 September 2026, reports 90% decided within 5 months and 90% reaching a ceremony within 12 months of applying.
My 858 was granted while I was overseas: when does my citizenship clock start?
The Home Affairs 858 page says your permanent-residence period for citizenship starts from first entry on the visa, not the offshore grant date.
Does the talent-visa residence discretion help an 858 holder?
The Home Affairs citizenship page’s wording names holders who were not invited. National Innovation visa holders require an invitation under clause 858.211, so they do not appear to fit that wording.
From 858 permanent residence to citizenship
The Home Affairs 858 page says the 858 visa makes you a permanent resident from the day of grant, although the citizenship start-date rule differs for an offshore grant.
For that distinction, see when does 858 permanent residency start.
The benefits of permanent residency through the 858, including living, working and studying in Australia, apply while you wait, according to the Home Affairs 858 page.
Citizenship ends the need for a Resident Return visa to re-enter Australia, as explained on the Home Affairs permanent-resident overseas-travel page.
Ask an Australian migration lawyer to calculate your citizenship residence period from your 858 grant and entry record, check absences against section 22, and account for the Home Affairs requirement to be in Australia at approval.