Australian Citizenship interview

[SydneySwan]

That is not my experience in Sydney. Up until this year I had a casual job working for the AEC at citizenship ceremonies on Sydney's north shore and many times council staff told me that they had moved people forward or pushed them back upon request. Perhaps things are different in the Sunshine state?

 

[puchu]

Brisbane also has one big city council rather than the smaller local councils of Sydney, iirc

 

[DC3]

That is not my experience in Sydney. Up until this year I had a casual job working for the AEC at citizenship ceremonies on Sydney's north shore and many times council staff told me that they had moved people forward or pushed them back upon request. Perhaps things are different in the Sunshine state?

Maybe possible to go interstate to get in early?

Edit: And maybe tie it in with an overseas trip?

 

[puchu]

Ceremony has to be in your council of residence. Most councils post their upcoming ceremony timings for the year on their website. They may not have 2025 ones locked in yet.

 

[JohnK]

The good news is that wife's Citizenship ceremony is just over 3 weeks away. The 2 Aussies in the family looking forward to welcoming a 3rd Aussie into the family.

If we apply for passport the next day the 6 week lead time puts us right on the day we're due to fly to Thailand which makes it too risky so we'll need to pay $104 extra to guarantee we receive passport in 2-3 weeks.

Really happy that they've given us ceremony appointment so soon. No need to worry about visas again.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Keep the flag, and the citizenship parchment in a safe place, I have put mine (the parchment) somewhere, but now forgot where at home it is!
But for your wife, it will be the next procedure to get her an Aus passport, for easier dep and arr back to Aus.
First one, will need her photo and then, that reference to sign the back, takes longer than a 2nd Aus passport.
Guess you would have known that from getting the Aus passport for daughter already.
Not sure if Thailand recognises "officially" dual citizens, Malaysia does not, but they (immi officials at the Malaysian airport), do not quibble when a Malaysian with Aus passport enters Malaysia.

 

[Happy Dude]

Keep the flag, and the citizenship parchment in a safe place, I have put mine (the parchment) somewhere, but now forgot where at home it is!
But for your wife, it will be the next procedure to get her an Aus passport, for easier dep and arr back to Aus.
First one, will need her photo and then, that reference to sign the back, takes longer than a 2nd Aus passport.
Guess you would have known that from getting the Aus passport for daughter already.
Not sure if Thailand recognises "officially" dual citizens, Malaysia does not, but they (immi officials at the Malaysian airport), do not quibble when a Malaysian with Aus passport enters Malaysia.

Offtopic, but can I ask why the Malaysian wouldn't use the Malaysian pp to enter Malaysia? Or is the Malaysian pp relinquished when an AUS one is obtained?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

OffT:, yes, that has been done by some I know.
But its (if I was that way inclined), the Malaysian gov (passport/foreign affairs) hasnt chased me up, so if I wanted to make a Malsysian passport after 12 odd years, its a pain in the bum to provide id to get it done.
I dont even have a Mykad, my Malaysian id card is the old pic one, not chipped.
Too troublesome.
If I were to go back for a visit, I would just use the Aus passport.
Imagine, check in with Aus passport at checkin, with MH, or SQ via SIN, then on the flight, change to MY passport, use that to enter Malaysia, then on the way home, use Malaysian passport to exit, but still have to show MH or SQ check in at KL (KLIA) to get onto plane, too troublesome.
If you keep taking passport in and out of bag or holder, there is also more chance of losing it.
Need details of arriving passport for Mdac too, (Malaysian digital Arrival Card) to fill out, so would need to take out Malaysian passport/Australian passport if so inclined.OnT.
In JohnKs case tho, Thailand is more liberal, and allows dual, so one (Au) passport can be used the whole way.

 

[JohnK]

First one, will need her photo and then, that reference to sign the back, takes longer than a 2nd Aus passport.
Guess you would have known that from getting the Aus passport for daughter already.
Not sure if Thailand recognises "officially" dual citizens, Malaysia does not, but they (immi officials at the Malaysian airport), do not quibble when a Malaysian with Aus passport enters Malaysia.

Not much I remember from previous passport applications. I try to forget quick.

Citizenship ceremony, go to GP with photo to be signed, express passport application and 2-3 weeks later New passport.

Thai allows dual citizens or more. Use only Australian passport in/out of Australia, use only Thai passport in/out of Thailand as we do already now for daughter.

 

[JohnK]

So just to close off our experience.

Citizenship ceremony 9 days ago.

Applied passport on Saturday 6 days ago but missing some information. (This was 2nd Australia Post. 1st Australia Post got the officer from he'll who wanted a lot of things from us that were going to take time. I would have ignored her and asked her to submit regardless but we got second opinion and she was clearly wrong)

Submitted passport application Monday afternoon 4 days ago. We were flying out in 41 days so did not want to risk delayed passport. We paid $412 passport application + $104 for 5 day express passport.

Wife received SMS this morning that passport application is complete and has been sent.

Feels great to have this one out of the way. Now 3 Aussies in family but I feel left out as I don't have Thai passport. Need to start looking at getting Thai spouse/marriage visa so I can stay longer without hassle and get Thai rate wherever I go.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

How long will you all be away, as our PM has to call the Writs, to have an election on May 19.

 

[JohnK]

How long will you all be away, as our PM has to call the Writs, to have an election on May 19.

We'll be away 3 weeks in April.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

We'll be away 3 weeks in April.

Perhaps get MrsJohnK on the roll? Her vote could make a difference!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Once you apply for, and succeed in becoming an Aus citizen, esp the Citizenship Ceremony, the info gets transferred to the AEC.
You or I dont have to do anything, they will have the address you listed on the citizenship application form, and also, the roll (not the public one), will also have data on you, ie, male/female, date of birth (that is how they (political parties) know when to, or used to send out the congratulation letter from the Queen), but now with her passing, it might be King Charles sending it out, or not.
You will be on the roll, or MrsJohnK will be, maybe not this election, maybe, or the next Qld state one tho.
I never had contact with the AEC, but as soon as I became an Aus citizen, the political parties started sending their spiel, pre election, except Clive P who had deregisterd his party.
===
Edit: ah, ...
Tho, just read up, he has a new party, called "Trumpet of Patriots"!