In the ever-gradual shift to online applications, the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs) circulated a communication that from 1 November 2021 all applications for Australian citizenship by descent, and applications for evidence of Australian citizenship will be online only through their ImmiAccount platform. According to Home Affairs, most of these applications are already made online.

Paper-based applications will no longer be accepted except for individual circumstances where either the individual is disadvantaged, or lawful providers of immigration assistance are experiencing significant IT issues.

The paper forms for Australian citizenship by descent (Form 118) and evidence of Australian citizenship (Form 119) will be removed from the Home Affairs’ website from 1 November 2021.

Paper application forms to apply for Australian citizenship other ways, such as by conferral or to resume Australian citizenship, will not be affected although Home Affairs encourages all applications to be made through ImmiAccount where possible as this improves processing efficiency.

Australian citizenship by conferral special residency requirement instrument registered

Earlier this month the expected legislative instrument amending the special residency requirement was registered. This implemented changes announced by the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs in September 2021 after the publicised and multiple Australian citizenship application refusals made by a representative Australian rugby union player for not meeting the general residency requirement.

The new instrument adds Commonwealth Games athletes and all current and former subclass 124 and 858 – Distinguished Talent visa and subclass 858 – Global Talent primary visa holders who were granted this visa based on having an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in an eligible area. This excludes those who provided specialised assistance to the Australian Government in matters of security and those endorsed by the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Global Business and Talent Attraction.

The previous instrument only allowed writers or those engaged in the visual or performing arts under this residency requirement.